Trying again...

I want to try this again. It's been well over a year. A very hard year. But some healing has taken place. I miss my brother, Jason, so much. I still have dreams where I have to save him and there doesn't seem to be an hour that goes by that I don't have a flash of his face in my mind at some moment. But the moments are a less painful. My thoughts seem to be more on all the future things I won't have with him anymore. After talking to some friends who have experienced the same loss, I know that time helps. It never goes away, of course. But it's not as sharp as it once was. It becomes more and more of a dullness. For all my friends and family who have prayed and will continue to support me, I am truly grateful. I don't know how people get through grief without the knowledge and assurance of Jesus' love and promise.

So, I want to put down my thoughts, feelings, musings, and creative projects back on here. I miss doing it!

An update on my life and what's happened around here:

Still working at Cherry Hills Christian and loving it. It's the BEST job for a mom. I just got spoiled rotten by the parents in my class. Gift cards and goodies galore. I am so blessed! My teacher, Betsy, is so great to work for. We have a good rythm and work so well together.

Dante is the best. This past year was so hard on him because of my grief. He stood by me. We learned a lot about each other and our relationship has grown.
Bailey turns 13 on Friday. I can't believe it. I was just in high school last week. How can I have a teenager?! She's such a girly girl. She wants a red carpet event for her party. So I found a red carpet for $5.oo, got some pizzas, ordered some cupcakes, and will have 9 girls spend the night for her very special day.
Cobi cracks me up almost daily. Most recently on the way home from church, I had asked what Maggie learned. She started telling me about how Jesus stayed at the temple after Mary and Joseph had left. Then they came back to the temple and found Jesus. I asked "what did Jesus say?" Cobi says "Hello Mother." HAHAHAHAHA! Good grief, I thought I was going to wet myself.
Maggie still loves singing and dancing in Devotion Motion at church. She also took part in a wonderful play through CYT (Christian Youth Theater). Her vocabulary never ceases to amaze me. She is going to compete in the spelling bee this year.
I just realized that this sounds like a Christmas letter. Which is ok since I didn't get any cards out this year!

On a creative note, I (along with Shannon in KS) completed a book that chronicled each day in December. I hope to get pics of it up very soon.
Thanks for hanging in there through this, my first blog in 15 or so months! They won't all be this boring. I promise!