Almost June.....

I cannot believe it is almost June. Time is definitely starting to go by fast. Zach and I have been in RI for almost a month! We are totally settled in now and enjoying all that RI has to offer. The weather finally cleared up, after 8 days of rain when we first got here. We have been spending loads of time with family and friends. Especially Gina, she has been great. We go shopping and eating together, not to mention just hanging at her house. It is a great distraction. Zach has been going to a gymnastics class on Thursday afternoons. He loves it. He gets to run around and climb on things and play with kids, what more could you ask for?? He is also going to be attending a camp they have. It will be Mon -Fri, 9-12pm, just enough time to give me some alone time and a chance to do things on my own, like SHOP.
I was pretty conflicted about my decsion to come up to RI for an extended stay, it was hard to imagine what it was going to be like living at home again. I wasnt sure how the dogs would be and I wasnt sure if Zach would be totally miserable without his buddies. As for me, I wasnt sure if I could handle being home and having to see my mom struggle everyday. I am not going to say it has been easy, because it sure as hell hasnt been, but I have learned to adapt and overcome. I have to be strong and I cannot let my mom see me sad.I dont want her to see how much it hurts for me to see her like this. She has been having ok days and some not so good days. We do what we can with what good days we are given. We have been able to go out for lunch one day and we went furniture shopping for Zach's room another day. The movies is always a good place for us to go too. We took Zach to see Over the Hedge, it was a great time. So, obviously things could be alot better, but they also could be alot worse. We are grateful for the time we have and we take one day at a time.
After all is all said and done, I truly think it is going to be difficult for me when it comes time to leave. I love being with my family. They truly mean the world to me. I couldnt get thru this without them.

Home sweet home.....

Well, here we are in good ol' RI. We arrived Monday afternoon after a very easy trip up the eastern seaboard. It was the best road trip ever, no hassles and no stress. What is better than that!? Gina was an awesome travel buddy. We talked the whole way and laughed even more. I couldnt have done it without her. I love her! So, here I am getting settled in to my new routine here back in my childhood home. It has actually been alot easier than I thought it would be. The shopping is so much better than Jville and more importantly the restaurants are endless! I had cable installed in my bedroom, which isnt too bad after 22 years......so, I am slowly but surely claiming this place as my own. Zach has settled in pretty well. He is having some seperation issues. I cannot go more than 10 feet without him gong into panic mode! I have looked into a summer camp for him, it is three days a week from 9-1. It is going to be at a local gymnastics studio. It is a beautiful facility with so much to offer. He is going to need that socilaization this summer. Man, the cost of living is so much different up here. This camp is costing me twice what it would cost me back in Jville. But that is the sacrifice I must make to run home to mommy and daddy....So, I am truly happy with the decision I have made to spend the summer up here. it wasnt an easy one, but after all is said and done this is for the best. Til next time....

Things have got to get better.....

I am sure most of you know that Marks brother, Edward James Liston II, past away this past week. It has been a very trying and sad week. Marks family is devestated. What made it even harder was having to got thru it without Mark. In the past I have always relied on him to be my rock during times like this and now it was up to me to step up to the plate and be the rock. The whole time I kept asking myself what would Mark do?? And it was from that knowledge and intuition that I would draw my strength. He is such an amazing man. He has been a pillar of strength thru this whole ordeal. We will have alot to deal with emotionally when he returns from this deployment, not only the post war things but his emotions about losing his brother. It is going to be a long road of healing, but I truly beleive that we can get thru this together. I just keep thinking to myself that there isnt much more I can take at this point and that my plate is so full its tipping over. I keep looking for the good things that are going on right now. I keep thinking about this new little baby that is coming into our lives in a few short weeks. My own little neice or nephew, oh how wonderful is that. That is my shining light right now. I am definitely ready to head up to RI for my summer retreat. It is going to be a good thing. Lots to do, family to see and friends to have fun with. I am so ready! So, as I said before, things have got to get better.........