Update Time...

OK, so who here DOESN'T know that I have serious geek potential? I mean, come on...it's written all over me...sometimes literally.

Anyway...for some time now I've been involved with this Yahoo! online discussion group for my alltime favorite author, Diana Gabaldon, and I finally got my friend Tracy in AL to read the books...after years of begging, literally...and she got hooked enough to want to join this group too. Now, this group is made up of people all over the world, which makes it kinda neat...and I've made a couple of really awesome buddies on this list, a couple of whom are in my friends list here. *waves*

I finally started talking to one girl who lives fairly close, and we decided to try to get together a couple of weeks ago, for coffee, and so we could actually meet in person. One thing led to another, and we wound up putting out an all-points bulletin on the board for anyone who lived in Atlanta and wanted to join us. We wound up, even on short notice, with 5 people coming (one being Tracy) and more who said they would have if they could have planned ahead of time.

We met at a restaurant in Snellville, and had a BLAST...a real girl's night. Wound up closing down the joint and still weren't through, so we said good night to a couple of the girls, and three of us took the party to the Waffle House to continue our conversation over coffee. I can't remember when I've had such a great time just gabbing! It was a much enjoyed...and much needed...diversion. We hope to do it again, soon.

In the meantime, I've managed to get Tex semi-hooked on the books, too, and I've been posting his comments on the board, too, as A Man's Opinion. The ladies are eating it up!

So, he's a verra popular lad right about now, and I've got a major feather in my cap for landing such a 'caring and sensitive' guy...

Who'da thunk it?

I guess it's about time, again...

Time for another update, I guess, since it's been about two weeks. All is going pretty smoothly, really. Nothing much to update on, and that's why I really haven't gone out of my way...

Haven't heard much from Shanna and Kyle, other than that Kyle is working long hours, and Shanna is looking for work. Apparently everything's good with them.

Jessica is in NC, visiting. Don't know when she'll be back. Didn't know she'd left until she'd been gone a couple of days. Guess it was on a 'need to know' basis, and I didn't need to know.

Ian and Krystal are doing pretty good for the most part. Harmony went to AL last week to spend some time with her other Granny, and it gave them a much-needed break, but Krystal overdid it and pulled some internal stitching, so she's under Dr.'s care for that right now. It will probably take her a week or more to heal, and in the meantime, we're all trying to pinch-hit with Harmony. I think Krystal's mom might be coming to spend a few days and help her with the baby. I hope.

Harmony had a check-up yesterday. She's healthy as a horse, and now weighs just shy of 14 pounds! We've got to start putting a brick on that child's head, I swear... She's also starting to smile, laugh, and coo. I love it!

And that just leaves me and Tex. Sunday was his birthday, so I went down and spent the weekend with him. We had a lovely time, and laughed and joked the whole time. A much needed release after the past few months. Nothing like the medicine of laughter to cure what ails ya.

I have started back on my diet and exercise program, so if you see me and I'm not heading for the track....kick my butt, will ya? I'm back up to two miles, and counting! My goal is to hit 6 miles by the end of summer, and then I can work on increasing my speed. I have to be able to run it in under an hour if I wanna get the t-shirt at the Peachtree Road Race next year (my ultimate goal).

Wish me luck!

So Sweet...

It's been a real pleasure to be able to babysit my granddaughter, Harmony, the past two weekends. I've had such a good time getting to know her for the little person she is. There's nothing more inspiring to watch a baby develop and grow into their own little individual personality. They're just such little blank slates, full of potential and possibilities...and it's so sweet and touching to be able to view and experience that innocence first-hand before the world starts corrupting it. Such a blessing from God...

Yesterday was the first time I was able to take her to church with me. I am not often able to go myself, because I'm usually out of town with Tex, but she was such a little angel all day, even with everything that was going on around her, and all the unfamiliar people (even if it was family) wanting to hold her and cuddle her. But she was awake and alert through most of it, and never even fussed. I didn't take her to the nursery, preferring to sit on the back row with the family instead, and had lots of help with her during the service. It was a really great time, and I felt good knowing that Ian and Krystal were getting a much needed break.

Our little girl is growing up so fast...she's almost 12 pounds already, and is getting too big to wear her clothes, so we're moving her into the next size. She's already 8 weeks old...I can't believe time has flown by so fast! There's a part of me that wishes that I could slow it down...at least for this part. Let her be small and trusting and innocent for just a while longer before she has to grow up and face reality. It will be here all too soon as it is...

Who sez you can't go home again...??

Ok, so here’s part two...

A couple of weeks ago, when everything got crazy, I started having a "Calgon, take me away!" crisis moment. I mean, I really, really needed a break. But...alas...no moolah. So I’m in the middle of this discussion with my sister, and I tell her, what I really, really need is to go to NC to visit my friends Bonnie and Scott for a few days. She agrees. Problem is...no moolah. Oh, well, right? I can dream...

...except...God has a funny way of hearing the prayers you think you’ve kept to yourself.

The day after this conversation, I get this text message from my NC friend, Bonnie, which says..."If I give you gas money, will you come see me?"

Say what...?

Yep. I read it right. Uh...yeah, I think I can manage that.

So I made arrangements to go up this past weekend. I left on Thursday night, just after work, and got up there about midnight. Great trip up, made good time. I was so happy to be there again! It’s just like going home for me. The place where everything just feels...right. Everybody’s got one, that’s mine, I guess.

Anyway, we got up Friday morning, and headed down to Atlantic Beach, which is about an hour away. The weather was beautiful, temp perfect for a stroll on the beach, enjoying the scenery, snapping pics, collecting shells, and sharing great company. We also toured the fort that’s there...again. Fort Macon is a Civil War fort that was built right on the beach, and was used all the way through WWII. It’s still incredibly preserved, and if you ever get the chance to go, I highly recommend it!

After that, we had cocktails and dinner at my favorite restaurant, the Channel Marker, which sits right on the water. Awesome!

Saturday was spent being really, really lazy. A couple of errands, and a trip to the cemetery to put out some flowers on my late hubby’s grave, and we spent the rest of the day catching up and reminiscing. Kinston is one of the most peaceful places on the planet, I think. Flat coastal land stretching out so far in places you can see the curvature of the earth, with freshly-turned fields of the blackest, richest dirt you can imagine. Mostly cropland, in the summer you can go by miles upon miles of fields full of tobacco, cotton, corn and soybeans, robust, and ready for harvest. The people are so friendly, they’ve never met a stranger...and no matter how long you’ve been gone, they never, ever forget you.

Sunday morning came all too soon. Before I knew it, we were having to say goodbye so I could get on the road to come home...which I did, right after they loaded me up with baby stuff for Harmony. We laughed and cried all weekend long, and I cannot tell you how much I missed them the second they were out of sight.

Few people are blessed with people in their lives they can call true...really true...friends. I have been very blessed, and with more than just these two. But these two are very, very special, indeed. They are the oldest, and will always have a special place in my heart. Together, we have been through the best...and the worst...of times. And yet, in spite of it all, we’re still here for each other. And I know that we always will be.

Tomorrow, they will celebrate their 20th anniversary. I will not be there to share it with them in person, but they know I will be there in spirit, to wish them many, many more.

I love you guys so much. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you for always being there. Happy, happy anniversary!!!

Lots to update!!!

Wow, I’ve really got to do this more often! In my own defense, though, it’s a little hard when stuff is happening so fast you don’t have time before it’s old news and something else has happened already...

Well, first off...

My youngest and her hubby have decided to move back to Florida for a while to get themselves together before they try again. They’ve been struggling to make things work, and it just wasn’t happening for them, so they’ve decided to make a tactical retreat so they could come back stronger later. He got a great job offer in Sarasota, and they felt like they just couldn’t turn it down, so they moved back down weekend before last, with help from his father. Appears as though all is well so far, although I haven’t heard anything from them this past week, so I can only assume...(ahem).

On the same weekend they left, I took Ian, Krystal, Jes and Harmony down to see Alan for the weekend. It was the first time for Krystal and Harmony, and nothing could be sweeter looking than seeing Poppy holding that baby all day. Hopefully the first of many to come! A good time was had by all...

BUT...two days later, Ian had a wreck, and totalled his Jeep. So transportation wise, they’re all but back to square one. Fortunately, Krystal has a car, it’s just in the shop being repaired, so they’re not completely without resources. I can pinch-hit until it’s on the road. And the biggest blessing of all was that Ian walked away virtually without a scratch. If you saw the Jeep, you’d be amazed. By all rights, he should be either paralyzed or dead. It was a true miracle and a blessing from God. We are very, very thankful.

And last, but not least, I just got back from an incredible weekend of fun, friendship, and relaxation. But since there’s a lot to tell, I think I’ll tell it in a separate post tomorrow!

Don't know what to say...

Somebody broke my heart today. Somebody very special to me. There’s been a lot of that going on this week. I broke someone else’s too. Someone who most definately didn’t deserve it. And I don’t know how to fix any of it. I don’t want to talk about it, really. I just needed to vent for a sec. So if you read this, and wonder what’s going on...please. Don’t ask me, because I won’t tell you.

I’ve never felt so helpless in my life...

The Passing of Time....

One day a child is born, the next, she's almost 3 weeks old! Where does the time go?

Well, it has just come to my attention...yet again...that I'm way past due with my blogging, so I thought I would try to play catch-up before too much more time slipped by me, and my granddaughter is ready to graduate.

The house erupted in chaos the week after the baby was born, so we had to call a family meeting to get things ironed out, and to keep things from getting out of hand again, we've decided to hold weekly meetings for a while.

Then, last weekend, I threw my back out, which hasn't happened in about a year and a half....fun, fun! So here I am with a new grandbaby that I can't even enjoy cause I can't get out of bed!

Last weekend was also the first weekend in all these years that I've been going to see Tex that I told him I was going and didn't go. I cried all day Sunday, more from that than the pain.

I also found out today that my grandson, Dakota, fell down a set of stairs and sustained a minor concussion, so I'm a little worried about that. We're watching him.

On the flip side, I've gained an incredible new friend this week that I'm terribly excited about. And I get to babysit tonight...overnight, no less...for the first time! I'm more excited than anything about that! So I'm looking forward to an incredible weekend, and I hope you all have one, too!

More later...