how life turns...

...on a dime. I'm making my way back – or as my very wise Uncle R. would say "keeping it between the ditches" after a fairly rough summer. I might go into more detail about it at some point, but for now, I'm vertical, I'm smiling and I'm trying to let the Lord talk to me instead of me doing all the talking.

I have learned a few key things in the upside down world that has been my life for the last few months.

1. I'm as addicted to coffee more now than I ever was. And I'm okay with it.

2. Watching your children (in my case 4-legged) grow old sucks. I remember well the day my first dog, Mandy, died. And I remotely remember the suffering. I think my parents did their best to help that Irish Setter out as much as they could so that we wouldn't be so burdened by her decline. I have 4 animals that are 12 years old or higher. One of them is really suffering with arthritis and it's such a painful thing to watch. I brought this little baby home when she was only 8 weeks old and no matter how old and feeble she gets, she will always be that little chocolate-eyed puppy. I want her to give me as much time with her as I want...but I hope that she takes it upon herself to show me how selfless my love can be for her when the time is right.

3. I'm extremely impatient. All my really close friends just laughed out loud and are wiping whatever they were drinking off their monitors right now. They are each collectively saying "um, like, did she really just figure it out or has it just taken her this long to admit it to herself?"

4. I miss Winchester. When I was 17, I couldn't WAIT to get out. I was foaming at the mouth to leave that black hole of death. Now, I'd offer up a body part to find my way back. Funny how age changes perspective isn't it?

and finally 5. I have decided to become better at a few key things. I'm not talking drastically better, because if I try to do too much, I'll let myself down and will have to deal with that whole "patience" thing again. But I'm determined to become better at managing my health, at communicating with husband, at being a more considerate driver, at getting my Biased Baby product relaunched and at blogging more consistently. I figure if I can progress on each of them, if only a little at a time, then I'm doing okay. If I surprise myself and set the world on fire, then the world better watch out.

Until then, I'm going to have another cup of coffee.