Everything, Nothing, and I'm a Middle Child

I'm ... scared? apprehensive? In any case, I'm definitely a bit of a mess.

This weekend is my father's annual family reunion. And it's the first without my mother.

She was always the group photographer. My cousin Rahmat has this great photo of her from last year.

I still have trouble - in my brain - figuring out that she's gone, or that she was ever here. I know that sounds crazy. I'm assuming this is a 'phase'. I just, my brain can't connect the dots. It's too huge for me to process.

Posted by at 6:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Okay, so maybe video isn't coming soon. It'll come eventually, when it's almost irrelevant, I suppose. I've been busy packing, moving, oh! oops! no not moving yet!, planning my brother's wedding, cooing over friends' new babies (yes, multiple friends have new babies), and generally trying not to come undone at the seams.

I was very nearly there. Fortunately, when I texted my bro' Nathan, he had the good intuition to pick up the phone and call me back. I really needed that call. Thanks, Nae.

Today is our 8th anniversary. Funny, but I just sorta' thought, "8 years? That's all?" I mean, I've done a lot since I got married. It just seems a bit amazing that it only took 8 years.

Here's a tally:

Lived on 3 continents. (moved 7 times, this'll be the 8th)
Wrote a master's thesis (got a master's degree).
Lived in Haifa, Israel working at my dream job.
Watched my mother die from cancer.
Gave birth to a son.

Wow, yeah, these have been some weighty years. Last night, Mark said to me, "you should get your PhD." Ha! I think I've had enough weight this decade.

As we're about to move, Mark got permission from our new landlady to move a few items into the house in advance. So, he sent me a menu for a restaurant, got me to tell him what I thought looked good, ordered it, got our dining room set over to the house, and we ate dinner in our new apartment and then walked around the house talking about what we might want to do with each room, how to childproof, stuff like that.

It was very sweet, and helped gel in my mind that it's really happening.

Posted by at 6:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Liam has a photo of his Grannie Nannie (the one you gave us, Papa) that lives under his crib. He pulls it out from time to time.

He now kisses Grannie Nannie when he sees her picture.

How could I not become a globbing mess of goo when I see that?

Seriously.

Posted by at 8:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)