Important Life Events

[caffeinated.joy]

Congrats, Paden!

[jamesabrown1]

Congratulations, Paden. GKs are much more fun than Children. You can spoil them and send them home. (revenge)

[Katie]

That's awesome! I'm pretty sure my mom has more fun with her grandkids than all six of her kids... XD

[DaSpecial1]

Congrats Paden. I have mini-conversations in my head with my mom about that mother's curse, you certainly do get to see some of your actions come back.

Wow I can't believe this year has gone by so fast.  That pregnancy seemed to last forever but she's grown so fast, now walking--yes walking by herself before this first birthday.  She seemed determined last week to perfect it, it was loads of fun to watch.  Babies give you more laughs than diapers so it all evens out in the end .

[caffeinated.joy]

Happy days! After almost four months of physio, my next appointment may be my last! *Jumps up and down with glee because I can!*

[Paden]

YAY!! Glad to hear it, Joy, you deserve good things happening for you!

[caffeinated.joy]

Thanks, Paden. It's been a battle, for sure. Word to the wise; take good care of your feet and ankles. Tearing the things meant to hold you up (like the one or more of the talofibular ligaments) is not fun and can never be 100% fixed.

One definite positive from this is I haven't been able to bend three of my toes on my right foot since high school. I can now!

[soulofthesea]

It's been a while from me, but I got my braces taken off on Monday. A great smile that took two and a half years of work was totally worth it!

Oh, and I've started helping out with sound at my church, and it's been a really great experience. I originally got into it because I wanted to get some experience before I went off in the real world, and I got way more out of it than I expected. They've been saying a lot of really good things about me, and, eventually, I might be able to work the board on my own! When exactly will that be? It can be any day now.

[caffeinated.joy]

Tomorrow will be the ten year anniversary of my daddy's death. It's hard this year; harder than it's been in a long time.

He's no longer in pain, for which I'm so grateful, but mine just won't end. It changes and becomes more like a comfortable, albeit annoying, companion, but it never leaves and it never will.

He was such an influence in my life. His love of music, his sense of humor, his creativity - they all live on in me. He could give the Best Hugs Ever. I, for all my ability to write, just can't summon words to describe these wonderful hugs that made you feel so warm, loved, safe and ... held together.

I miss him so much.

[DaSpecial1]

  to you Joy on this heartbreaking day.

I don't think I mentioned it here at the time as words couldn't express how much it hurt but my father died 6 months ago. Your description of your Dad mirrors that of my own. His gifts to me are those on your list as well as a love for poetry, Shakespeare, a bang on sense of humor, and early mornings sailing on the lake in the cool mists watching the sun rise.  And yes those glorious hugs...

[Theraven]

  from me too, Joy. And to you, DaSpecial1.

This year, in October, it's 20 years since my oldest brother died. I was 4 1/2 years old when he died, so I never got to know him as well as I'd wished. But he was an amazing big brother, always spreading good words and being thoughtful of others.

[Paden]

I can empathize with all of you, having lost my oldest cat a couple of days before my dad and special hero big brother within months of each other; you guys were there for me when it happened and it helped to let it out here... {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}

[caffeinated.joy]

Thank you Dasi, TheRaven and Paden.

It's been a tough week and I've been working hard at trying to keep positive and remember the good things instead of dwelling on what isn't anymore. December 2001 and January 2002 were the worst of my life. I had surgery twice, we lost our dog, my sister was injured in the Middle East on her naval tour, my father passed away and my grandmother passed away.

Today is the first day this week I've actually felt as happy as I've been appearing.

[Paden]

Valentines Day, February 14th, 2012. My ganddaughter came into the world at 4:30 pm Central time, weighing seven pounds, zero ounces and measuring twenty-one inches long. She and her mother are doing fine. It's said that no matter how much your children grow and become adults, they'll always be your baby. Well, that statement is wrong because when they have a child of their own, that baby of yours becomes an adult in their own right and you have to consider that a rite of passage for them as well as a milestone of your own because you've got to accept that they are no longer the child tracing Mommy's footsteps. They've made their own path in the world and whether or not their path will continue to parallel your own is entirely up to them.

As a parent of an adult child, you just have to be strong enough to let them go and watch from the distance without interfering because it is their life. If they ask for advice on something, give it but don't insist that your way is the only way because it is just one way of many ways that things can be worked out. Just be there in case they need you but be wise enough to let them handle their own lives. They'll never again be the little bundle that you brought home to raise, but they will always be the life that you brought into this world and now their time has come to do the same. True wisdom is being smart enough to back off and let them do it without trying to take over. I've seen too many parents do the opposite and lose any relationship they've had with their kids; I won't do that to mine. I love her and will be there for her, but it's for her to raise her child. Aria Elaine, welcome to the world, I hope it's a beautiful place for you to be!

[caffeinated.joy]

Awwww, congrats, Paden!