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Loose lips sink [friend] ships.

Bittersweet thankfulness

Going home for Thanksgiving was bittersweet this year.

I can't say that I ever thought that I took the "smaller" things like family, health and sameness for granted. But I suppose now, I did.

This year has been weird for us in a lot of ways. 

And this Thanksgiving I think we had a different perspective on those said "smaller" things. 

They aren't small at all.

They are huge.

You never know how awesome consistency is until it isn't there. 

We indeed have so much to be thankful for.

And we are all praying that next year at this time that things are so amazingly different (normal) that we won't know what to do! 

Lisa, my husband's mom is still in the rehab.Which is great in and of itself that her progress has prompted her therapist to still be working with her for an extended time!

And though we are sad that she isn't the same...yet and that she wasn't there at the house making sure things were just right and planned out, funny, awkward, busy and celebratory we are indeed very thankful that she still is alive and making daily progress. 

I guess it really is all in how you look at things. 

It's what you make of it.

I couldn't get any more trite if I tried.

Trite is usually true though.

And we are trying to make the best of it and look at things in the best light possible. 

Sometimes it's just not that easy though. We are reminded by friends and other family of what God continues to do in her life and are encouraged when we see her doing something new everyday.

Anyway.

Things aren't the same.

Hopefully soon they will be more normal-ish.

I helped John's little sister redo her room while we were up there. 

That was an experience!

I was very glad to see the finish line to that project. It looks great and she was so excited to get a makeover.

We put up the family tree and decorated the house a bit too to help get everyone in the holiday spirit.

I caught this sweet moment of my husband and his mom while she took a small nap after lunch.

This makes me thankful.

Aaaaand I'm back..

Wow.
The past month has been nuts!

Thank you for your kind words and e mails about my last post.
I am pleased to report that my mother in law is doing much better than the doctors expected. She is now in a wonderful neurological rehabilitation facility and continues to improve. Her brain is having to be completely retrained and she is showing progress. God has done a miracle in her by keeping her with us. We continue to pray for more miracles in her recovery. We hope that next Thanksgiving we will be able to look back at this and be completely floored at the insane amount of miracles God has worked in her.
'Tis the season to be thankful.
And already we are thankful, indeed!

Soooo..  I was in the Chicago area for a while.
Then I brought my 11 year old sister in law back with me for a week- we escaped a bit and took a rest from the chaos.
I am back and "normal" again.
Although this new normal is weirder than I anticipated.
Not bad, just different.

The leaves aren't the only things that have changed during the past month, that's for sure!
A career change or hiatus, whichever way you choose to look at it.
Changes in my home.
Changes in my relationships.
Changes in family.
Changes in my preferences.
Changes in my heart.
Changes in my attitudes.
Changes, changes everywhere!

That may seem a bit ambiguous but that's the shortest way to list the changes ;)

Change isn't always a bad thing. But then again, it's not always an easy thing either.
I guess I am being jolted into reality in more than one area at a time.
For a girl who likes to compartmentalize, that's kind of hard!

With a dramatic change in my work situation and the amount of time I have to blog and post various things, my blogging will decrease a bit. But I look forward to reflecting the good changes of life in my blog.

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction” correct?

So here's to a new season outside and inside of my life.
I look forward to seeing what this side of reality looks like.
I am a bit nervous about the adventure but doing my best to stay positive along the way.

'Seeing you again soon!

Missy