The Whirlwind

It’s been a little over 4 months since my last post, and with reason. The last 4 months have been a whirlwind – more so than usual.

In early June, we lost my mom’s fiancé (Keira’s Paw-Paw Ed) to a tragic motorcycle accident. The shock of losing him so suddenly threw us to the point where I hesitated to post anything. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk about such a painful event, but it was the thing at the forefront of my mind – so I took a break from posting.

Shortly afterwards, I began classes to complete my degree. School has been keeping me busy – to say the very least – but has been so fun and rewarding. Yes, school has been fun. It’s the challenge of it that I enjoy. Having to write papers, research, and expand a brain that has been occupied with the daily dealings of adult life for too long.

Then, in late August, we were hit with another tragedy. My husband’s parents were both diagnosed with COVID, and both ended up in the hospital with COVID-induced pneumonia. My father-in-law, thankfully, made it out of the hospital. My mother-in-law was not so lucky and suffered a massive stroke due to complications with her illness. We lost her in early September.

My husband’s birthday in early October was marked by grief, as was my daughter’s first birthday a week ago. Since her conception, she has lost three grandparents: my father the month before she was born, her Paw-Paw Ed, and her Nana. It is hard to watch how brilliant and beautiful she is and know that people we love dearly will not get to see her grow.

Sadness aside, these last few months have also been filled with excitement. Keira is growing beautifully! She has six teeth and is now walking, running, and getting into EVERYTHING!! She is striving to expand her vocabulary past just a few words and loves to eat solid food, especially pineapple. And did I mention she is 1 now??!! How… When… did THAT happen?

The joy and love she brings to our lives gives us the strength and determination to get through anything.

So, as I said, these last few months have been a whirlwind of both good, bad, and tragic. But as Fall blooms, we are getting ready for the festivities of the end of the year. I am especially looking forward to watching Keira enjoy Christmas. We are also prepping for a new – HUGE – exciting adventure. More on that to come.

Thank you for bearing with me through the whirlwind.