Just after Boogie came, we lost Grandma Frances. It was tough on the Ned and has definitely taken some getting used to. Grandma lived a long life and no doubt and because of that, there is an unmistaken hole left where she once was. The phone doesn't ring like it once did and we don't know as much about the goings on at the farm anymore. Her not being here has changed things and we miss her.
Then right after Woogie came, we lost Mabel. I went to see her the day before she died and then drove straight back to Charleston where Woogie was waiting on me. Seeing Mabel so close to death's door and then seeing Woogie so fresh and new gave me an eery perspective on the thin line between life and death. Seeing one so close to it and the other so far away but somehow they seemed so related. It was strange and I was thankful for the healing that Woogs gave me that day. Mabel passed on and I'm reminded daily about all things she taught me when I wasn't looking. A great deal of me comes from her and if I'm honest it's probably the parts of me that I like most about myself.
I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. 2017 has proved to be a difficult one. We've lost close friends of the family, other grandparents of family members, had cancer diagnoses, bad news after bad news, devastating hurricanes and earthquakes and health scares and struggles for friends and loved ones. It's September now and I know I'm not alone in the fact that I'm more ready than I ever remember for a New Year's Day.
In April Lil' talked me into going on a field trip with her SAIL class. It was good to be with her but it was rainy and cold most of the weekend. Sleeping in cabins on a bunk bed and pretending not to care proved to be difficult at times but again, anytime with Lil' is awesome to me.
In May, my Big graduated from middle school. Now that's a real punch in the gut. I have a freshmen in high school and it's tearing me a part. He received multiple academic honors and had the highest GPA in a couple of his classes. He's ridiculously smart and we are blown away by it. My Big is even bigger.
May was busy. But summer was poppin'!
