It’s been more than six months since my last blog post, and I’m not sure where to start with what has been happening in our life.  Things have been turned upside down and have changed so rapidly that it has taken this long for me to adjust and process.

     Chris and I took Little A to Angel Fire, New Mexico in the middle of July.  We rented a fantastic house for one week using VRBO, and it was fabulous.  Little A didn’t seem to be impressed with the mountains, but she LOVED the streams!!! She giggled and smiled each time her daddy stuck her feet in the water, and enjoyed splashing around.  I did what I always do and took hundreds of photos~ will share a few here.

     August was pretty uneventful for us.  I was hired as a subcontractor to conduct home studies for foster/adoption cases.  It is now the beginning of January and I have yet to accept a home study, but I am hopeful my time is coming.

 My online classes began at the end of August, and as usual took up most of my free time.  I managed to receive an A- in  MSA 600– a research class that I had been dreading which actually challenged and engaged me to the point of total enjoyment– something that completely amazes me looking back now…

     In September, Chris’ niece–who, along with his sister Angela, had lived with him since she was 3 years old–was killed in an automobile accident.  The police came to our house (Chris and his sister, Angela, bought this house together almost ten years ago) at 3:30 a.m. and gave us the news.  It was unexpected and impacted all of us.  I don’t remember much from those first few weeks after Caily’s accident except throwing myself into caring for Little A and my studies and trying to think of ways to help Angela get through.

     I’m stuggling with being in perimenopause, but the supplements and cream I have been using have significantly decreased my symptoms.  I am no longer having hot flashes daily, and I can finally fall asleep at night and stay asleep without having to use sleep aids.  I’ve made other small changes, such as only drinking one cup of coffee each day instead of my usual three; I’ve tried to go back to a ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting; and when I find myself getting angry or frustrated or stressed I write in my journal or find another creative outlet.  Connecting with other women online through perimenopausal support groups has also helped me.

Little A is walking more every day~ I took a video of her this morning walking across her bedroom.  It was slow, and there was more side-to-side shuffling than actual walking, but I am SO PROUD of her because she has been trying so hard to walk on her own.  Proud mama moment:-)  Her Daddy and I try to give her many opportunities to walk on her own, but she still prefers to hold our hands (or furniture or the windowsill or the wall) when we’re present.  I want her to become more independent, but as I’ve written before~it is so hard letting her go.