Catching Up

Hi everyone!  It seems I’ve taken a little blogging hiatus.  It was not a planned event just something I needed.  My motivation has been waning lately.  J’s travels coupled with B’s mother-in-law passing and family drama have completely drained me.  I’m sorry.  A little break was in order.  I can’t say I feel 100% recharged but I do feel a bit better.

Here, let me share with you a few adorable photos from today’s feast at Cutie Pie’s school.

The children dressed up as Native Americans in homemade pillowcase costumes, paper headdresses and pasta necklaces. The cuteness was too much!

I stayed after drop-off this morning to help with the feast prep and decorating.  Luckily, several moms joined me so that we were able to get everything ready to go in no time.  Turkey noodle soup, cornbread muffins, pumpkin pie, chocolate chip cookies, apple pie and drinks!  We even had time to spare to help out Cousin B’s teacher who did not parent volunteers.

The blessing was delivered by Pastor Elmer.  He announced that he will be leaving the church where Cutie Pie attends preschool to begin a new church on the mainland.  We’ll all be sad to see him go in February but wish him the best in his new adventures.

J was in town and was able to get out of work for a bit to join us!

I helped serve the turkey soup that the children prepared with their teacher.  It was really good!

It was a lovely lunch and time of fellowship with our preschool families.  We are truly blessed.

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Sad News

B’s mother-in-law passed away early Sunday morning per her own request to be removed from the ventilator and not resuscitated.  I spent the night with B and Flash’s kids on Friday night when it looked like she wouldn’t make it through the night.  She rallied a bit on Saturday but by nightfall things were looking grim again.  J and I received a phone call at 11 PM on Saturday night saying this was probably it.  J rushed over to be with the kids while I stayed home with ours.  By 4 AM on Sunday morning Flash’s mom was gone.

I am comforted that she is finally pain free and in a much better place but I feel so helpless.  As a result, I cooked like crazy all Sunday.  I delivered 2 meals complete with sides and pumpkin rolls for dessert.  Then I ran the causeway to burn off the rest of my anxiety.  I wish there was more I could do to console them.

I doubt B will ever forget her 40th birthday.  And not in a good way.  I brought over her presents and the decorations that I had been working on for her surprise party that never happened.  It saddens me to know that she was not able to view the giant cut-out 4 and 0 made up of old black & white photos from her past with joy.  And the “40 Sucks” lollipop bouquet kind of lost its funniness amidst such turmoil.

I hope that we will be able to celebrate one day when pain from this loss has lessened a bit.  For now, I’ll always be a phone call away.

Busy, Crazy Friday…

Today B and I are setting up for our city’s Founder’s Day craft fair.  The event is tomorrow but we’re able to set up our tables and display our goodies this afternoon.  A lot of our craft ideas have come from Pinterest which is the perfect website for people like me.  I am inspired by so many wonderful things on that site!  I found the cute little snowman wrapper here.

This craft fair could not be happening at a worse time though.  Cutie Pie is sick.  He threw up twice yesterday.  So all of the last minute errands that I needed to do for the craft fair have been kind of pushed aside to care for my baby.  Also, B’s mother-in-law is in the hospital with pneumonia and three cancerous masses at various spots throughout her body.  I received a phone call from Flash (B’s husband) last night at 10:30 saying that his mom had taken a turn for the worse and he needed me to be with his kids while he ran to the hospital.  B was already at the hospital since she was planning to work a night shift as an RN.

Flash’s mom stabilized during the night but she’s still on life support and no one really knows what’s going to happen from  here.  Flash woke me up at 6:45 am this morning so that I could go home to be with my family.  I’ve been in a fog ever since.  J let me sleep for a little while longer and took Wildman to school.  Cutie Pie is still home sick and is napping.  I’m so worried about Flash’s mom.

The kicker is that today is B’s 40th birthday.  What a way to celebrate this milestone.  Flash had a surprise party all set up for tomorrow afternoon after the craft fair.  But now those plans have been scrapped.  I’m hoping to still do something special for B even if it’s just taking her out to lunch today.

Gumball machine idea came from here.