Every Day; A New Day

The nice thing about a routine is the further along you get into it, the less you notice it. Things are returning more to "normal," if that's what you could call my life. This week was much easier. When I first returned to work I thought it would be a month before I could work a full day. By Thursday I noticed that I wasn't as tired or shaky by the end of the work day. Deb, my friend of nearly 30 years (yikes!) has frequently reminded me throughout our friendship how resilient I am in mind, body and spirit. I suppose she may be right... I am surprising even myself at how quickly I am getting stronger. Yesterday, I even managed to take Gary and the Girls on a walk when I got home from work. :)

While I still have moments of sadness over Mom's absence, as I will for the rest of my life, I feel my grief over her loss waning. This is aided by planning her memorial. At first it was hard to imagine anything but a somber occasion. I've only been to a few in my life, but they were all quite serious and dignified. Nothing wrong with that. But Mom lived life out-loud. (For those of you who never were able to meet her, this statement is her essence.) She was loud and fun and always laughing. I would dishonor her not to have a memorial for her that didn't live up to how she lived her life. So if you are coming to the memorial, expect something a little different. Tissues and hankies are welcome, but be prepared to shed tears of joy. And lot's of laughs!