It's a rainy, gloomy day today--definitely feels like fall outside, albeit warmer. That's ok though. I need a day just to be inside guilt-free. There are many things I have on my to-do list, and it's time I started wading through some of them rather than spending the day visiting on the phone, holding the baby, or reading (not that there is anything wrong with those activities either!)
It's just been a week of changes and reflection, on life, on love, on death, and on how quickly time passes by. Jill and Dann's aunt Mabel lost her fight with Lymphoma a week ago, and her funeral was yesterday up in Minneapolis. I would have given almost anything to be there with them, but with our lives down here being as chaotic as they are, I needed to stay home. Fortunately, I have a fantastic eldest daughter who stood in for me, filled with love and compassion and joy, and I know she was a comfort to them, as she is to me. Liisa is an amazing girl and I am so very proud of her. My friend Cindy's mom also died, going on 2 weeks ago now as well, and my heart has hurt for all of them. I have been where they are now, and I pray that God will work to fill the holes in their hearts that they are currently experiencing.
Today is a day of changes too for other family members. Justin starts kindergarten today, and Andrea is experiencing the growing pains of letting her baby make his first foray into the world of public education; Kristi and Rollie are taking my niece Jocelyn up to her college dorm today and are letting her spread her wings for the first time without them; my friend Deb is sending her baby out the door for her last year of high school and is feeling the angst similar to Andrea, albeit at the other end of the spectrum; and other friends too are watching their young take their first steps into the world of adulthood as they enter college too. There is a part of me that is so thankful I still have a house that is full of laughter, young people, and chaos, and yet there is another part of me that is looking forward to tidiness, quiet, and space, something we currently seem to have in short supply!
I am also coming up on all the "anniversaries of the heart" that I experience every fall, and so far anyway they haven't been as much on my mind as they have been in years past. Probably in part because there are so many other things going on this year to keep my mind occupied and busy. I may or may not blog about them as those days cross the calendar; those of you who have been "family" forever know what they are and it isn't necessary to rehash them in great detail. I just need to acknowledge them in my heart, and mentally give them room to "be" there, then move on. The heart holds on to what it holds on to, with no coaxing, encouragement (or discouragement) from my rational mind and I have to accept that!
On a totally separate subject:
Baby Skye is doing wonderfully. She is eating well, sleeping ok (all things considered), and she has wonderful periods of wakefulness where she looks around, studies things, and really seems to be absorbing the world around her. When it is just Brie and I she spends more time "down"--meaning we don't hold her 24/7, but when Auntie Aurora is here, she is in arms more often than not. We had her at the hospital for a bilirubin recheck and it was fantastic (especially for a breast fed baby!) and the nurse, who was also our childbirth instructor, was thrilled (she is also a lactation counselor). Her weight had dropped a bit, so she was 5 lbs 15 oz at that checkup, but totally healthy and looking great. She is such a pretty baby, with delicate, dainty features. Her fingers and toes are unbelievably long, and she appears tall for how little she is, but she is healthy, very proportional, and so sweet. Brie is showing all signs of being an excellant mother, and I am quite proud of her!
Eric finished his school term, and now has a two week break, which I hope he really enjoys. He had a wonderful vacation and was blessed to be home for all of Brie's lying-in; he and I were so glad we could share in Skye's birth with Brie. It has created a very special bond between us. Patrick is working more/longer hours at McDonald's these day, and I had taken him with us on a run to the book store the other day, so when he isn't working or hanging with friends, my guess is he will have his nose in a book... Reimond is testing limits a bit as far as not being home very much. Part of it is he does have an active social life, but part of it is that he is struggling with something, and I just haven't been able to put my finger on what it is. It looks like he is keeping his grades up at school so far, and is on top of homework. His mood and attitude have been "iffy" though, and I worry a bit when he keeps himself so distant. Aurora is loving being an Auntie, and she is a big help to Brie. She is also working really hard at school, and has been focused on doing her best there.
We have a baptism and a graduation party that need to occur, but for right now dates are on the fence, as we have so many schedules to coordinate with to make them happen. I will post dates as I know them. We are also looking forward to having family come down from MN to visit in the near future, so that too is awaiting finalization. Lots to look forward to in the months to come, and I am gonna just take it step by step!
Anyhow, that is the update for what's new at our house!
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