I told Jason I'd blog if he would, and he did, so here I am. It's only right!
I really should've been here sooner, but I just haven't had a lot of time. What's been keeping me so busy?
--Mom and Daddy sold their house on a Monday.
--That same week, on Friday, we bought a house, one we can share with them, which has been the plan for more than two years. Wanna see?

It combines the best elements of the carriage house I loved and lost, and the house I was happiest in as a child, so the minute I walked in, I felt at home. And that's a feeling I haven't had since 2002. It is as if a deep, painful wound within has finally healed.
--The Kid had a mother-daughter tea which, for the first time, was attended by more than me; every year she's always said this would be so perfect if only Grammy could be there. This time she was, along with the 'sisters' we 'adopted' through the church; our table was full and so was my heart.
--The Kid had her Christmas program at school, sadly the last one, at least as long as she's an elementary student. I don't know why, but her school doesn't have 4th, 5th and 6th graders participating--and I was not ready to be done beaming in the audience at my gifted girl! So I'm seriously hoping she takes up some sort of music, band or choir or both, when she's old enough...
--The Kid also had her Christmas program at church. Alas, she muffed a line, which devastated her and she was distraught through most of the show, but we reminded her (more than once) that everyone makes mistakes and no one will remember by the time the next show rolls around.
--The woman who was my maid of honor years ago came back for a visit to her parents, and came here for Sunday breakfast and then church; she is now a pastor's wife and she loved our church, especially our music ministry. Later, we grilled steaks for lunch and talked and talked and it was as if all the years between then and now simply vanished...I am grateful all over again that she is a part of my life.
--At the last minute, we were asked to narrate the Christmas music program at church; Griz is much more talented than I am and we did get a different script every night for the three nights we practiced....but in the end, the music was so incredible and we loved it so much that we did a reasonable job and the message was powerful and beautiful. And, as always, watching my husband perform anything, anywhere, made me love him still more, and fall even farther into love with him. That same weekend we also took on new church duties, learning how to man the coffee bar for three hours on Sunday morning followed by library duty after church. I cannot tell you how exhausted we were by the end of that weekend!
--Christmas. Lots of last minute things, gifts that were better than we could have hoped to find for each other, a wonderful time with my parents as we began the plans for this new, shared life.
--New Year's Eve, which we spent in Michigan, getting ready to move Mom and Daddy down for good. Three days later, a 26' truck, two 16' trucks, a pickup truckload and our van, well-loaded....we made it back. Mom is so conscientious that we cleaned each room and shampooed all the carpets and left an immaculate house for the new owner. But the best part of it all? Watching the Kid take her assigned chore very seriously: she was supposed to try and keep RedKitty as calm and soothed as possible. When he went into the carrier, and immediately began cursing fluently, she picked up a Beezus and Ramona book and started to read to him. And it WORKED. He calmed down and listened to her sweet voice, even managed a catnap or two. I am now calling her the Cat Whisperer.
--The kids had an unusually long Christmas break, and most days at the library quickly became round upon round of fighting, biting, page tearing, hair pulling, screaming tantrums and so on...But they've gone back to school now, and I've promised to behave better....
I've found more old friends on FaceBook than I could ever have believed. I have found dear people I've sought for more than twenty years. I have even had fun with applications where I garden, and raise crops on the farm, because these benefit the rainforest and world hunger and all that. The sweetest part of this is learning that Grizzy's friends became my friends because they liked me, not just because I was his girl.
I'll leave you with one last thing, because what happened yesterday was too cool to condense as the aforementioned and I need to wrap this up: I have cut my hair for the first time in three years, from waist-length to just skimming my shoulders. Yes, what was cut off was long enough to donate! The new look, a sort of early Lauren Bacall (a look I have always loved, with my passion for all things 1940s) is most successful, and everyone is telling me they didn't realize how blonde I was (it's hard to tell when my hair is French-braided) and that I even look younger. Now what's not to like about that?
But for now...sleep beckons. After all, this is just the tip of the iceberg as to what's kept me away from you all....and my day started before 5 this morning, so the Sandman is beating me to death. And I work tomorrow. And pack and move all weekend. I'm tired just thinking about it!
But more tomorrow. Really. I mean it!
(How'd I do, Jason?)
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