A New Day

    And so begins the second year of my life without the man who helped make me who I am.  It wasn't too bad of a day yesterday actually.  Thank you to all of you for working through it with me just by reading my entries.  Thank you also to those of you who had so many kind things to post on my FB "Wall".  It made me realize even more fully just how wonderful my "village" of friends and family is.
   The weather forecast today calls for hot, humid, disgusting and tinted with a hint of smoke from the Dare County wildfires.  Rain showers and severe storms will be popping up at will and I get to cross my fingers each time that either the roof survives another storm or some strong winds just come along and tear the damned thing off so we can get a new one.  It usually depends on the mood I am in which way the finger crossing will go. 
    I went out early this morning to clean out and refill the temporary pool we purchased for the kids for the summer.  I say temporary because our real pool sits as noting more than a rotting hole in the ground where one of the sides collapsed.  Until we manage to save up $2500 dollars to replace it the beach and the temporary pool are our summer solace.  Unless like today the beach isn't possible- pop up storms make for pop up rip currents and short bursts of sandy enjoyment.  So today we stay close to home. As long as they can get wet, the kids don't really care about the size of the water source anyway.
    Personally, I enjoy the close to home days.  I have some writing to get done both on my book and my freelance work.  The curriculum of Forensic Science I am writing this summer as my summer work needs some attention and a huge pile of stuff in the office is absolutely demanding my attention.  Enough to keep me busy today for sure.  The boys are busy watching Sponge Bob and playing DS.  The husband is asleep after a very long night at work and the air conditioning is begging me for a day off.
   Several years ago I would have paced around the house on a day like today bored to tears with "nothing to do" now though I am grateful for a "nothing to do" day.
   Last night before bed I was "chatting" via text with my best friend.  Although we live only a few miles apart in neighboring cities, busy lives and constantly changing schedules sometimes prevent us from seeing each other for weeks.  We steal phone conversations in the early morning on the way to work and pass text messages late at night.  Still, I know I can always count on her when I need her.  Anyway, she was telling me about the busy weekend she had coming up with a visit from her little sister and neice and nephew.  As she outlined the plans she then extended the invitation for us to join them for all or part of the weekend as we wanted.
    I told her I didn't want to infringe on her family time with her sister.
    Her response?
   You are family.
   That, of course, got me thinking about Dad and my own family and how lucky I am to have so many people that are so important to me. 
    We have been friends for nearly 20 years, have lived together, are raising our children together.  We may as well be sisters.
    There is a quote I have seen in many places- Friends are the family you choose.  Those few simple words say so much, don't you think?
     Without the support of friends, this last year would have been so much harder than it was.  Each of my siblings and my mother were greiving as I was only we have all done it in our own way- half of us in Virginia and half in New York.  If not for those around me that were there ready with a hug or a kind word at a moment's notice, I doubt I would be at the emotional place I am right now. 
   I feel like I have come a long way in finding out who I am and what is really important to me.  I no longer focus on how others see me but on how I see myself.  I have even found a few things to really like about myself- I love my hair and eyes and don't worry quite so much any more about not looking the way I did as a teenager.  I think I am a pretty decent writer and will one day publish something the world will love.  I struggle sometimes as a mother with short patience but I do OK.  Teacing is something I enjoy and I gain great satisfaction out of my students' successes (although I struggle there with short patience on occasion as well!).  I have managed to keep all of my plants alive this year- something Guiness Book might be interested in and most importantly, I have the greatest village of friends and family any woman could ever desire.