What happened to Summer???

WOW, it’s been a while, huh?

Let’s see…. It’s September and the last you heard from me was in May, right before Alyssa’s surgery, right after the Endocrinologist saga. The surgery went well. Alyssa has her follow up appointment later this month to see if she still needs glasses or any additional treatment.
After her surgery I got these really crazy scary headaches. At one point I was told I possible had an aneurysm. Then some type of seizures. Then some type of unexplained headache/migraine. My sister & her friend Laura visited in June, and my dad a few weeks later. They were so much help and comfort.

So... that’s June & July. August? Horrible. I got the trip to Texas a begged for since last year, but it didn’t go nearly as planned. My Papa had a few more strokes the week before my visit and was deemed terminal by his doctors as the damages were irreversible. Doctors said he could have days, weeks, or up to two years to live, but it was now a losing battle. They worked with my dad to set up home hospice care. While awaiting the setup at home, he was transferred to a Hospice House in Burleson, Texas. The day after his arrival, the nurses found him completely unresponsive to stimulus and let us know it was time to allow our family to say goodbye to him and prepare for his death. Man, that was hard. I stayed five days and four nights at the hospice house with Pam, my sister, brother and Dad. Absolutely the five hardest days of my life. Papa went home to Heaven on Sunday, August 15th, the day before my 25th birthday. I was so thankful to be able to spend his last days by his side, but so sad to let him go. Papa’s funeral was Tuesday, August 17th-- the day after my birthday. He has a pocket full of peppermints from me, Cheryl, Katherine and Ronnie & a personalized belt that matches my Dad’s (one reads “Daddy”, the other “Ronnie”). I miss him tons. I keep finding small, sometimes funny, always sweet reminders of Papa. Ice cream Saturdays, fresh honey, duct tape. <3
When we got back to Bellevue, the kids started school (almost a week late). They love it. Zack rides the bus to kindergarten and Alyssa is in a morning pre-school class. They both love it. Its bittersweet watching them grow.

I’ve done my own calculations and should graduate next winter, of the following spring at the latest. I just began this semester/quarter with 12 credits instead of the usual nine. The workload is pretty intense, but I’m sure I’ll do fine once I kick it in gear. Well, I’ve been trying to get it in gear all year… but I am SUCH a procrastinator!!!

Hopefully I am back before the next 3-4 months. I am sure I have left out some much-needed-to-share-info, and will be back soon!