Saturday Morning Confusion: August already? WOW!

Oh my gosh! How can it be August already? Where has the time gone? I had so many great intentions of writing, photography, blogging and capturing my days, but the camera gets put down, the pens and journals get put away, and life just takes over. Then, before you know it, six months or a year has gone by and you have nothing to show for it.

Life has a funny way of doing that. Just taking over until you feel like you are floating along in life with no direction, and not really living, just surviving. That is how 2014 started for me. Survival was not the word I picked to live in 2014. This year started with worry, sadness, and uncertainty. But as the months have passed, we added laughter, fun, accomplishment, and determination. And now as we move into the last months of the year, I feel Hope creeping back in. I am feeling more creative, more determined to live and experience life fully, to renew my relationship with my God, and feel the joy that normally fills my heart.

In this post, I am going to try to document the best (and worst) parts of my year so that with the next post I can move forward. Put the past behind so the future is able to be accessed right? Ok, well here goes.

January:
In January I lost the job I had been at for the last year and a half. I still am not sure what happened, but the VP, Plant Manager and my supervisor met me at the door with a pink slip on a Tuesday morning. I had no idea it was coming and I was not given a reason for it. So there I was out of work barely a week into the new year.

February:
A month of survival, snuggles and snow...

Snow on the Birdfeeder

Snuggling with Miss Sassy

March:
A month of preparation for the end of the school year, job hunting, Princess Pea's last choir concert of the year and more snow.....And then Cookie got sick. For a week he was sick, off and on, then continuous, for four days...first throwing up, then fine, then severe stomach pains. First diagnosis was dehydration, but after nearly 24 hours of a pure water/chicken broth diet and no relief, he was admitted to the hospital for his appendix. Emergency surgery followed. Poor kid...

Cookie after his emergency appendechtomy

Pea's last 7th Grade Choir Concert

April:
In April Princess Pea competed with her dance team for the very first time! In the first competition, the team received gold which moved them on to Nationals in June! In the second competition, the team received platinum which is the highest award a team can be given. Their scoring was only 2.5 points away from a perfect score! We were so excited! One of her best friends was able to come with and cheer her on!

Princess Pea and Mama

Her very first medal!

Princess Pea and one of her best friends D-

May:
May was eventful with Syttende Mai, Dance Recital, my niece's graduation and Cookie Monster leaving for Basic Training for the Air National Guard. We ran like crazy, cried and laughed.

Cookie and Friends for a great send off!

Cousins goofing around!

Dad, Cookie Monster and Princess Pea in the Airport

Cookie and a sad proud Mama

The family before we send Cookie Monster to TX for Basic Training

Cookie Monster and Princess Pea

June:
In June we received a call from Cookie Monster telling us that he was being discharged from the Air National Guard due to panic attacks, anxiety, and sleep walking. He was currently being held in Med Hold (infirmary) and would be home soon. It is difficult seeing my oldest have all his future plans ripped from him in one fell swoop. He is still drifting and not certain of what to do or how to get there. I try to guide him the best I can but at 19, the decision lies with him.

Princess Pea had Dance Competition Nationals in Wisconsin Dells in June. Her team took Gold and a coveted Judges Award! And as soon as competition was over, she left for a week at dance camp. She was in heaven!

Headed to Nationals!

National Champions!

July:
July was an exciting for several reasons....first, one of my close friends and her son came from Kentucky to stay for a few days over the 4th! At the end of the month, many of our family members travelled to our home for a family reunion. We had 65 people plus from 7 branches of the family tree and we skyped with cousins in Norway. What a weekend! My delicious cousin Anna over at A Messy Indulgence and her beautiful Mama came to stay with me for several days. We laughed, we cried, we shopped for antiques, we stayed up til all hours, we photographed and we connected. It was the most beautiful weekend of my summer! The Sunday after the reunion, we took seven or eight canoes down the Kickapoo River and met the rest of the family at Rockton for barbecued chicken dinner....YUM!

Me and Jeannette

Cousins having fun!

My Delicious Cousin whom I adore!

Luna enjoying her trip in the canoe!

A Day on the Kickapoo!

Perfect Day!

Relaxing

August:
August has already been a whirlwind and we are already 19 days in. One of my best friends, Scott, was here from New Orleans for his reunion and was able to squeeze in a visit. We haven't seen each other in about 20 years. And of course, August is my birthday month, so there was that little bitty celebration (Cookie's friends, my adopted children, made me a cake at midnight before my birthday). There have been beautiful flowers and a glorious harvest of green beans, puppy sitting, sleep-overs with giggly girls, lazy afternoons on the porch swing, rides on the motorcycle, hunting beautiful antiques, and glorious God filled Sunsets. Honestly, there is nothing like looking back through your pictures to realize that there may be rough times but life really is a wonderful, awe-inspiring event. I'm glad I was able to share some of it with you!