Room to Breathe

from here.

Hey there, friends.

Have a seat and let's do a little catching up. 

I finally feel like I am getting a little bit of breathing room.  I've shared bits and pieces of what has been going on around here, but bits and pieces is all you have been getting until now.  So, without laying my heart on the table completely, here is a little more about why I have been so stressed. 

First off, my best friend lost her husband.  It was a terribly tragic and unexpected event that left everyone in a state of shock and confusion.  He died in a horrific car crash that left many question marks and no answers.  Of course, in such a small town as ours, rumors and accusations abound and make the horrid situation even worse.  My friend has had to be stoic and brave to weather the arrows that have been flying her way.  But she has been so strong and there is hope in the future for her and her daughter. 

My brother has been fighting a seemingly losing battle for months on end.  I can't give you a lot of details, but it involves a ruthless and cruel wife, more lies than can be counted, the involvement of many outside forces, court dates, more lies, and the future of my niece hanging in the balance.  Our family has been pushed to the limit.  This has been hell on earth and it has the potential to drag on for many months still. 

On top of everything, my grandmother died last Wednesday night.  It was totally unexpected, as she seemed to be as spry and healthy as ever.  A heart blockage put her in the hospital, where the doctors put in a stint.  Everything had looked just fine.  She was awake and talking, everything great, when out of nowhere her heart failed her.  It was a hard blow for my dad.  The stress of my brothers problems combined with losing his mother has been extremely hard on him.  But we are grateful for the fact that she didn't suffer.  As my dad said, "She never got old."  Right up until her death, she was a real live firecracker. 


I have other things to talk about.  Truly, I do.  And I really want to talk about them and get my spirits back up.  So, hopefully I will be able to get back into blogging and share some positive things with you.  Some soul sunshine would great, don't you think? 
Thanks for being here.  I appreciate the concern and love that I have received from some of you.  I really do count my blog friends as true blue friends.  And I hope I get to converse with you a whole lot more in the near future.

Hugs and Sunshine to you all.
~Jo~