Happiness Is...

Getting to see pictures of a friend (and ex-lover) and discovering that you are not the only one who has put on weight since college.

;-)

Break Time

I'm very much looking forward to visiting my inlaws next week. I know...call me crazy. But I really do get along pretty well with my MIL. It will be an interesting visit because it will be the first time I've been there without DH. I'm taking DS to see them. We try and go this time every year, along with either Thanksgiving or Christmas.

The other reason I'm looking forward to this visit is it will give me, and my "housemates" a much needed break from each other. It's been a rough couple weeks and the return of the lousy weather hasn't helped.

I'm trying not to dwell on things not under my control. I can't change someone who has been the way she is for 50+ years. I can only make things better for DS and that is going to be my focus.

It's All About the Weather

I think spring is finally trying to come to the Pacific Northwest. We've had some interesting weather the last couple of weeks but the last few days have been pretty wonderful. Yesterday we even broke the 70 degree mark!

I can't begin to tell you how glad I am that the weather is turning nicer and the days are getting longer. I believe that I suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) though I've never been officially diagnosed. In the couple of years before I moved to AZ I had a really hard time during the winter months. My mind pretty much shut down and I would slide back into a depressed stupor that would last pretty much from December thru April.

After moving to AZ I noticed that I didn't have that problem any more! It was amazing to me. At first I tried to pass it off as being related to meeting DH, being happier in my job, blah, blah, blah. But now I realize that it really was related to the weather.

This winter has been hard again but realizing the reason behind it has helped. I'm not as deep into my funk as I normally get, probably due to having DS to keep me focused. But don't let that fool you, I still can't wait to get back to the "sun and fun" of AZ. Until then I'll enjoy each spring day here. There's nothing like spring in the PNW. Really! The moderate temps, the cool breezes (which are what I miss the most when I'm in AZ), the birds singing, the flowers and trees blooming... It gives one hope that the coming year will be better than the last one.

Happy 2nd Birthday Thomas

This 'n That

So the other good news this week has been about my friend S. I spoke with her the other day and she is doing wonderfully, though she is sick as can be the poor dear. They did lose one of the babies but the remaining baby is strong. She hit the 10 week mark yesterday. That's the longest she's ever been pregnant!

If you remember back in December I told you about the G family and their little girl Sarah. We were honored to go with them when they finally laid the headstone for Sarah, thanks to the generous gift from a foundation. One of the local news stations collected footage for a segment and today it aired. They did a FANTASTIC job on the story. I cried, again, as they told the G family's story, and the story of the family that created the foundation. It's refreshing to see the media get something right, and I think they did with this story. They handled it with dignity and respect for both families, and in a very sensitive manner.

An Update From The Front

The most disturbing phone call you can get from your husband is one that involves the word "explosion". Luckily it was him making the call, and wasn't a visit from a group of Army officials that includes the chaplain. I won't go into alot of detail, for obvious reasons, but I will say that today was the second time I was almost made a widow. The thought makes my blood run cold. It's one that plays at the back of your mind all the time and you hope to never allow it to come to the front.

We were lucky today, no one got hurt.