New Year

I'll be completely honest. I have not updated my blog in over 2 months because I have so much to write, I am not really sure where to begin it. So, once again, I will do it in chunks.

LOSS:
The past month and a half have been really hard. I lost my grandpa the day after thanksgiving. I was in Northern New York with my roomate and her family for Thanksgiving, when I got the call from my family. Even though I knew it was coming, it was still much harder than I thought it would be. The hardest part about the whole thing, was not being able to fly home for the funeral. The day of the funeral, I went home from work early and Nikki put me on speakerphone so I could at least hear the whole thing. It was pretty scratchy and I couldn't make out everything, but I could tell who was speaking, when people were laughing, when there was a prayer, or music, etc. At the end, I heard them do the 21-Gun salute and I heard a solo bugle playing Taps, which, of course, made me bawl. It was a beautiful memory and a wonderful testiment to his amazing life. In May, I will fly to Cassopolis for his spring funeral, which will be just for family. It has been vey difficult, but I know that he is probably running around in heaven right now, using the legs he couldn't for 20 years. That is what makes it a little easier. He was an amazing man. He lived through the Korean War and a hunting accident that left him a quadrapeligic. He was a brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was strong, brave, and faithful. I love you grandpa.

About 2 weeks after Grandpa passed, my mom called to tell me that Gramdma Vi passed away. She was a dear family friend and had adopted my family as hers since I was in 6th grade. She lived for 90 full years. Everyday after school, Nikki and I hung out at G-ma's house for almost an hour, having a snack and watching trash talk t.v. shows. She took care of me when I was sick, listened to the events of my day, told me her amazing life stories, and was truely a great friend. She was one-of-a-kind and will be missed dearly. Two days after she passed away, I was cleaning my room, and there in the middle of my bedroom floor was a picture of Grndma and I from Nikki's bridal shower. It was so random, that I am sure, it means she must be thinking of all of us.

Then, as if we haven't lost enough, my mom told us that my Great-Uncle Jack passed away this morning. He went in to the hospital Christmas Day. We are all so thankful it was quick and that there was no suffering. I think everything finally hit my mom this morning, and we had a good cry together.


LIFE:
Kimi is due any day now. Her baby will be named Jackson Wayne. Jackson, after my uncle Jack, and Wayne was my grandpa's middle name. What is really neat, is that she picked the name before we lost either of them. The circle of life is a funny thing. I am praying she has him before I have to head back to New Hampshire, but that only gives her one day, so, it's looking slim. We had a baby shower for her on Monday, which as really fun! It was great to see all our family friends and to see all the cute things for Jackson and Kimi. I cannot wait for my nephew to be born!!!


A TRIP TO CONNECTICUT:

A few weeks ago, I drove to Connecticut to see my cousin Carleen and her husband Aaron and to meet her two little boys. Her boys are so cute and I had a blast playing with them. They were a little shy at first, but that didn't last long at all. I got to go to Carleen's mid-wife appointment with them, as she is expecting a baby in May. We got a little Christmas shopping in afterward, and then did a quick driving tour of New York City! It was amazing and was everything I dreamed it would be. I even got a little teary-eyed when we drove through the theater district and I saw the sign for Broadway. We drove through Times Square, Harlem, and the Bronx. It was a dream come true. Carleen and I are planning on seeing Wicked on Broadway sometime this spring. That is my lifelong dream and I am so excited!! Saturday night after the boys went to bed, we caught up on life and family stories. Sunday we went to church and caroled around town afterward. The boys were so good and we had a blast! Before I knew it, the weekend was over, but I am planning to visit often. It is so nice to have family only 4 hours away!


THE HOLIDAYS:

After 7 hours of delays in the airports, I flew safely to Marquette on Tuesday, the 22nd. Matt picked me up at 2 am and we stayed at his apartment that night. Wednesday, we drove home. It was so great to see my family! Matt, Kimi, and I went to surprise Nikki and her 2nd graders during there holiday pajama party. It was so much fun! We hung out there for an hour or so before heading to surprise my mom and her kindergartners just before their holiday concert. They were so cute and it definitely gave me a little more Christmas cheer. Thursday, mom, Nikki, Kimi and I went to Kimi's apartment to make Christmas cookies. Our oven broke earlier that day, so we made the best of the situation and did our baking over there. It was also nice to be able to see her apartment. That night, when the whole family was together, we opened our family gift from Santa. It was a game called "Wits and Wagers" and we had a blast playing it. Then dad read us "Twas the Night Before Christmas", like he always does, and we settled in for the night. Christmas day was wonderful. I got a book about blogging, which is what motivated me to write this today, a sewing book, a beautiful copper U.P. necklace, a bag for traveling and more. That day we laid around in the living room by the fire and all read our books. It was perfect. That night we had a great ham dinner, cooked on the grill, since the oven was dead, and I read The Christmas Story from the Bible to everyone.

Sunday, we had our Christmas with the Bishop family. I love seeing their two little kids and we had so much fun playing with them. They are such great family friends!
The rest of the week, we did a little shopping, made some earrings, helped dad take down his hunting blinds in the woods, and relaxed. It has been nice. Today is my last day home, before heading to Marquette tomorrow and flying out on Sunday. It has been a wonderful week and a half.


THE NEW YEAR:
Honestly, the start of the new year hasn't been so great. I have been battling a rotten stomach ache for 3 days now. My mom and I are thinking it may have been caused by the cold medicine I have been taking. It only seems to come on shortly after I take it. I hate being sick, but it was nice to be home and my mom still took care of me. I don't think it matters how old you are, it's always nice to have your mom, when you feel sick. She is a saint of a lady.
Then, we found out about Uncle Jack this morning. Yuck. Just when we thought "Good Riddens 2009, bring on 2010", all of this happened.

But... I am a firm believer in the power of positive thinking. Yes, we have had a rough few months, but we also have had so much to be thankful for. We have an amazingly strong family who sticks together through thick and thin, the comfort of a warm home when we need to be nursed back to health, wonderful memories of loved ones, the ability to laugh at lifes hiccups, good jobs that pay for the food on our tables and the clothes on our backs, and a new little nephew on the way. We are blessed in this New Year and have much to be thankful for.