Gratitude Plus…..

   Yesterday was my beautiful daughter Carissa’s 27th birthday. My husband and I headed out early yesterday morning for the city. The plan was to go to her apartment and spend the morning with her and my son who is living with her. I gave her a choice of money or a gift and she chose money. She is leaving today to go on her annual birthday camping trip to Bar Harbor, Maine, with a bunch of her girlfriends. I used to go there when I was younger and had a great time doing it. I once went to a place called Thunder Hole in Bar Harbor and while taking a photograph of it, my camera fell into the hole! Yup, Thunder hole swallowed my camera right up!

Carissa is a very gregarious girl. She has a ton of friends and really knows how to enjoy life. The other day she had an ugly dress party with a bunch of her girlfriends. What’s an ugly dress party you say? I said the same thing! The girls dig out their ugliest dress they own and put it on with ugly accessories like beads, hats, shoes…etc. Many of them end up going to Goodwill and buying old lady dresses….Carissa did that. I don’t know why she didn’t just come here….I know I must have plenty in my closet! The pictures of the gathering  on her face book are pretty funny. Carissa is a guitar player and dancer and lover of life. She scared the pants off me once by going skydiving with friends here in Maine. We have the video to prove it and when I watch it, my heart misses a beat. She is always doing something fun….that’s her. I taught her how to play guitar as well as my son when she was younger. Here’s a photo of her learning a song many years ago. We were at my husbands parents home for the  holidays, and yes that is me next to her coaching her…I’m getting brave.:) In the background is another relative with her new baby. We had fun spending a little bit of time with her yesterday. My husband brought his pc tools with him and cleaned up her computer for her. She sat with him,  while they went through files and updates together. I left and took my son grocery shopping. It was actually speed shopping!! My husband had an appointment back home and we were squeezed for time. We ran through the grocery store and he managed to get about 170.00 worth of groceries in a very short time, while mom was prompting him!!  “Do you really need to eat that junk? How about some fruit and fixings for salad? They both eat on the run a lot. They also work at restaurants and grab grub from there when they can. He hasn’t been shopping in a while! Then it was the terrible task of carrying all those groceries up two steep flights of stairs! I carried four bags and that was enough for me. I’ve got bad knees and i couldn’t take it. We left late and my son missed his bus to work so we decided to drive him there and gave hugs and kisses and goodbyes and happy birthdays to my adorable daughter. Last night she was going out dancing. She let everyone know where she was going and that she would have her birthday suit on! Some people wondered if she meant she’d be nekked? No….not until she goes camping!

   Because of what happened to my dear friend Ann’s son this last week, I was feeling especially grateful, to spend this time with my kids yesterday. How precious is life. Here today….gone tomorrow. She is getting through all this with the help of family and friends and God. I drove by the makeshift memorial this morning and there were many teens standing there grieving, still. Next Tuesday, there will be a large gathering that we will all attend, at the local high school, Josh went to. We will be there and then attend another gathering later, at the local legion. My heart is ripped in two about her loss, I can ONLY imagine what she feels. I pray every day for her.

   My mother in law Alice has lost three sons. Can you imagine? She and my father in law Woody have seen so much grief in their lifetime. Yet, they carry on in life, making the best they can out of life, through unbelievable strength and courage, and love for one another and family. I don’t know if I would have that strength or not. I miss my brother in laws a lot as do they….every day I am sure. Sometimes life hands us seemingly more than we can handle, but somehow we get through it, with the help of God’s sustaining love.

   Thank you all for your prayers for my friend Ann….it is so appreciated! You are all a kind and loving bunch and I am glad I have met you in cyberspace. I think that deep down most people are inherently kind and you have proven that theory here, with your thoughtful and loving comments.

   Some of you have asked about Obie? He is doing great! He is back to his old self, for now anyway. He has lost some weight and looking good! It’s ME that has a hard time NOT giving him treats! We have the insulin shots down pat and he really doesn’t notice it is even happening most days. He’s too busy thinking about cleaning up Baby’s dish of food! She is better too. She came down with a kitten cold, sneezing constantly, runny eyes and nose but still eating and drinking water. That is passing. Who knew cats got kitten colds!:)

   My garden is doing awesome! I just went out and weeded it after 4 days of steady rain. The sun is out today…hooray! My hubby is mowing the back forty and all is well. I am headed out to pick up a funeral bouquet for Ann and family from a bunch of us. I am in hopes of seeing her. I’ve tried to give her some space to grieve. Sometimes it is too much to talk to so many people.

I just talked to my daughter a few moments ago, and she is all packed and headed for Bar Harbor! She’s excited. Now my son, on the other hand, has to work and can’t go. BUT!….he has ALL that FOOD to come home to…..all by himself for 4 days! Oh God….can you tell I am a food junkie? Geeezzz

   We are Grateful Plus up here in Maine on this glorious day!