Hi, all. I know that I have been missing for almost a year and a half. So much has happened, so so much. Some great (Paul is home with us, on shore duty, yay!), some good (I am on the path to a much better lifestyle, both health wise and personally) and some not so good (to personal to share). In all of that, let's just say that playing with paper had gone to the wayside. Not that I wanted it to, mind you. At all. But it just did. At first it was because I was dealing with a ton on my plate (Paul being gone, dealing with a new home, new school for the boys, being around my family again (which I hadn't been around, at that time, in 9 years, due to the military), and then getting sick..very very sick (pneumonia). That was the final kick to the curb for me. I was sick, with a fever, for about a month, hospital for 5 days, then the recovery process took, well, over 6 months. So, paper playing went to the wayside, way way wayside.
Then, ready for this, we moved, again. I knew it was coming, but it was hard. I had come very close to my Nanny (that's my grandmother), saw her 4-5 times a week, took her to dinner, had her around the kids, heck, had her around me...it made my world. After losing my mom, Nanny was all I had left that made me feel complete with that side of my family. And being able to be that close to her, being able to just be with her and having my kids be with her...that made my world. The hardest part of moving away (when Paul had his shore duty, it took us to upstate NY again) was knowing that I wouldn't be seeing her everyday. And, now that she has moved in with my father, I just don't get to talk to her the way I use to...just miss that. BUT, there was a good part about moving; knowing that we would be with Paul again. I thought, great, yay! Not only will I have him home everyday, not only will the kids get their dad back, but we would have a life again. Yep, that didn't happen. We moved out to the boonies (or what I called the boonies) into a house that was literally falling apart. I took it sight unseen, as we needed a rental that we thought would meet our families need. This house did none of that. We couldn't have friends over, much less the kids friends, as, well, ask my in-laws. It was falling apart. So, again, my playing with paper fell to the wayside.
It, was, also during this time, that I started to have terrible pains in my right calf. I thought, at first, it was another blood clot. But, hey, after four tests...and four months later, it wasn't. It was at that point that my regular dr referred me out to a neurologist, and, after many tests later, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. They (meaning the drs) have since put me on a myrod of pills, some of which helped me to gain lots of weight (oh joy), some of which have made me even sicker (even more joy), and some of which have never helped (again, the joy is just so much fun). Finding something to work with a chronic pain disease is like trying to find that right recipe to make fried chicken that won't make the chicken too dry. About impossible, but can happen (sometimes). So, again, my paper playing, laid to the wayside.
During this time, even with the pain, I was hired on at Michael's, part-time. I knew that I couldn't handle that many hours (meaning anything over 25) on my feet due to the pain (heck, was I right about that!), and guess what. I really don't hate it, I actually...oh my gosh...like my job. I like the people I work with, love my customers, and love that I can help people, for the most part (just don't hit me with a ton of jewelry questions just yet...lol...or soap making...ok, and probably not too much in candle making). The job, though it has it's times, gets me out of the house, making friends, and buying a ton of product (product that will eventually be used...right???). I swear, I joke with my bosses that I am there to only give them my paycheck back, and then some. ;)
Ok, so what else...oh yeah. Remember how I said I hadn't played with paper? I actually had a little time to play, and a little mojo. So here's a bit of a share of a little bit of what I have done.
I picked up this shelf (which was super ugly...sooo ugly) at the local thrift store and had fun with it. I am finding myself altering more then anything else as of late. And I found this to be too perfect for something to hold all of our photos!
These are frames that will go to Nanny.
I made these for the teachers this year (beginning of the year teacher gifts). Who knew you needed one for the beginning of the year, too? Not me...but I went for it.
This was for the teacher-to-be that came to Alex's class. Just something simple where she could write her memories from that brief time period.
This was for Alex's teacher. Very simple and easy to make.
So that's all I have taken photos of so far (I have made more...just forget to take photos...lol).
Also, here are a few of the kids, too, before I go. (These are from last spring, I will update as I go with posts, with more photos of them).
This is the newest member of the fam, Benji, a mixed of a mixed pup.
So, that's it for now, I think. there is more to share, but, heck, there is more time for that, too, and I can't wait to do so! I have missed sharing, playing with paper, and taking more photos of the kids, and now I hope that starting up the blog again, will do that for me. Here's to getting to know me a bit better, and to getting to know all of you more, too.
Still going with Aloha, as I miss Hawaii,
~M
