Back in late December, I sent out an urgent prayer request for my sweet friends, Greg and Sean. Greg had come home from work on a Thursday night feeling achy and in less than 48 hours, he was life flighted to Denver, in a medically induced coma, and on life support with bags and bags of medicine and oxygen and tubes running in and out of his body. It was touch and go for quite a while.

I’ve worn glasses since 7th grade. My first pair were black with very narrow lenses like the popular “granny glasses” of the ‘60s. I remember how remarkable it was to actually be able to SEE. Mr. FixIt remembers the same thing with his first pair. We were both raised in homes without a lot of expendable income and for some reason...glasses seemed to be a luxury we could ill afford.

I made a dismissive comment yesterday about the Super Bowl halftime show being “stupid”. I didn’t realize at the time what a brouhaha the halftime show was on social media come Monday morning. My comment came mostly because there are so many other things all that money could go to that would benefit so many people in need. 

When I went through the massive purge and downsized before I sold the Colorado house, the most difficult thing to part with were my books. I love books. I love the feel of paper between my fingers...the sound real paper makes when you turn the pages...the smell of a library or used book store. It’s one of the coziest things in the world.

I went into town yesterday to meet a friend from church. She and her family have recently purchased a converted school bus and they are making a drastic change in their lives. They’re going on the road as a family of five, living a Godly life, homeschooling their children along the way, and exploring the country. They’ve made a one year commitment and they’re so excited! I met with them to add my insight since I did that with a camper for two years....however, alone and without children.

Before I get into this subject, let me first get something straight...I adore my children and their families. I love my exes and their spouses and their kids. I love my new bonus family as my own. And, I’ve got to tell you...the bonus family is easier. Let me explain.

I always wanted to be the kind of grandma that everyone would flock to my house. We’d bake cookies and I’d fix their favorite meals. They’d drop in for visits...just because. We’d have barbecues in the summer and big family gatherings at the holidays. It would be comfortable and we’d be a close knit family.

I try to check in on my social media platforms at least once a day. Sometimes it is to answer questions or to acknowledge comments with a “❤️”. But, often it’s to check in on my own support systems. I have found a wonderfully loving and supportive grief community on Twitter, believe it or not. Something about Twitter’s 280 character limit keeps things short and to the point...little soundbites...little nuggets of truth from people who have been there, done that and are still upright.

I’ve taken a couple of days to process the helicopter crash that took the lives of nine beautiful souls on Sunday. We lose celebrities all the time. Princess Di. Michael Jackson. Prince. Whitney. Robin Williams. They all strike us in some way.

Kobe was an icon. Whether you liked him because of his prowess on the court or disliked him because of what allegedly happened in Colorado 17 years ago...his name and reputation are large and his loss will be felt by many for years to come.

Whooooo...church was on fire yesterday! Pastor Justin talked about addiction. We are addicted to SO many things. We’re addicted to needing people to like us. Just look at how people cling to the number of “likes” on that selfie they posted to social media. We’re addicted to TV, gambling, smoking, eating, NOT eating, exercise, shopping, pornography, alcohol, drugs...heck, we’re addicted to OURSELVES. We’re just that important.

I totally forgot yesterday was Friday. The time is flying by so quickly, it just totally snuck up on me. I went to the mall Thursday with my bonus-daughter, two of my bonus-granddaughters, and the three babies. We had lunch and when we were finished, I asked one to take my picture with the three babies on my lap.