Let the good times roll

Been a month of ups and downs. Mostly ups. Spending time with good friends and wonderful family. Just had our annual family reunion. It's always a great time, however it was even better this year because a) more of the extended family came and b) I got to share my family with my *new* family. It can be an adventure introducing new ingredients into an old recipe. But we seem to have created a great new concoction. One I hope stays around for a long, long time.

Oh, it's not been without some aches and pains. Disappointments and regrets. Questioning. But what I have now is worth the effort to work through all those things. Learning to trust. Trying to forget.  We can change the way we feel, just by deciding that we're going to feel differently. Sometimes we can do this instantly. Sometimes, it takes a while to happen. But it happens.

Bittersweet

So many new beginnings, so much to look forward to yet it is tinged with sadness. It's said with every door that closes another one opens. It works in reverse too---with every door that opens one closes. It's bittersweet to lose a friendship through no fault of your own. But sometimes it just can't be saved. Expectations of one or the other just can't be met. While I know it has to go, or end, I can't help but regret the loss. It's the one cloud in my otherwise sunny life at the moment. Perhaps someday the friendship can be revived. If not, I will cherish the memories of what was. Maybe this loss was to make room for a new friendship? I'm staying open to all probabilities...

Moving forward

 Yesterday, I turned in the keys to the apartment I had rented for the past 10 years. The end of a decade. What a decade. Today is the 10 yr. anniversary of my working where I do. It's been 10 years since my marriage of 18 yrs dissolved. Not much changed until this last year and it has been one change after another. Both girls out of high school and into college. Meeting a wonderful man, albeit nothing that I had envisioned. (Younger, has young kids, no money, etc.) Moving into a beautiful house with said wonderful man. A 'family' (his) that I just love and I believe they feel the same about me. A future that looks to be happy, healthy, prosperous, and secure. Who'd a thunk it?

I feel like my life is a flower bud slowly opening up, revealing more and more great things each day. I keep waiting for the *other* shoe to drop. It has been too easy, too comfortable. But,for now, I am just accepting that I get to have time to be happy and content. Let the good times roll....and continue!

Playing in the rain

 So last night, in the midst of some pretty fierce storms, there was a lull in the action for a few hours with just a gentle rain. Charlie wanted me to go out and check on the iris's we transplanted from my place to the house. We took a peek at them and they are fine, ready to bloom. That led to making footprints on the front porch with our bare feet. Max came out to join us and then Dan and the dog. We were all running around in the rain. The boys wanted to go splash in the puddles on the driveway. I decided to join them. Best.Time.Ever! What a great feeling to run and splash in the puddles, throw worms at each other, and just act like a kid again. I need to do that more often. We grow up and forget about the simple pleasures in life. We ended up playing some basketball, throwing a football, Max asked if he could sit in a puddle and I said "Of course!".  The boys are afraid of storms and after we were done playing they said they had a lot of fun and I don't think the rain was as threatening to them. I know *I* had a lot of fun.... been a long time since I played like a kid in the rain. Think I shall do more of it in the future.

The beginning

I used to do blogging before blogging existed. Way back when I got my first computer, running Win 3.0, I would send out daily emails to my friends and family sharing my day. If I didn't send something out I would get emails from people wondering where I was at and what was going on. Funny how you think what you are doing isn't all that important to others but it is.

I don't know if I'll keep up with this or not. I kept a journal for 20+ years and I finally stopped that. I miss it sometimes. Totally different though putting my thoughts down in a private journal and posting them on this blog.... so we shall see.