Mental Health

May has been a busy and fairly stressful month, as you might imagine if you've followed along here, so I’m writing this post at the last minute.  My thoughts are a bit jumbled, so I’m just going for stream-of-consciousness writing.  May is Mental Health Awareness month.  It feels like appropriate timing in my life this year.

Peloton has offered rides and yoga classes with the Mental Health Awareness theme where coaches share their personal stories and offer encouragement and support, plus motivation and talking about the mental health benefits of regular exercise. I love that - exercise has been so important and helpful for me there, something that brings restoration and increases my sense of strength and endurance and self-respect, along with the happy endorphins and the physical health benefits!

I’m also in counseling right now, and I am so grateful to have that opportunity.  I want to be part of normalizing the idea of seeking help when you are hurting or wrestling with big decisions.  It doesn’t mean you are weak or broken, but that you’re self-aware, resilient, and humble enough to be open to growth and change.  I know it’s hard - I really do get that - but if you think it would help you to have a safe place to talk, it's worth making the effort.  The first counselor you try may not be a good fit.  Keep looking.  It can feel awkward and hard to articulate what you’re feeling at first, but it’s worth pressing through that anxiety to fight for more healing and understanding and hope.  And it can be expensive, but you are worth the investment!

(Having said that, it’s also wonderful if you find something else that helps you find strength and healing! God made us unique, and we all process things in different ways.)

You matter.  Your voice matters, your story matters, your heart matters.  People talk a lot about the greatest commands being to love God and love others, but Jesus also said “as you love yourself.”  You were created in the image of God. Respect yourself and treat your heart with love and compassion. 

Don’t stifle your feelings.  The hardship and loss and trauma you have been through matters - if it mattered to you, it matters to God - honestly!  You don’t have to pretend all is well or compare your suffering to those who have it worse or consistently feign happiness. Remember that it’s okay to feel sad, to grieve losses big and small, to have a bad day or week, to cry when you’re upset.  It’s okay to be angry or confused.  And it’s okay to seek help. If you’re struggling to cope, it’s good and right to reach out before things get too hard, before it feels dark or hopeless.

I have been there, as many of you know.  God has rescued me from a dark place more than once, and I care deeply about others who are in that space.  I would be a safe person to open up to if you’re ever feeling depressed or overwhelmed or lacking purpose or wondering if life is worth living.  I can promise I will not minimize your pain or be dismissive or throw out cliche verses that make you feel spiritually inadequate.  I understand the value of simply being present, being a quiet listener and caring enough to witness and validate someone’s pain, and allowing God’s love to be the light that lifts them out of darkness. 💙

My friend, April, wrote about her story recently, and I took a picture of this section because it’s so true for me too:

We all face hard seasons, and we don’t have to permanently label ourselves as depressed or suicidal or whatever else based on those struggles.  We live in a culture that glorifies independence, but God did not create us to do life alone, and we shouldn't put unfair pressure on ourselves to figure it all out.  We all have parts of life that feel like too much, like more than we can handle.  Normalize talking about that stuff, praying over it, being honest with people about how you're doing, and acknowledging it when you need help or need someone to just listen rather than offer advice.  Being clear about what you need and asking for help doesn’t make you abnormal, it makes you courageous.  And you just might light the way for someone else!

We have a spiritual enemy whose goal is quite literally to kill, steal, and destroy all that brings life.  And we have a loving God who wants to help us choose life, to walk in truth in our inmost being, to speak truth in love, and to live an abundant life.  Don’t give up or numb out when life gets hard.  We all have to deal with various troubles and pain throughout our time on earth - no one is immune to suffering. But there are wonderful joys and beauty and love too, and when you close off and try to avoid feeling any of the hard stuff, you lose your ability to feel the good stuff as deeply.  It’s all connected, and every part of your story matters. 

I hope you are in a peaceful and joyful season today!  But if not, remember that YOU matter.  You are resilient enough to go through hard things and come out stronger.  And you are not alone in your pain.  God sees you and cares about you right this minute.  Other people care more than you may think or be able to feel right now.  There is power in writing, resting, talking with friends and family, regular exercise, prayer, medication, and therapy.  Find what helps you and brings life, and press into that!

Depression can make us feel disconnected, and grief can blur our vision.  But there is a firm and secure Hope that can anchor our souls no matter what we face here, friends.  Keep choosing life... there is more beauty and joy ahead.  The best is yet to come, and that will always be true for followers of Christ.

“May the Lord bless you and take care of you. May the Lord be kind and gracious to you. May the Lord look on you with favor and give you PEACE.”   ~Numbers 6:24-26

May 2021

  QUOTE OF THE MONTH:

*I made this to remind myself to celebrate their unique gifts and talents and personalities with the niece and nephews, but this concept obviously applies to children and adults.  God made us all unique, and people love to be seen and appreciated for who they are!

MAY GRATITUDE LIST

• Dad coming home yesterday- (I'll share more about that in a future post)
• Bill and Jill - and a great phone call with Jill that marked a turning point for me during Dad's hospital stay, from thinking it could go either way to really believing he had turned a corner
  
• Celebrating Mother's Day and JoBug's retirement
• Joining Elizabeth's birthday + century Peloton ride!
• Playing with and just watching Oreo, an energetic little Flompy-Sue puppy!
• Georgia peaches from The Peach Truck!
• Seeing friends at the flowers and popcorn event at the Wilsons
• Celebrating Carter's 6th Grade Graduation
• A lovely baby shower for Katherine Claire
• Getting a new recorder for free, courtesy of Marilyn and Teresa!
  
• Kind neighbors power-washing my driveway, which is now stain-free
• My new weighted blanket - cozy and comforting
  

What was life-draining this month?

• An unfair sense of urgency about pursuing a major life change
  
• Scrambling to cover for other court reporters as we are shorthanded right now
• Jace's strong objections to eye therapy
• Underlying stress and high blood pressure that make it harder to stay in peace 
  
• Dad's hospitalization + being in limbo + all the emotions and hard realities surrounding that
• The excessive blog drama following a political post

What was life-giving this month?

• A stranger's post in a Facebook group, along with so many comments on that post that helped me realize I am not alone in my specific type of grief
• Christine Caine on Annie Downs podcast, same thing - feeling validated and seen because someone else was honest about what they have been through (I'll say more on that in August)
• Therapy with Shannon - having a safe place to talk about the hard stuff and try to articulate how I'm feeling
  
• Prayer support and kind messages from friends and family as Dad was in the hospital
• Taking a couple weeks to do 15-20 minutes a day with Peloton instead of my usual 75 - basically giving myself grace during a family crisis but still taking some time for that because it is fun and restorative for me!!
• Little things that lightened the mood - like texting about Schitt's Creek with Chet or sharing Will & Grace clips with Rach
  
• Bringing dinner for the Fosters as Kristin recovered; feeling encouraged and uplifted in our conversation
• Writing personalized cards for friends and family members
• Quality time with the Wilson fam, including a great dinner with Teresa
  
• Lunch with Lindsay Jane - thankful for her support and encouragement
• Dinner with Kristin W. as Dad was in the hospital - always good to help me decompress
  
• Healthy conversations with Laura, Tiffany, Sarah, JEM, and Chet about politics and/or church stuff
  
• Hugs from the niece and nephews; getting to play and hang out with them
  
• The entire gratitude list above ❤
  

HAPPY LISTS

I Read:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (NLT)

I Listened To:

• What Happened To You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce D. Perry
  
• Stand All the Way Up: Stories of Staying in it When You Want to Burn it All Down by Sophie Hudson
• Hope Always:  How to be a Force for Life in a Culture of Suicide by Matthew Sleeth
• It's All About the Small Things: Why the Ordinary Moments Matter by Melanie Shankle.  
• The podcasts mentioned in January + The Gospel in Life with Tim Keller

I Watched:  The Pelican Brief, Notting Hill, Mighty Ducks: Game Changers and Big Shot on Disney+

I Made:  Progress in therapy; a few photo cards from Walgreens; time to rest ❤

 

*This recap was inspired by Emily Freeman's The Next Right Thing Journal, and I'm writing one for each month of 2021!

Thankful Thursday #126

"Father, I thank you for hearing Me.  You always hear Me..." 
~Jesus, John 11:41,42

Today, I'm thankful for...

1.  Our Wednesday hearing was continued, so I was able to go see Dad yesterday! ❤  Mom and I were up there from around 10 to 12:30, and the Myricks also stopped by to see him.

2.  He is looking and feeling much better now - they're working with him on physical therapy and weaning him off of oxygen.  (*They'd been saying he may go home Monday or Tuesday, but the hospital is overcrowded and they've now mentioned possibly sending him home tomorrow, which seems fast to us... but pray for a smooth transition if it happens... or that they keep him there if he's not really ready for that yet!)

3.  A fun lunch at Panera with the Wilson fam today!

4.  This was one of my books for May - really good, so I'm thankful to Annie Downs for recommending it!  This is such an important topic, so it deserves its own post soon!

5.  My precious and artistic niece, who was recognized for her Creativity on the last day of school! =)

6.  All the friends and family members who have prayed for us and helped us out during this stressful week, and especially JoBug for watching Miss Oreo!!

7.  My blood pressure was unusually high when they took it at the dentist yesterday.  It's obviously been a stressful week for a number of reasons, but I want to do a better job of staying in peace and giving everyone and everything to God.  It's part of why I chose the verse above - to remind myself that God always hears us and always cares.  This encouragement from Christine Caine was timely for me yesterday... hope it lifts your spirits today too! ❤

 

Never ever ever give up.  Happy Thursday!

Off to Junior High!

My thoughtful, entertaining, and handsome nephew, Carter Lee, graduated from 6th Grade last night!  Today was his last official day of elementary school!  I kinda love that CHA does a full ceremony for that, and I'm sad T-man had to miss his because of Covid last year.  Here is Carter walking across the stage to receive his diploma, looking proud of himself. =)

 

 

He and Slate were standing by each other as their class sang a couple songs.  No clue what inside joke was going on there, but the two of them were cracking up laughing through a lot of it, and it made me happy! lol

All the CHA 6th graders and their teachers...

 

 

My, how the styles and camera quality have changed since my own 6th Grade Graduation!  Here's me and Jenny Womble in our white short-sleeved dresses and fancy salon updo hairstyles, very on trend for 1996!

Carter Lee and his best friend, Slate

Slate's Mom, Laynie, who was a class ahead of me at CHA and used to sit by me in the Crusader Choir!   #altopower  She has been incredibly helpful with Carter's education this year, so we're thankful for her kindness and wisdom and willingness to help him learn and grow in confidence!

Spencer and Carter, who was a little too cool for photos in this pic. lol

Me and the mini Miss K... and her classmate, Silas, for the photobomb win! lol

Josh Bullard (CHA's Headmaster) and Carter!  Carter really wanted to wear a suit because Slate was wearing one, and even with all that's going on this week, Mom went out of her way to make that happen the day before this lovely graduation ceremony.  He does look super handsome in it, and I like the shirt and tie colors, as well!

Jaceman and Jonas, one of his favorite classmates!

Dylan and Miss K, tiny adorable besties!

Me and T-man, the introverts who were pretty over it and ready to go after a few minutes at the reception. lol

***Direct quote from T-man to me before the ceremony (sincerely asking, not making a joke):  "So what year did you guys (meaning me and Rach) graduate?  Was it, like, 1970?" LOL, I'm still laughing about that! #classof2002

Carter and Mamaw!

Rach, Carter, and Josh... and the sign Rach made for the photo-booth area!!

Carter and his diploma and me!

So much cuteness... they had a table full of baby pictures, and I had Carter pose with his. And when he's a Senior in his cap and gown, I'll 100% print this photo off and have him hold it for a picture. lol

Rach and all the Parrish kids getting ready to leave Mamaw's house!  Crazy that T&C will both be in Junior High next year... I'm excited to come watch them play football on the same team!!

Kyndal Faith applying her lip gloss and using her iPad as a mirror... LOL  I love it!

I think we're all feeling tense and worn down from this week, but I'm so glad I got to be there for Carter's graduation!  It was nice having something to celebrate and being surrounded by people who are praying with and for us about Dad.  

I know Carter has worked really hard to get here, and I'm super proud of him!  And thankful for everyone who helped him get here.  High fives all around!

Yes, I just wanted a reason to post that gif. lol  Cutest thing ever!!

Okay, bye!

A Very Memorable Weekend

Well, this weekend did not go according to plan.  I was looking forward to an easygoing weekend in Tulsa, since I'm headed to see the fam tonight for Carter Lee's 6th Grade Graduation - (get excited, yay Carter)!  

...I was here on Friday night, then I joined Elizabeth for her live century + birthday Peloton ride with Alex on Saturday.  We were on competing teams, and it was fun and good times! ❤

That afternoon was Chet's client appreciation event, an outdoor gathering at the Wilson home filled with good friends and happy flower bouquets and tasty kettle corn!  I'll do a full Memory Monday for that soon because it deserves its own post, but here's a lil' photo preview...

My plan was a relaxing movie night, followed by a delightful Sunday brunch at Red Rock with the Wilsons and Fultons to celebrate Karli Marie's birthday on Sunday, then catching up on cleaning and laundry.  ...As I was getting ready to leave Chet's around 4:00, I got a call from Rachael telling me Dad was at the ER.  It's all been a bit of a whirlwind from there, but here are some things I want to remember:

• Dad had been weak and sick on Friday, but he rested a lot and no one was overly concerned.  He went downhill fast on Saturday and was becoming incoherent and could barely hold his head up.  Rach said it was audibly very labored breathing and gasping for breath, (but somehow he was still insisting he didn't need to go to the hospital), so Rach and Mom worked together to get him in the car so Mom could take him to the ER. 
• He was in the MWC St. Anthony ER from 3:15-ish to 8:00 on Saturday.  It was surprisingly uncrowded when they arrived (thanks, God), so they got him right in.  His oxygen levels were dangerously low, and they asked why he had waited so long to come in.  
• His oxygen was at 82 when he arrived, and they got it up to 87 over the next four hours but needed it to reach 92-93 to keep him off a ventilator.  When Mom texted me about that, it all felt MUCH more serious.
• He tested negative for Covid but positive for pneumonia and sepsis.  They transferred him to St. Anthony’s downtown that night, where he is still currently in their ICU.
• The nurse there Sunday morning told Mom and I that his heart rhythm started jumping around pretty seriously around 8am, so they were giving him medicine for the A-Fib.  You could see it moving up and down a lot on the monitor.  I'm sure that's exhausting and taking a lot of his energy too.  
• While Mom and I were there Sunday, Dad was very tired.  He chatted with us a little, then we were just on our phones trying to stay quiet, but he told us 3x in an hour to leave, so we did.  
• Sunday afternoon, the doctor talked with Rach about the risk of silent aspiration and doing the swallow test to check for that.  She broke down crying while telling Mom and I about it later, saying they told her if he didn't do well, they may have to put in a permanent feeding tube, which Google told me has a 50% death rate within one year.  Not exactly a helpful thing to know.
• The doctor said it could still go either way (life or death), but that he didn't see anything especially troubling right then.  They gave us a 72-hour window, saying he would probably rapidly improve or digress in that period, and then we would know more.  But they were still mentioning ventilators as a possibility on Sunday too.  It was all surreal and scary, and it's hard to be in limbo on stuff like that when you have zero control over the outcome.
• Sepsis is apparently caused by his body trying to fight infection, and it causes rapid heart rate and mental confusion, and we’re seeing that in several ways.  I need to learn more about how sepsis affects the brain - we’ve seen that with Babah and now with Dad, and they both go back and forth a lot... saying some things that are right on point then some things that are way out of left field, having vivid dreams and then believing themselves to be somewhere else entirely.  In all honesty, as long as the antibiotics do their job and he keeps getting better, I think it's kinda nice that he's able to imagine things that are happier and more exciting than being stuck in a hospital bed all week.
• I helped Mom watch all the kids while Rachael was up there for several hours on Sunday.  We played sardines, Kyndal gave Carter a makeover while J did eye therapy, and I helped T-man study for his finals!  Jace cried about Grandpa being in the hospital, and we had a short but good talk about that.
• Dad does A LOT around the house, so I tried to help out with as much of the practical stuff as possible (food, trash, groceries, gas, taking care of the dogs, etc.)  JoBug offered to watch Oreo this week, and I encouraged Mom to take her up on that, and I'm thankful she did!  It's a win-win all around because Oreo will have fun there and Mom will have one less stressor right now.
• The Lemieux’s have been incredibly helpful as usual - friends of the year!  Bill was ready to come over and help get dad to the hospital, they were the first non-family visitors, they’ve called several times to check in and offer Mom help, they stopped others from visiting when what Dad needed most was rest, they helped watch Parrish kids while Rach and Mom were both in there with Dad, and Bill and Alan have both offered to come get them at 6am since Dad can’t do that for a while now.️
• Bob Rutherford (our former pastor who baptized me, current neighbor of my parents) is another of my favorites - he visited Mom in the hospital every time she's been there, and he's been checking in with us and offering help and prayers since all this happened, ready to visit Dad when he's feeling better. LifeChurch Pastors Sam and Stefan came to the hospital and prayed over Dad while Rach was there.
• So many family friends have been checking in and texting and saying they’re praying, including Kristin Whitaker and Ashley Ingersol, my closest cousins, and multiple Tulsa friends have reached out and offered to make the drive or to help in other practical ways... my family and I appreciate the love and support and prayers more than I can say!
• We're praising God that Dad has improved a lot yesterday and this morning!!  His heart rate and A-Fib have calmed down, they've talked about tapering him off of oxygen, he has finally ordered something to eat, and he is more coherent and seems to at least be aware that the sepsis is causing him some confusion.
• I wrote this down because I genuinely didn't know if it might be the last time I saw my Dad on Sunday --  and I guess none of us ever really know for sure.  Anyway, he was weak and tired and confused about some things, and he couldn't talk much without losing precious energy.  His heart was still jumping around a lot, and he had oxygen (not a full mask but going into his nose) + multiple IVs and a BP cuff and other monitors on, but the last thing I saw and heard was Dad blowing me a kiss and saying "I’ll be lovin' you" (our signature family phrase) to me and Mom as we were leaving the hospital that morning.  And the last thing I said was "I'll be lovin' you, Dad."  That made me happy.  It makes me much happier to know things have improved and seem to be on an uphill swing now, so I should get to see him again fairly soon!
• Mom and I held hands and prayed together in her kitchen just before I left to head back to Tulsa - that’s a moment I want to remember too. 💙

In waaaay different news, before any of this happened, I signed up to buy a box of peaches from the peach truck.  I had no idea how many peaches that would be, and I definitely underestimated it - WOW!  So if you're a friend of mine and a fan of peaches, let me know and I'll be happy to share. lol

Okay guys, that's all.  I had to write this fast and now I'm about to leave for Carter's graduation ceremony.  Hope you're having a lovely week! 

Thankful Thursday #125!

"The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light;

their unfolding gives understanding to the simple...

My lips will pour forth praise [with thanksgiving and renewed trust]

when You teach me Your statutes."

~Psalm 119:130,171 (Amplified Bible)

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  Marilyn and Theresa, my Mom's good friends from her court reporting days.  I emailed Marilyn for advice on my digital recorder, and she offered to give me Theresa's barely-used recorder, which was so great (not having to buy it myself or worry about our CR budget)!!  Theresa bought this one then retired a couple years back and gave it to Marilyn, but Marilyn has been using one the State provided instead so she doesn't need it.  Anyway, I'm thankful for these connections and for their kindness and generosity!

2. This classic Cody Rigsby encouragement... "Is that a fajita!?  Oh sh*t!" lolol  He's a treasure.

3.  Someone posted these screenshots during one of the strength classes where Andy is talking to his dumbells. lol  He's corny and ridiculous, but entertaining in his own way!   I'm grateful for fun Peloton classes that are good for me physically and mentally, and very thankful for the great online community with other Peloton enthusiasts - makes it much more fun and motivating!

  

4.  Lunch with Lindsay at Abuelos this week... it was so great catching up with her and meeting Miss Waverly in person (failed to get a pic that day, but she was adorable and sweet).  I'm thankful for Lindsay's encouragement and understanding - we got into some deeper topics and her perspective was good for me to hear.  I always enjoy her company and I'm going to make an effort to get together more often!

5.  I'm thankful for my kitchen granite, which was installed a year ago yesterday, and very thankful that the remodel from last spring/summer is over now!  (I keep seeing those pics from this time last year in my memories on Google Photos, and it makes me happy for the awesome changes and very happy that it's all done - the transformation process is always a bit rough! #metaphorforlife)  The pics below = us trying to get an idea of what that granite would look like with several different backsplash options. lol

6.  Yesterday was a breakthrough of sorts for me.  For the first time in all my life, I cried at my counseling appointment.  Not like sobbing, but crying enough to grab a Kleenex as I tried to keep talking.  I won't go into great detail here online, but I'm really challenging myself to be totally honest and say the hard things so that I can work through them there, so that's been hard... and it's been good.  I'm thankful for progress there, and I'm thankful for the reminder that God wants "truth in our inmost being."  Sometimes I try to say the most right/acceptable thing instead of the most honest thing, but that's not helpful in bringing healing.  God always cares about our hearts - the things that matter to us matter to Him.  He is a good listener and a wise counselor, and we are safe to get vulnerable and open up and be honest about our anger, sadness, confusion, disappointment, shame, desires, etc. as we walk through life and grow into greater maturity with Him. ❤

7.  Today is my 14-year FB Friendiversary with Kristin Foster... here we are back in 2007 when Josh was still my best friend.  We've seen each other through a lot of ups and downs, and I feel deeply grateful for her friendship and influence in my life.  This is a relationship where we strengthen and encourage each other, so once again, I want to invest more time and energy there and try to get together more often! ❤

It won't feel quite perfect or complete until we're in heaven, but meaningful connections are clearly the most important thing in life to me, and I am thankful to have my relationship with God along with so many solid friendships and family relationships that are worth investing in and strengthening.  

Happy Thursday!  And in case I don't see you, have a lovely weekend ahead!! ❤

Endorphins and Other Happy Things!

Is there a better mood-boosting combo than good music and fun exercise!?  ...Maybe good conversation and chocolate, but this is a pretty close second. lol

I just finished an energizing 20-minute walk that started with the song American Pie by Don McLean - "We all got up to dance - ooooh, but we never got the chance!", followed by Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.  I know every word of both songs, and it was so fun to walk and sing along... I flew right through the first 15 minutes right there!  Then at the end of the walk, Rebecca Kenedy said "You are strong!  You are resilient!  You are loved!!  Stick with this journey - it only gets better from here.  Peace!"  Yaaas!

I followed that up with a relaxing 10-minute stretch to all Disney songs, which included a very random face massage - lol, the cat/cow stretch, and pigeon pose (my fav yoga pose).  The playlist included Beyonce's Spirit song from Lion King ("So go into a far-off land and be one with the Great I Am") and ended with A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.  "No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true."  Yes, please, to all of that!

Also, I did my 350th strength class live with Selena this morning - no shout out, but I'm shouting myself out here!! lol  Yay Peloton... yay happy endorphins... and yay me!!

 

 

Then there's this... he's not wrong. lol  Must find some community that makes healthy eating as fun as Peloton has made exercise!

 

 

On a similar note, allow me to recommend the Reeses with pretzels... I'm not even a fan of pretzels normally, but they're chopped up really small and give it a little extra crunch and saltiness - yummm!

Our courthouse fountain - always makes me happy.

One of many famous Cody Rigsby rants was about his love of grilled cheeses with mayo (eek), so Kraft gave him and the #BooCrew a shoutout on Instagram.  Cute and clever!  (He has also talked about finding kitten heels unacceptable "unless you have some sort of medical condition," hence the bottom caption. lol)

Miss Ellie Faye looking precious this weekend as Jeff was out gardening! ❤  (I wasn't there, but he texted me this cute pic.  I'm sure you're all shocked that I wasn't joining the gardening fun. lol)

Something I bought to remind myself that writing is part of my identity and purpose now, whether or not I publish a book... I like that "You are a writer... inspire... write" are the biggest words on it.

So I was checking out at Walgreens this weekend, and the guy asked if I'd like to donate to children in poverty.  I figured it was the usual rounding-up the change thing and said yes, then he asked how much I'd like to give.  "Oh... umm, two dollars," I said, somewhat caught off guard.  Then he picked up a tiny bell and rang it, and it was all I could do to not bust out laughing!  OMG, so funny!  It was literally just me and him and one other cashier there at the time, and it was very clear that this was something he was told to do but found pretty awkward.  I said "cute" and laughed quietly as I got my stuff, then got back in my car and laughed a lot more.  (And it made me think of Jocelyn's bell, which also made me laugh!)

On this day last year, we celebrated Triston graduating from 6th grade!  This pic is all the women and children from that side of the fam, and it always makes me think of the "women and children first" line from Titanic. lol  It's a little sad to think of all that has changed with Babah since then, but I'm thankful for this sunny day memory.  When Kyndal Faith's feet can touch the floor, I'll miss these days. What a tiny presh!

Okay, I think that's all I've got now.  And now I'm off to watch The Pelican Brief, a 1993 hit with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington that I've somehow never seen before.