I distanced myself quite a bit from all of the social media outlets: Blog, Facebook, Twitter, ... pretty much everything... after my dear friend suffered the loss of her little angel. I felt like I needed to refocus, regroup and just generally get my bearings. It was hard. Really hard. I had a really tough time coping with it for a while and then I discovered something.   I am that person. The lady that shows up with a veritable truckload of food for two people.

It helped to be able to help them. I'm at their disposal whenever they need me.

But, while dealing with tragedy, the world spins on. It's pretty much the way of things. And with the world spinning on... I have some general updates to bring everyone up to date!

Family Shout-Outs
We've had two birthdays this month - both were celebrated this past weekend. Both are such fabulous people that, really, they deserve shout outs of their own. I'm combining them because I neglected to post them on their respective birthdays.




Mom: My mom's birthday fell in the middle of last week. My mom is my hero. It's pretty much all I can say... and yet it doesn't even begin to do her justice. The woman has a strength and resilience that I can only hope to attain a shadow of in my lifetime... and yet she is possessed of  limitless warmth, compassion, wit... I could go on, but I'll stop here. I guess, to sum up, she is one of the most fabulous people I know. She taught me so much about baking, one of my favorite hobbies, and I really think that everyone should meet her. Happy Birthday (belated on the blog, not in person) Mom! I love you!




Dad: Hubs' Dad's birthday is four days after my mom's. It makes for an interesting week in Mid-October. He is a fabulously funny and caring guy. He has done nothing but make me feel like a part of the family since I met him... during an admittedly trying time in his life. He never fails to make me laugh, regardless of the mood I'm in. Happy Birthday! We love you too!








News
In other news... Hubs finally got an interview! HOORAY! Interestingly enough the company he interviewed with conducted the interview over the phone. Regardless of how he interviewed... it is done! He made it through round 2ish of the hiring process! This week he is brushing up on some math he hasn't had cause to use since high school, so that he can take a competency test on the 29th. Everyone? Keep your fingers crossed! I've got absolute faith that he'll be fine, but every little thing helps, doesn't it?

That's all I've got for today - I should be more regular around here again.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

It should come as no surprise to those of you who know him well, that hubs is really just a big kid at heart. I, very occasionally, have to remind him to pick up his socks, or that the house is not a playground - and that rough-housing with the dogs is really best done outside. As you can imagine things like this, while endearing at times, can also be very frustrating. (I was not impressed the day I came home and he had to explain why one of our wedding champagne flutes had bitten the dust) At other times, however, he gets excited over the simplest of things that just hit at my heart... and truthfully makes him completely adorable.

Over the weekend Beauty and the Beast came in the mail. I hadn't told him that it was coming.. I mean seriously why should he care about a Disney animated movie? He hemmed and hawed about getting the mail Saturday night, complaining about the rain (I admit it was a little on the side of torrential downpour), but eventually he went and got it anyway. When he dropped my main unceremoniously on my lap, he asked what the package was. I shrugged and told him it was a movie and saw to the rest of the mail.

Hubs: What movie didja get?

Me: It's whatever the feature of the month is..

Hubs: Hannah Montana?

Me: Don't be snide...

Hubs: Open it!

Me: I'm getting to it..

Hubs: Open it now!

Me: Alright, Alright... I think it's a vault movie  (He perked up at this one)

Hubs: OOOOOh... which one?!?!

Me: Umm... (as I'm opening the movie) I think it's Beauty and the Beast. (I couldn't remember... it seems like they have you make a decision on your movie a month before it even ships... so I always seem to be a month off. As a result? I couldn't remember if we were getting that movie next month or if it was here now.)

Hubs: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST? I LOVE THAT MOVIE

I hope the caps gets across his excitement at the prospect of this movie being in the container... I pulled the movie out and held it up to show him that it was, indeed, Beauty and the Beast. He grabbed the darned thing, snapped a picture and sent it to his parents squeeeing the whole time over the newest addition to our movie collection. We were watching it an hour later.

It is his favorite Disney Movie.

God I love him, he cracks me up.

It was a rough weekend around Jonesville.

We attended baby Ewan's funeral on Saturday which, while a really beautiful service, was very hard on both of us. We both adore Kirsten and James and hope that we can lend them some strength as they travel this very difficult road. To read more about this family you can check here. If you would like to help them in some small way, you can visit the in memoriam page. It made it hard to focus the rest of the weekend and Hubs and I have felt out of sorts since then. The only reason we can come up with is that it was a very, VERY emotional day and we're still recovering.

Up this week? A couple of birthdays that will get their own family shout outs and a big meal train. A group of us at work are pulling together a meal for Kirsten and James on Friday, then I'm pulling another one together for her on Saturday. All in all between the birthdays, the meals, work, and life in general I think I'm going to need a vacation day or two just to sleep.

See you around the blogosphere this week!

Heaven gained some angels this week - One hit very close to my heart
See more at www.team-ewan.com

See more WW HERE 

It has always been my opinion that your closest friends and family are in your life to help you and share with you. In times of joy they reap in the rewards of good fortune with you. In times of sorrow they help you shoulder the load. I'm writing this post roughly 12 hours after getting a phone call that a friend hopes to never receive from another.

Hey lady..


Hey..


How are you?


We're saying goodbye tonight


....


A fairly simple exchange in and of itself, but one that is immediately altering to the dynamic of a friendship.  My first thought after I got off the phone was I will help you bear this, we will help you and yours bear this.

I have no words for the place my head and heart is in this morning. I simply know that I will help bear the burden along with many, many others. In silence, with our words, and with our actions... so many have already come together in love for this family. Little Ewan touched more lives in his two weeks on this earth than many will ever do in the decades given them. I know that I was deeply touched by his battle with CHD, his strength, and his parents' faith and understanding.

They humble me and honor me by allowing me to help bear this load.

www.team-ewan.com