Catching up....

I don't know what my deal has been this week, but I have had such a range of emotions and it has all just flown by....I can hardly believe the end of the week is already here!

My Dad called me Tuesday night and said that he had heard that the son of some family friends had committed suicide. He was only 30. After some internet search, I found the info I was hoping to find, but had unfortuately missed the funeral since it was that same day in Alabama. I definitely would have gone if I had known. I've just been filled with a sadness for that family because I can only imagine what a huge thing that is going to be to deal with. They moved in next door to us when I was in my mid-teens and lived there until after I moved out of my parents house, so I'm not sure how long they lived there, but I babysat them several times and saw them all the time when I would go back home to visit my parents. They eventually moved to Alabama and I've only seen them a very few times in the last several years, but I can't help but to remember that sweet little boy that used to play on his Big Wheel or tricycle in the driveway next to ours. He and his older brother were alway so shy...SO shy....but they were such sweet children....I just keep playing those pictures of him and his siblings (all 5 of them, 6 total!) over and over in my mind and just hate so bad that anything in his life made him feel he had to do such a thing. The obituary said he'd had two tours of duty in Iraq and he was evidently quite an accomplished young man. It just makes me sad, both for him and for his mom because I know she is going to have a real struggle with all this. They all will, but I feel particularly sad for the mom. I need to get a card in the mail soon....I need to decide exactly what I want to say. I am one of those that will NOT send a card if I don't have the words just right. That is going to be high on my list of things to get done this weekend. I think I know most of what I am going to say, I just need to get it down on paper.

Then last night before choir, since children's choir is out for the summer and I had some time before my choir practice, I went to my friend Gina's house to hang out until I had to leave for choir. This is so NOT a big deal, but Gina had made this big pile of stuff for tacos, etc, and had a house full of people there....her, her husband, her son Chris (who's 8th grade graduation I posted about back in May...that handsome thing!), 3 friends of Chris', me, and then Gina's in-law's stopped by. Long story short, there was a lot of confusion, but after Chris got his food, he went and sat down over where his grandfather was and said, "Hey Grandaddy...we're glad you could join us." That comment in and of itself is no big deal and I know that, but Chris is just such a thoughtful young man and when he said that to his grandfather, I just got all teary! I looked at Gina, she started giggling, then said if I didn't quit, she was going to start too.....Well....I just couldn't help it! Chris looked up, saw me wiping my eyes and biting my lip and wanted to know why I was crying. Of course, I wasn't about to tell him it was because he's so sweet and thoughtful, but that's exactly what it was! I may tell him when there aren't so many people around, but I didn't feel the need to do it right then! Sweet stuff just wipes me out, there is no doubt about it.

Tonight I went to my sister's for dinner. They got back from the beach on Monday night, were busy Tuesday night, I had church last night, so tonight was the first time I've been able to see them since they've been home. I had fun just hanging out with them. Before I left, Grace wanted to do my make-up....you can just imagine what that looked like (!!!), so I let her. It was fun and I meant to get my sister to take a picture and e-mail it to me so I could post it here, but they have a new vehicle and we were all outside looking at it before I left and it was getting late. I'll get Grace to do it again sometime soon and hopefully get a picture then. My sister did look up at me while we were outside though and say, "Nice blue eye shadow..." Grace was sitting there just a-smilin' so I said, "Yeah, I thought so too....thanks!", and winked at Grace. Kate was busy stretching out showing us how the back of one seat folded down could be her footrest, but I'd had to remind her earlier when she was giggling that there was a day she used to always try to make me up like 'Sporty Spice.' (Remember the Spice Girls??) Those days are precious and gone all too quickly....I've made it my mission to savor them all!

Anyway, this has been the week in a nutshell, emotions and all. Sometimes I hate that my heart gets touched so easily, but in all honesty, I know I would want it no other way.