One Thing Right After Another

Shower for me - bath for Jess.

Out the door by 8:45 a.m. for 9:30 dental appointment for Jess.

Breakfast with Debbie at 10:30 p.m. before going home.

Home by 12:00 and out the door at 12:20.

Dental appointment for me and trip to the bank.

Jess refused to go grocery shopping so I went instead.

Gone a couple hours because I am slow - plus I look at everything!

Home and rested about 15 minutes before making chop suey for dinner.
Cleaned up kitchen and continued with packing up Bill's clothes for Purple Heart on Saturday.

Placed an internet order for some clothes for Jess.

Doing my blog now.

Back upstairs to continue with Bill's clothes.

I am not liking emptying the closet of all my husband's clothing.  If you've seen The Iron Lady, starring Merrill Streep, about Margaret Thatcher, you will know how I feel about it.  If you haven't seen it yet, just know that it is a job that hurts.  It's something that needs to be done, and others will benefit from all Bill's clothes.  He enjoyed dressing up.  He enjoyed nice clothes.  Alot of them.  My goodness, but there is alot of clothes!



Artesian Wells

They are very nice to have - unless they are not is use and continually flowing in the ground and in your basement!  Today I had a well drilling company come and find the well and seal the well off.  Not knowing where the well was located, there was a possibility that I'd lose the front bushes, sidewalk or tree.  Guess what?  It was located between the sidewalk and the bushes.  I am so thankful.  It's expensive enough to fix this problem, I didn't want to have to landscape, too.  

Apples To Apples

We had company for dinner last night (thus no blog as the last person left at 11:00 p.m.) and after we ate, we played Jessie's favorite game - Apples to Apples.  We have every Apples to Apples game that there is.  Her Junior game, she knows almost all the word cards.  As you can tell from the picture, she was having a great time! 

Today Debbie took her to the Library and they put puzzles together.  She checked out new books and even bought a couple.  When I got home in the afternoon from an appointment, Debbie was on the floor playing ... Apples to Apples with Jess.

Yesterday afternoon I took Jess to the eye doctor because she had lost a nose pad.  She was told to sit down and the girl would be right with her.  When the girl came up she asked us what was needed.  Jess took off her glasses, pointed to the missing nose pad and said "there".  I was so proud of her.  She was able to communicate what she needed.  Sure, it was simple, but usually she just sits and says nothing or hides her face.  This time she looked at the girl and handed her the glasses!  Way to Go, Jess!

Holding My Hand

I didn't post last night because I got home around 11:00 p.m. and was too tired.  Sorry!

Three of my "girl" friends and I went to Bethesda Christian Church last night and saw Guy Penrod.  He is a tremendous singer, formerly with the Gaither Vocal Band.  Last September he branched out on his own.  I'm not a huge follower of the Gaithers, but I knew that I liked Guy Penrod's singing.  It was an awesome concert.  Very uplifting and I thoroughly enjoyed singing along with the old hymns. It was very long, too.  Two hours with no intermission. 

Unfortunately, since I don't have any of his albums or know his signature songs, the second to the last song caught me totally by surprise.  He sang "Knowing What I Know About Heaven".  It's a beautiful song about someone arriving in Heaven and for someone on earth having to say goodbye.  I had no warning - the next I knew, I was sobbing.  The kind where you shake and can't stop or even breathe!  How embarassing.  However, my 3 friends all grabbed hold of my hand and held it the entire song.  Their love and concern for me was so evident.  I felt blessed. 

If you've never heard him, bring him up on YouTube.  Also listen to the song, "Breathe Deep".  It's bout savoring the moments in life that we may ordinarily miss.  The next time I have one of those moments, I am going to breathe deep and Praise God for them.

After the concert we went to Lenny's for a late dinner.  It was fun sitting around a table with friends and laughing alot.  I can't remember the last time I was out so "late" at night. 

Today Jess has spent most of the day on her iPad, I've done a few things, but mostly played on my iPad.  I really don't feel like doing anything.  I'll save my paperwork for the morning.  We ate lunch and dinner on the deck.  I am so blessed to have had a husband who made a dream come true for us.  He began the deck while on chemo and finished most of it last fall.  It is a very nice place to be.  Thanks, Bill!

A Two-Day Blog

Last night when I should have been creating a post, we were waiting for the storm to hit.  The understairs closet was ready and we were keeping up with the weather map on our iPhones.  Thankfully it didn't pan out.  However, Jess had herself so worked up about the storm that she talked non-stop, and I do mean NON-STOP for over an hour. 

I figured I'd never get her to sleep in her own bed so I just put her in mine.  She calmed down in about 10 minutes.  However, it was a good thing she was already there, otherwise I'd have had to go get her or move over before she ran down the hall and jumped in my bed.  We had one of the longest storms I can remember in a long time.  Thunder, lightning, tons of rain.  I was actually surprised to see the sun out this morning.

Jon and I joined Jess, Debbie and Jess' case worker for breakfast.  It was nice to sit around a table with 5 people.  The girls at the Garden Grille take good care of us, especially Heather. 

I haven't been happy lately.  I'm not unhappy, I just don't feel any happiness.  I guess.  It's hard to describe.  Jessie's also been screaming alot.  She certainly isn't happy, that's for sure. 

Grief Counseling

Today was my first session of individual grief counseling through Beaumont's Hospice program.  I felt individual sessions would be best since in the past two years there have been numerous things to grieve, the most recent and hardest, Bill's death.  Even though I feel I am doing very well, I just don't know how to handle so many losses.  One thing I learned today was that each loss needs to be grieved individually.  Bummer.  I have several major losses. 

Jess slept for 12 hours last night and woke up quite weepy.  I'm wondering if she's depressed.  She doesn't act sick.  Just tired.  She's been taking naps each day, too.  I'll probably take her in to the doctor and see what he thinks.

My New Hobby

I haven't told you about my new hobby.  I've hesitated in telling everyone about it, but today I decided that since I am having so much fun with this hobby, I would share it with you.  Some of you will be astonished.  Some will say, "Go, Girl!"  I'm not sure what all will be said, but it doesn't matter, because I enjoy it, and that's what is important.

So, what is it?  Last December I took an 8-hour CPL class with two other girlfriends.  (CPL = concealed pistol license)  We had 5 hours of lecture and 3 hours of range.  I thoroughly enjoyed this class, and even Bill was excited that I enjoyed it so much.  (He said that we would become the PPM's ... pistol packin' mommas!).  In February I went before the Macomb County Gun Board and received my license. I am extremely proud of my accomplishment.

Because of Bill's failing health I wasn't able to go to the range and shoot with Jon (he's had a CPL and pistol for quite awhile).  I've recently purchased a Sig 380.  A nice little "sweet thing", as people say as they see it.  Today Jon and I went to the range and I shot it for the first time. Boy, I really like this sport.  I can't wait til we can go again!  This is also something that Jon and I can do together.  My only regret is that Bill wasn't able to see me shoot.  I know he would have had a big smile on his face - especially the times I hit the target!

I hope to not only hit the target, I want to get the bullseye!  After all, I come from a family of sharp shooters:  my dad was a Detroit Police Officer and was a sharp shooter, Diane was in the Navy and was also a sharp shooter and Ed was in the Marines and he, too, was a sharp shooter.  Who knows, maybe one day I will be good enough to join a shooting league.  We have an awesome shooting range very close to our house.  I'm too old to bowl, so maybe this can take its place!

YEAH, ME!!!!!