Thankful Saturday, 3 weeks edition!

 My summer had kind of a crazy end to it, and so I haven't posted regularly. I hope I can get back in the habit next week with less travel and more weekly activity stuff. So much to be thankful for!

1. I ninjaed down to Edisto on August 27th for an extended family member's funeral. It was wonderful to see so much extended family that I haven't seen in probably 10 years. 

2. I'm thankful for Okie, my dad's cousin's wife who passed away. She was 89, kind of like an aunt to me, and a very sweet lady. She had an amazingly full life and she would have loved all of her family getting together to celebrate her life like we did.

3. Family laughter. There were 7 of us staying at Betty's and even though the occasion was sad, we still had a lot of time to hang out and get to know each other better and laugh.

4. A dog fix. There were 4 dogs at Betty's including the 1 year old lab puppy Indigo. He is hilariously excited, clumsy, still in shark phase, and the best dog ever. At one point 10-year old Maddy tried to hold him when we opened the front door and he half dragged her outside. I had to physically pick up his rear end and pull him back inside. We were both laughing so hard and I really wish someone had that on video.

5. A quick visit to see Meghan in Charleston

6. Friends and coworkers willing to step in and take over some things so I could go to SC. Babs came over and coordinated a furniture pickup, my girl scout co-leader started the year without me, and coworkers worked around my travel schedule to get some things done.

7. I went to Minneapolis for a week! My friends Sandy and Stephen have been inviting me to come visit so I finally did. We went to the Minnesota State Fair, hiked around a lake near their house, went to the Minnesota Renaissance Faire, and visited some local parks. We also caught up on life and played some board games.

8. I got to hang out with my friend Deb that just moved to Minneapolis. She's now my MN mom, and it was wonderful catching up with her. We went to the arboretum, 2 indie bookstores, and a near cupcake place.

9. A new phone... So I lost my phone, got a new one, and then someone turned in my old one at the arb where I dropped it. I desperately needed a new phone and I'm very happy I have a new one, and I'm also very glad someone turned my old one in (which I picked up a few days later) so I can transfer things and not worry about identity theft.

10. Minnesota State Fair!

11. Minnesota Ren Faire! This is the 4th Ren Faire I've been to, at least of the big ones.

12. I got to see the Mississippi river!

13. I got to have dinner with my cousins who were in town yesterday.

14. I went to a cool local festival with Babs today, Boonsboro historical days. Lots of food trucks, tons of handmade crafts, and we toured a local museum. We picked up a bunch of info on Boonsboro historical sites and now have lots of things to explore in the future. We also stopped by another indie bookstore that I've been wanting to check out in the downtown area.

15. Life gets back to normal a little next week. I have loved gallivanting the second half of my summer, even though I'm still so sad that the reason I can travel is because I no longer have Luna.  That said, I've had lots of adventures the last 6 weeks and am looking forward to a little more routine for a bit. Girl Scouts, bells, church, maybe some regular board game nights. 

16. It's almost fall! Fall is one of my favorite seasons- it's crisp, its cooler, its festival season, and its great for being outside. 

Thankful Saturday, Half of August Edition

 Whoops! I guess it's a good summer when I forget to post 2 weeks in a row? I'll try to cover the last 3 weeks, because there's a lot to be thankful for.

1. Downtime. From a combination of things, not all of them good (job is part time, no Luna), I have found myself with a lot more free time that I have had in a while this summer. And that time to just think my thoughts, do some hobbies, spend time with friends, has been wonderful and needed.

2. On the other hand, I've enjoyed planning for the fall as well. I had a meeting with Barb to plan scouts, and a potluck with my church's racial justice ministry to plan our fall priorities and activities. 

3. My local library system. Between my brick and mortar library and Hoopla, I've been reading a lot this month for free.

4. A new (to me) Ren Faire. Ella, Charles, Jacob and I went to Oakenmist Ren Faire in Westminster and it was a lot of fun! It was great that the whole thing was indoors (except the food trucks) since it was hot outside. 

5. I'm still walking in my neighborhood. It was hard right after I lost Luna, but I enjoy walking in the evening, and I've met so many people walking Luna that I want to continue to say hi to them.

6. Watching the US gymnastics championships on TV.

7. Our local country fair. I entered some photos in the MoCo fair, and then went with Alexandra this week to look at crafts, animals, and eat fair food. 

8. Mom had a good day last week. We got ice cream and hung out at my house, and we both enjoyed it and she wasn't very confused. All the wins!

9. The ability to keep up with long distance family and friends via text and the occasional phonecall.

10. Online games with friends.

11. Great neighbors on my street.

12. Thunderstorms.

Thankful Saturday, Lake Edition

 I spent a wonderful week at Lake Mokoma in LaPorte, PA with friends this past week. I'm thankful for:

1. This week being exactly what I needed. I needed friends, nature, and to get out of my too quiet house for a few days. 

2. The temperature was PERFECT. It was 60s at night and 70s in the daytime, perfect for lots of walks around the lake and hiking. One of the hikes felt like we were in Lord of the Rings- everything was green and moss covered like the Shire.

3. Kayaking on the lake twice. Easy launch area and beautiful paddles.

4. I got to swim in the lake too! We had a rainy week, so we were fitting our hikes and paddles in between showers and storms, but I was able to swim a little bit the last day when it was warm enough.

5. Fun friends. We laughed all week at the refrigerator in the cabin that made a soft 'whoop' noise every time you opened it. We had good conversations, we watched corny movies, and just had a good time.

6. I got to hear Mary Beth preach at the local Presbyterian church.

Thankful Saturday, Quiet Week Edition

 My house has been too quiet this week. I miss the click clack of paws and nails on the floor, of a tail thumping, splashes from the water dish, of soft breathing from the corner of my room. I miss Luna so much.

I'm grateful for:

1. A quiet week to grieve and just be. It was wonderful to have so many people stop by to see Luna her last week, and it was also good to just have some time to myself this week.

2. My friends the Morris's took me and my cousins out for a birthday lunch on Sunday. 

3. We had some lovely cooler (80s) weather this week and I was able to take a few walks around the neighborhood.

4. Spur of the moment game night with friends Friday night at Aaron and Andreas.

5. I'm now at a lake with my friends in PA for the week!

6. Several friends got together and sent me a stuffed dog in honor of Luna. I now have a Luna-bean <3

Thankful Saturday, Grief Edition

 Yesterday I said goodbye to my beloved Luna. Despite being heartbroken, I'm still thankful for:

1. A wonderful vet that came to my house. Luna crossed the rainbow bridge by falling asleep in my arms. As sad as it was for me, it was untraumatic for both of us.

2. So many friends that stopped by this week to pet Luna and hang out with me, and have been texting me to check in on me.

3. I was able to take Luna to see my mom one more time.

4. An understanding boss that was fine with me taking yesterday off work.

5. Luna had a mostly good last week. We walked in the park one last time, had lots of snuggles, and she enjoyed people coming over. I was even able to give her a cheeseburger and fries for her last meal.

6. A weekend to just hang out in my pajamas and grieve. I'm glad I didn't need to be anywhere today. 

Thank Saturday, heartbreak edition

 This week I found out that Luna's cancer has spread enough that it's inoperable, and she's in too much pain for me to think radiation is a good idea. This sucks so bad. I've been snuggling and crying on her all week.

I'm still thankful for:

1. Some time to process and snuggle with her before I have to say goodbye

2. Wonderful caring vets that are providing lots of options

3. Working from home, so I can both be with Luna and step away for crying breaks when I need to

4. Some cooler weather so we can take neighborhood walks

5. Amazing friends that have brought me food, pie, walked with Luna, come to snuggle her themselves, given me hugs, texts, phone calls, washed my dishes, taken photos of me and Luna, and shown up in every way possible. I am so freaking lucky.

Thankful Saturday, Birthday Edition!

 This week was my birthday and it's been a great week :)

I'm thankful for:

1. Kayaking with Kate on my actual birthday

2. Dinner with Kate, Garth and Karen

3. Lunch with Babs

4. Lots of texts and messages from family and friends on my bday

5. Spending July 4th with mom

6. A three day weekend

7. Game night with friends last night

8. A thunderstorm to cool things off today because its been crazy hot

9. I snuck a hike in Tuesday night at Lake Needwood before the heat dome came

10. Watching world cup games online and in sports bars

11. Watching Kelsey set the world record rowing from California to Hawaii!