Catching up..

Hi all! So, once again it has been a while but at least this time I have a valid excuse. The past little while has been just so chaotically busy and for whatever reason, I just never seemed to have the time or the inclination to turn on the computer at night, let alone make my way to the blogging world.

Now that isn't to say that I haven't been keeping up with reading the blogs that I do. I have at least managed that so I know what has been going on. But let's see..what can I tell you about what has been keeping me so busy?

Well, first and foremost has probably been work. To put it bluntly, it has been a little on the insane side. Now I now that in the industry that I'm in, November (and the months leading up to it) is/are ALWAYS a busy time but this was just crazy. I know I was around at the company that I work for at this time last year but I had just started in my present position then and I *clearly* didn't have any sort of appreciation for what my co-worker was going through at the time.

But thankfully, things have started to calm down a little bit there as well, although not completely. I don't think it will ever calm down completely because...well...let's just say that it is just the nature of the industry but it keeps me employed and I can't complain about that. Of course, we are dealing with a few interesting personnel shifts at work that will definitely make the next little while an interesting time. But I think they are all for the best, even if it doesn't exactly involve me in any way and I wish everyone good luck.

So..what else? Well one of the biggest things that is consuming much of my thought processes of late is the imminent arrival of a very special package. To be more specific, my sister is pregnant is and is literally due in exactly eight days!! I know...it is soooooo exciting! This is the first child for my sister Tammy and her husband Jay and I couldn't possibly be happier for them. And for whatever reason, I just can't seem to be able to wrap my head around the fact that in just over one week (or so-ish), our family is going to have a brand new member! It is just so surreal but also just so very cool.

This will be the first granchild for my mom and I know in my heart that if my dad were still alive, he would be absolutely over the moon about it all. And deep inside, I really feel that somehow when this baby is born, he or she will bring a part of my dad with them into this world. He is watching over us all and I know, without a doubt that he is proud of you, Tam...just as we all are. One more week. I just can hardly wait.

I would say that those are the two most important things that are going on in my life right now and in the interests of keeping this post on the short-ish side, maybe I should leave it at that. Actually, I do have to talk about one more thing that has been happening. I took a day off this past week to go to the hospital with Adam (my husband) for some tests for him. He has been having abdomenal pains for the better part of six months now and no one in the medical professions seems to be able to figure out what is causing them. So yes, I have obviously been pretty concerned over exactly what is going on with him but, as most of us, I really haven't given a lot of thought to what would happen if we were to receive a "worst case scenario" diagnosis. I think it is just hard for anyone to really think like that..to be that paranoid.

But then something happened today that really made me stop and take stock of what is going on in my life and just how lucky I am. Adam called me from work this morning and I knew immediately from the sound of his voice that there was something wrong. And I was right. As it turns out, one of the guys that he works with was killed in a car accident on the way to work this morning. Just like that...that was it. I can't even begin to explain just how that stopped me in my tracks. I mean, he was young with a wife and a 5 month old baby...how can something like this happen? But I know it can happen..I've had first hand experience with that when my dad died at 49. But even then, 49 is no where near mid thirties and it just isn't right. Not at all. And it made me start to think about all that Adam is going through with his pains and his testing right now and just how lost I would be without him. As sad as it is, when something like this happens it really makes you stop for a moment or two and take stock of all the good things you have in your life and makes you appreciative of all we are so scared to lose.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Ian's family even though it is highly unlikely that they will ever read this. I hope that somewhere, they can find the comfort and strength they will undoubtedly need.

Take care everyone..