The thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.
– Henry Ward Beecher
Photo by @ramu_aladdin on Unsplash
We left northwest PA just in time. My husband had a trip and returned home Saturday morning. The weather was a mix of sleet and snow when I picked him up. The roads were still too warm for anything to stick but I could smell it. Snow was coming. It was time to pack up and head south.
Usually, we get to Pennsylvania in June. This year, we went to Virginia for six weeks to spend time with the kids so we didn’t get settled in PA until the middle of August. By the time we got there, everyone was going back to work and summer was pretty much over.
It went so fast, and we couldn’t believe it. It seemed like we just didn’t have enough time to enjoy the area. It is truly so beautiful in the summer. The days are long, the weather is beautiful, the creeks are made for kayaks, and the back windy roads are made for motorcycles. Because we were so late getting to PA this year we decided to stay at Gram’s House a bit longer. We got to enjoy the full beauty of fall. The leaves were beautiful reds, greens, and yellows. Then, of course, we had the chore of raking them all up, too! Although we could have left a few weeks ago, Jeff had a few more trips, so we decided to stay.
A few weeks ago, it rained and rained. I escaped for about four days with a friend to Florida for some sunshine. We came 
back for the weekend and then Jeff had another trip. I spent the week trying to get things packed up and the house cleaned. Finally, it was time to go.
It’s always sad to leave wherever we are. We have such amazing friends and even though we are never home, we never want to leave.
I saw in the forecast that snow was coming. It was cold. It was getting dry. The heat was on. I picked up Jeff in that sleet, and we both decided it was time to go.
We had one last fun night out with some friends. The next day we woke up and to our surprise, no snow was falling down. We shut down the house, packed up the Jeep, and got on the road. The weather was cold, but no rain and no snow.
A few hours later, we got a couple of texts from our friends. One of them said, “I’m glad you got out of town when you did. This sucks!” Then we got a few pictures from our friend Meghan. Although my husband was relieved we didn’t have to leave town in a snowstorm, I thought it was beautiful, and I was a little sad that we missed it.
It’s always nice to be in the snow when you know you get to go back to the sunshine and warmth. I am ready for the sun, the boat, the beach, and the beautiful paradise of southwest Florida. But I did feel a bit of sadness about missing the first real snowfall of the season in northwest Pennsylvania.
Driving from Florida to Pennsylvania or from Pennsylvania to Florida is one of my favorite things to do. We take our time and drive a few hours a day. It takes us four or five days but we stop along the way and see amazing family and friends who are en route. So although it’s sad to leave one place when it’s time to go, it’s a great adventure getting to the other.
Picture of woods by @momma_d.3
Last week, my friend, Alison, and I went to Florida for four days to get out of the rain and cold and get into the Florida sunshine. We found roundtrip tickets from Pittsburgh to Fort Myers on Spirit. I have written before about how much I love Spirit and how if you buy your tickets at the airport counter you save up to $23.99 each way. I am not saying wait until the last minute and get your tickets. I am telling you if you know the dates you want to fly and are at the airport then go to the Spirit counter and buy!
It’s amazing how much weather can impact my mood. The week before we left Pennsylvania, it was cold and rainy. It seemed like it was never going to stop raining. Finally, it did but it was still cold. The sky was gray and my mood was down. Jeff was working, and I wasn’t motivated to go to the gym at all. It was too cold to go out of the house! Even though we only had a few weeks left in PA I was really glad Alison talked me into going to Florida for a few days. I couldn’t wait!
Alison and I went to Florida with no plans and no agenda except to get our boat home from storage. Our goal was to enjoy the sunshine, sit by the pool, and maybe go to the beach. I also wanted to work out and eat well.
We arrived late Sunday night and just went to bed. The next day we got up early, did a good workout in the garage, and got ready to go. Two of my husband’s friends were coming over to help us bring the boat home from storage. Because my husband always drives the boat, I wasn’t comfortable bringing it home by myself. I was glad we had some reinforcements. It was early in the morning and the Florida humidity was down so for us girls, it was a bit chilly! But the sunshine was out and it felt wonderful on our faces.
The guys made me drive the boat all the way home. I did a decent job although I did find myself out of the channel twice and in very low water. Oops! I need to get better at watching those channel markers! I got it all the way home but needed help docking it on our lift. Anyway, I definitely need more practice but I am usually having too much fun on the boat to drive. Plus, it is a center console and you can’t get much sunshine under the cover. So, usually, my Prince drives us around.
We made it to the gym every morning and had coffee by the pool. We saw some of the most beautiful sunrises (see featured image above). One of the days, we decided to head downtown. I showed Alison around Fort Myers, and we stopped by a few different bars/restaurants. Soon our afternoon was gone. I told Alison how Gramps always took us to a homemade ice cream shop called the Love Boat. We decided we had to go. So much for eating well 🙂
The next day we decided to go to the beach. It was a beautiful day. Not too hot or humid with a slight breeze. We found a little spot in between two restaurants. We had our chairs, our cooler, and the sunshine. It was a perfect beach day. It wasn’t overly crowded but it seems the snowbirds are coming back to Florida earlier and earlier and staying later and later every year.
That evening we met another one of my great friends (who was once Jeff’s wingman ) for dinner at a new restaurant in town called Oxbow. The restaurant is right on the river. We sat outside so we could enjoy the sunset and the water. The atmosphere was wonderful. The food was ok. I definitely would go back but hopefully, the next dish is more delightful. The three of us had such a great night talking, laughing, and being outside.
Later that night, Alison and I sat outside. We knew we were going home to snow flurries so we wanted to enjoy the outside as much as possible. We lit our little gas fireplace and talked the night away.
But soon it was time to go. I hope I always appreciate the sunshine of Florida even though we live there most of the year. It makes me happy to wake up to the rays coming through the window. It lifts my spirits. Even if you can only go somewhere for a few days, take the opportunity to relax and get some sunshine on your face. It does wonders for the soul.
For the past three years, Gram, Jeff, and I have spent winters in our Florida home and summers at Gram’s House in Pennsylvania. We lost Gram in February and life just hasn’t been the same. I have felt lost and sad without her. It really hasn’t gotten any easier. I still miss her face and her smile. But it seems since she has been gone we are never home.
Even though we have always traveled with Gram, there were some trips Gram couldn’t do. So she and I would have some downtime at home. We would sit by the pool or the fire and watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. But since she has been gone, I have had more freedom to go and now we are never home. I am not sure if this summer is going to be our new “normal” but it has definitely been a whirlwind.
Since Jeff and I left Florida in June we have been going nonstop. It is one of the benefits of being a pilot’s wife. He can work from anywhere, and we have some travel benefits. We decided each summer we can try a different area for a month or so. This past summer we decided on Virginia. Over that six weeks, we had many adventures with the kids and created some wonderful memories. But we didn’t get “home” until mid-August.
We left Virginia and headed to West Virginia for Jeff’s uncle’s memorial service. Although the circumstances were sad, it was nice to see his extended family and for me to meet more of his family. The first weekend we were home in PA the family came up for my mom’s surprise 70th birthday party, then Jeff had training in Kentucky so we spent a week there with friends. Then it was September, and we were off to Virginia for my niece’s birthday. On the way home, we flew to Texas to get Jeff’s mom and spent a few days in West Virginia again with his family. We met friends in Pittsburgh on the way home and went to a Pirates game. For the first few weeks, we were never home.
The next weekend we met up with friends from Chicago that were in the area and had a nice bike ride through the country roads before we drove back to Pittsburgh and flew to our Florida home to check on the house, run the boat, and have dinner with a few of our Florida friends.
On the way home, we met some of Jeff’s high school friends in Pittsburgh and had a great time catching up with them. I thought we were going home but that weekend we drove to Columbus for the Ohio State game. Again, never home. They won which means I am allowed to go back for another game. It was Grandpa’s rule that if you went to a Steeler game, and they lost you weren’t allowed to go back. Jeff seems to have the same rule!
The next weekend we were actually in our small town. We had a campfire in our backyard then went on a wine walk the next day. It was so nice to be around friends and enjoy the area in which we live. The next week my mom came up, and we drove up to Buffalo and the Falls. It really is amazing how many different areas we can get to within a few hours of our summer home.
The next thing I knew it was October, and I felt like I was never home. We seemed to have missed the summer in PA. Now it was time to head to Nashville for the Spartan race. It was such an amazing weekend with the girls, and I loved the Spartan race. I can’t wait to do it again! From there I went to meet my mom and the rest of the family in the Outer Banks, and Jeff was off to work. It was a beautiful few days at the beach with the kids. They love fishing and playing in the waves. It’s amazing how fearless they are of the water. My brother-in-law caught a shark, and they thought it was the coolest thing.
Sunday we went to the Steelers/Broncos game in Pittsburgh. Again, we met up with Jeff’s high school buddies. We had another fun night although it made me miss my grandparents so much. They loved going to the Steelers’ games and had season tickets for years. We also made it to a Browns/Broncos game in Cleveland a few weeks later where we met up with friends and family. The first time I rooted against the Broncos then I had to cheer for them against the Browns. But they lost and our friend, SuperFan, was in his glory for beating them.
The next weekend was a friends’ weekend and we were finally home! We met up with a couple of girls that I went to college with on Friday. Although I hadn’t seen them in a few years, we picked right up where we left off. The next day we went to my friend’s annual pumpkin party. There, we were surrounded by friends I have known since elementary school and a huge bonfire. One of the perks of living in the country. Again, it was so nice being around people I have known forever. That Sunday our friends from the gym invited us over for brunch. We ate a delicious meal and then played Sequence with her daughters and their boyfriends. It was the old fogies against the young bucks and of course, the young bucks won. But it was a wonderful Sunday afternoon and really fun to play a board game with friends.
We have been in our summer home for 10 weeks although it feels like 10 days because we are never home. Yes, our life seems crazy at times but sitting around doing nothing is not our thing. People ask us how we keep track of where we are going and the Google shared calendar is the only way we survive. We share Jeff’s work schedule, our crazy life schedule, and my social schedule when Jeff is gone. If we didn’t have our calendars, we wouldn’t know what to do.
It’s hard to believe we only have about three weeks left in our “summer” home. The weather is starting to change getting colder and wetter. Although it is absolutely beautiful, it’s about time to go south.
It makes me sad to think about leaving. We love the people in northwest PA and our time here. It seems wherever we are I never want to leave. And maybe because wherever we are, we are never “home”. I always want more time. I didn’t want to leave Florida for the summer. I didn’t want to leave Virginia after our six weeks there. I don’t want to leave Pennsylvania for the winter. I guess that makes us lucky that we have such beautiful, amazing friends and family wherever we are that it always feels like “home”. Mostly, I just wish I could be in three places at the same time!
The featured and fall images were taken by my friend and an amazing photographer. Follow her @momma_d.3
We rented a house for six weeks this past summer in Virginia. We wanted to be close to the kids and spend some more time with them. I know we are there almost every other month, but I wanted to be there for the summer without the interference of school and homework. So we did, and it was wonderful!
We got there on July 1. The house we rented was about a 20-minute drive away from the family. And if I were to do it again I would rent something closer. When we got there, we told the kids we had a list of activities we wanted to do with them. They were so excited.
The first week we took them to three different playgrounds and parks. They had so much fun bouncing from one piece of equipment to another. They love making ninja-type obstacle courses and racing each other from one end to the other.
The next week we caught up with friends from the Richmond area that I hadn’t seen in a couple of years. The kids met their kids and enjoyed some pool time together. We also spent time at the pool with friends of the kids. We were very thankful we had some pools to go to because going to Virginia in July really didn’t help us escape from the Florida heat!
For the next few weeks, we took the kids to do many different activities. We found a fun center that had bumper boats, putt-putt, and go-karts. They had so much fun and so did we. I hadn’t ridden a go-kart in years, and I forgot how fun racing around the course could be. My nephew was too little to drive so we rode together and got the fast car. We had a blast lapping my mom and his sister.
Another one of our activities this past summer was taking the kids to the Zoo. I had never been and neither had they. They loved feeding the giraffes and riding the rides. There were only four rides but we had unlimited passes so we rode them all at least twice. Their favorite ride was one that was like a drop zone. They went straight up and bounced back down. Their laughs made my heart so happy. Jeff and I had a wonderful time watching them run from one animal to another. It was a long day but a great day.
Being with the kids meant the world to me. We were so relaxed and stress-free. Even driving from park to park was fun because they were always in the backseat singing. The kids spent the night at our house a few times. It was a two-story home and the steps were carpeted. It’s funny that they figured out how to slide down the steps without anyone telling them to do it.
The kids also loved working out with us in the garage and practicing gymnastics moves in the yard. My niece also was playing softball on the all-star team so I was very grateful that I could be there to watch her play.
One of the most fun we had was decorating rubber ducks and then putting them on other Jeeps in parking lots. Trending on Instagram was #duckduckjeep and the kids loved it. We even got ducked one evening, and they thought it was so much fun.
The kids are growing up so fast. I love their personalities and that they are so independent. It makes me sad that they are getting so big and soon will turn into teenagers that probably won’t care if Aunt Stacy and Uncle Jeff come around. So for now we enjoy the time we can with these sweet little people. I wish I could scoop them up and put them in my back pocket but for now I will just squeeze them as much as possible every chance I get.
Before we left Florida for the summer, my friend Sara talked me into doing a Spartan Race. I haven’t done any type of competition in a couple of years. I haven’t felt like competing because I have been dealing with a shoulder issue which turned out to be two bulging disks in my neck. I haven’t felt “good” and haven’t felt the need to compete.
My husband and his cousin did a Spartan race a few years ago, and he loved it. He felt doing CrossFit really prepared him for the Spartan race. I have been wanting to do one with him, but we just haven’t signed up. We seem to be too busy living life, socializing, and traveling nonstop to seriously train for any event.
So, Sara said, “We are doing a girls’ weekend with a Spartan Race in Nashville, you should do it.” And of course, I said, “Yes.” Over the summer, I took a break from CrossFit and was lifting and doing cardio here and there. I haven’t been pushing myself because I have been trying to heal the bulging disks in my neck and stress on my left bicep tendon.
As the Spartan weekend got closer and closer, I decided I wasn’t going to do the race. My neck and shoulder were starting to feel better, and I didn’t want to impede my progress, plus I hadn’t really run which is another huge part of the race. I hadn’t done any research and really didn’t know what to expect.
When I got to Nashville, two of the other three girls met me right away at the airport. Right from the beginning, we were laughing so hard we were crying. It was the beginning of a wonderful weekend.
We picked up the fourth girl a few hours later and headed to the Arrington Winery. They were more serious about the race and thought drinking was a bad idea but after careful reconsideration, we thought a few tastings wouldn’t hurt. At this point, I wasn’t racing so I was all about sitting outside and drinking wine.
After a few hours of exploring we got ready and went to dinner. Here the girls started persuading me to do the race. They said what else are you going to do while we are racing? You might as well run/walk it and do the obstacles you can or do squats or something instead of burpees if you miss the obstacle. Don’t hurt yourself but just do it.
It got me thinking that I already paid for this race and should do some type of workout while they go bust their asses. I had workout pants, borrowed a race tank top, and had some sneakers. These were not Spartan sneakers, and I wasn’t even sure they were the most comfortable shoes. But I wasn’t trying to prove anything. I decided to try.
I talked to my husband that night, and he told me I should do it, hurt neck and all. He also had faith in me that I could do most of the obstacles. I thought he must be crazy. Once I got off the phone with him I told the girls that my husband thinks I should do it. But he also thinks of me as the badass CrossFitter I was when we met and that is not the girl I am anymore. But his confidence in me gave me a little in myself.
The next morning, we got up and ready. I felt like the biggest loser and totally unprepared. I had seen a few pictures of people competing at the Spartan races, and I knew the race would be muddy and I would probably get wet. I wish I had my running shoes and wish I would have done a little more cardio and strength training before this weekend.
On the other hand, I also felt calm. I had no expectations of myself, and I wasn’t nervous because I didn’t really know what to expect, plus I wasn’t trying to prove anything. I just thought I’d get a little exercise on a beautiful fall day in Nashville.
As we were driving to the race, we saw a beautiful sunrise. I was really happy I decided to do the race because I didn’t want to miss out on the car ride or the laughs we were having again. The weather was absolutely perfect. Cool and cloudy but not a chance of rain.
As the starting time approached, I did feel a pang of nervousness. There was another couple there from our gym in Florida who do Spartan’s all the time. I was afraid I would look like a fool trying to do a race that I really had no business doing. I started with the other two ladies in my age group. The first obstacle was a hay bail. The second was a four-foot wall. The third was a five-foot wall. I was able to get over all of these and thought well that’s 3 of 28, just keep going. By the fourth obstacle, the girls and the other couple were gone. I knew I couldn’t keep up with them and didn’t even try. They all love running and are way faster than me even when I try. Next was a sandbag carry. Easy enough.
I just kept chugging along, jogging really and crossing off the obstacles as I did them. Even though I hadn’t lifted hard over the summer I knew my strength was my upper body. I knew I could pull myself up and over pretty much anything I could get my hands on. I just kept hoping I didn’t hurt myself. My physical therapist said pushing weight over my head would cause pressure on my neck but pulling weight up may not be as big of an issue. He said start light and see how it feels. As I went through the obstacles things were feeling pretty good. I had a little happy feeling inside.
All of a sudden, I realized I was two miles into the 6.5-mile race and had completed seven obstacles. Now even though I didn’t want to hurt myself, I didn’t want to give up. My husband missed three obstacles when he did his Spartan so that became my goal. My other goal was to not let the fourth girl catch up to me because she started 15 minutes after me (in another age group). So, I continued on my way, talked to a few random people here and there, and completed the obstacles as they came up.
Many of the obstacles were jumping up and pulling my body over a wall then climbing up and over something. Most of these were relatively easy for me and nothing was hurting yet. I tried to use my back muscles and keep my neck straight while running.
The first obstacle I missed was Olympus which was number 12. I tried it and got about one-third of the way into it. I wasn’t sure how to use my legs to help, and I could feel the pressure on my shoulder. I decided to drop. To my relief instead of burpees, I had to do a penalty loop. Yay!
Five obstacles later was the Hercules Hoist. I lifted it up and dropped it. Well, I was supposed to bring it down slowly. Thankfully, I was allowed to do it again and pulled it up and let it down correctly. This was probably not good for my shoulder but I didn’t want to do burpees. The next obstacle was Multi-Rig. This one was very intimidating, and I was nervous about my shoulder and neck. But I swung from the first three rings onto the straight bar. I got through that and onto the next ring. Then I was stuck. I couldn’t get the momentum to get to the last ring and then the bell so 30 burpees it was. Ugh.
I did the inverted wall then it was time for the Spear Throw. I asked the judge for advice. I threw it and hit the board but not with enough might so it fell to the ground. 30 more burpees it was. Eight more obstacles. I was hoping to get through them with no pain and no more burpees.
At this point, we only had about a mile and a half left. I am not a runner and have never found joy in running or achieved that “runner’s high”. I just don’t get it. I want to be a runner but it doesn’t work for me. I have done two half marathons but that was ages ago (2011 and 2013). Anyway, even when I trained consistently I had IT band issues, and during the race they were flaring up again. I tried jogging a few times but the pain would radiate down both knees. I was glad my neck and shoulder were not hurting, but I forgot about the IT band issues with my legs. I didn’t think about how running six miles without training can really hurt. Needless to say, I walked the rest of the race.
I came through the woods and saw that we had about three obstacles left. I could smell the fire! I was so excited that I was about to finish this race and not be disqualified! I went under the dunk wall, up the slip wall, and jumped over the fire!! Woo hoo!! I was done and only had to do 60 burpees and one penalty loop. I couldn’t believe it!
I found my two girlfriends and the other couple. We all chatted about our racing experience. They were all super proud of me and happy that I took the Leap of Faith and did the race. It took them all about an hour and a half and me just over two. Their support and excitement made me feel really excited and proud of myself, too. One of them even said they felt like the obstacles were on the more difficult side of the races they have done. I couldn’t believe it and was so happy I got through most of them.
After a few minutes, we saw the last girl coming out of the woods. We yelled and cheered for her all the way to the finish line. She was so happy to see us and it gave her an extra boost. After she crossed the line, we got our picture taken together and even went back and jumped over the fire together. It was so much fun. We were all so proud of each other and happy that we pushed each other to complete this race.
We had so much fun! These girls are so strong and inspiring. I can’t wait to have another girls’ weekend with a Spartan race attached.
In Spartan, there is a thing called the Trifecta. You have to complete a Sprint, Super, and Beast Spartan race within the calendar year. One of the girls I raced with only needs the Beast to complete her Trifecta. I need to do a Sprint and a Beast. I also would like to do a race with my hubby. The problem is there are only two months left this year!! That’s a lot of miles and a lot of obstacles. But the timing might be right! Stay tuned!
“It’s all about the quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family.”
–Philip Green
Photo by Alejandro Piñero Amerio on Unsplash
I had the pleasure of spending a beautiful fall day with my mother a couple of weeks ago. We went to Buffalo to our favorite jewelry store. The owner, Gary Grelick, played basketball for my Grandpa and has been a family friend for as long as I can remember. My grandfather loved investing in jewelry for my grandmother and used Bomi Jewelers for all his jewelry needs. Gram didn’t have an engagement ring so I believe my grandfather tried to make up for it later in her life. I guess it’s all about the timing.
Gary has made beautiful and unique pieces for our family over the years. I remember as a child going to the store and just loved being around all those gems. I was in awe looking through all the amazing jewelry cases. No wonder I love diamonds so much 🙂 (plus they happen to be my birthstone!).
This time my mother and I took a road trip up to New York. Mom decided this summer to take off her wedding band and engagement ring. It has been nine years since my dad passed and this summer she decided the timing was right. She wanted Gary to make her something special to wear in place of her band. After a couple of hours of deliberating and trying different pieces, mom decided on a beautiful piece that will incorporate all of our family’s birthstones as well as her engagement ring. It is going to be absolutely gorgeous. I cannot wait for her to get it!
After our trip to the jewelry store, we went to Niagara Falls. We had lunch in our car, went to the Casino for about an hour, and walked around the park. I did win $11. It was a perfect autumn afternoon. Then it was time to leave. I left my mom with her cousins for a fun-filled fall weekend in upstate New York, and I got into my car to head home to PA.
On my way home, I started thinking about my parents and the timing of it all. They knew each other in high school and started dating in their 20’s. They then married and had my sister and me. Their marriage was not perfect, they had many trials and tribulations, but they were making it, and they loved each other.
At age 51, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. Lung cancer. Stage 3. It was wrapped around his pulmonary artery, and they were not going to operate. He went through months of radiation and chemo and things were looking stable. He ended up fighting lung cancer on and off for the next nine years. At age 60, the fight was too much, his time on Earth was over, and God took him to Heaven to do other work.
The reason I am telling you all of this is because when he was fighting I was in my late 20’s and early 30’s. I knew he wasn’t “old” but he was my Dad. I guess I never really thought about his AGE or the timing of it. On that car ride home, I thought back to when his battle began, and I realized my husband is the same age as my dad was when his battle began. It has put into perspective how YOUNG my dad was when this all started. And it put into perspective how YOUNG my mom was when he passed and how young she still is.
It has been nine years. I am not sure if my mom has thought about dating. If my mom would have started seeing someone right after my dad passed, maybe I would have been hurt or upset. But now it’s been nine years. I know she loved my dad, and they had a great life together. But now I am wondering when is the time right to move on?
I know it’s different for everyone. Some people move from one relationship to another right after a partner’s death, a divorce, or a break-up. Some people take years to find someone they want to spend time with again. We are all unique. We all deal with death, divorce, and break-ups differently. There is no book to follow and no timeline to adhere to.
It is very difficult to be the person on the outside. Sometimes you want your friend or loved to move on. You want them to “just get over it”. Or sometimes we think “how can they start dating again ALREADY?”. It’s way too soon. The timing is different for everyone in every situation. We can’t judge. We need to be supportive and encouraging. We need to remember we aren’t in the same situation. We don’t know what we would do.
I really would like my mom to find someone to spend the rest of her years with. Now whether she wants someone or not, I don’t know. She has her grandchildren, her family, and her friends. But I pray that God will put someone in her life to travel with, to explore the world with, to experience the grandchildren with. I hope that maybe the timing is right. Maybe taking her ring off is the first step in putting herself out there and being open to the idea of sharing her life with someone.
As I drove home I thought of my family and the losses we have endured. I remember one Christmas we were driving around town looking at the Christmas lights. At that point, everyone in the car was “single”. My brother-in-law just lost my sister, Gram had lost Gramps, and Mom had lost Dad. I was the only one in the car who had decided to divorce my ex-husband and who was dating My Prince 10 years later. All of the others did not choose the path they were on. And it still breaks my heart that they have lost their loves and that half of my family is gone.
So the question remains, when is the time right to move on? One week, one month, one year, five years, 10 years? There is so much to process when you lose someone close to you. Of course, I believe finding the right therapist and talking it out can really help. I also think surrounding yourself with positive, happy people helps. As hard as it is to accept, the loved one isn’t coming back.
So, the question becomes when is the timing right? What do I want? Do I want to do life by myself with friends and family? Do I want a partner to go to dinner with and share the day’s events with before bedtime? Of course, it is an individual decision and finding the right partner to spend time with isn’t always easy.
But remember, life is short. Whatever path you choose, make it a happy one, and count the blessings you do have. Enjoy the time you have left on Earth doing what you love, doing what inspires you, and doing things to inspire others.
This past weekend we had lifelong friends over to our new house (Gram’s House) for dinner and a campfire. We bought a fire ring and put it towards the back of our property. Behind the house is wooded, so even though we are within town limits we are allowed to have a contained campfire ring in the backyard. I was so excited.
We had delicious chicken shish kabobs and our friends brought amazing salads, appetizers, and a zucchini bake. We had a fantastic dinner on our back deck at the large picnic table that was handed down from Jeff’s grandfather to his Aunt Sandy to us. Then we proceeded to the backyard to hang out around the campfire.
I felt like I was in the country around our campfire even though we were right in our backyard. I sat in the chair facing the woods. With the moonlight and the stars above, it was so beautiful and peaceful. There were nine of us, and we had the best time. Most of those around the campfire I have known since elementary school. Two of them were my sister’s best friends. It was so nice to be around people who know me and have known my whole family over the years. There is nothing like lifelong friendships.
Since we have all known each other forever the conversation was easy. We talked about everything from how terrible some of us sing, to being single and independent, to finding our Prince and having kids to how hard marriage can be, to peeing behind trees to concerts we’ve attended. The stories we all told had everyone laughing out loud. My stomach hurt the next day from all the fun.
Even though my sister isn’t here to partake in the campfire and to share the memories of Gram’s House and growing up in our little town, it made me feel close to her having two of her closest friends there with us. Jeff only knew my sister for about six months before she passed. Having her friends around gives me hope that over the years as stories are told he and my other newer friends will get to know her better and cherish her memory just like I do.
Jeff and I have two very different homes. Our winter home in Florida is Spanish Colonial-style with tile floors and big glass patio windows overlooking the pool and the canal. The floorplan is open concept and renovations have been done to all of the rooms over the past 20 years. Our summer home is half the size of the Florida home and in a town that is about 1/20th the size of our winter hometown. We live in a rural area but on the edge of “town”. Our back deck looks out into the woods which is beautiful. The only updates that have been done to Gram’s House are the ones that have been completed in the past five years. We still have a lot of work to do.
Even though the two homes are very different they are the same in that we love having people over to fill our homes with laughter and to make memories. We are so blessed in both states that we have amazing friends and family that join us in this endeavor. I feel like this poster sums it up.
In the end, I am so glad that we made the decision to buy Gram’s House. I love it and am beyond grateful for the people that surround me. I look forward to all of the new memories we can make in Gram’s House. I know she is smiling down and excited for us, too.
Equipment Needed
- box or chair for squats and tricep dips
Weekly Wednesday Workout
In today’s workout, you will do four rounds of four different movements. You will need a box for squats and dips.
Four Rounds of:
- 20 mountain climbers
- 10 box squats
- 20 Russian twists
- 10 tricep dips
Rest in between each round if needed.
How to Do the Moves
For the video of movements click here. Remember there are always modifications. Let me know if you need help or suggestions. Don’t forget the warm-up. Make this workout work for you!
Photo by Rabie Madaci on Unsplash