Getting on with it.....

Yeah, I know. It's been almost a whole year since I last posted. Everything since last July has been a blur. Some good things, some sad things, some in between things. Some I don't care to talk about, others I would love to brag about, and more in between. So, I'll take a brief moment to recap the year and in conclusion begin anew.
After the twins' 1st birthday party, we took another trip to Gainesville to visit with Shannon as he was still recovering from sugery on his heart and subsequent injuries and complications. Kevin and I marked out 17th wedding anniversary and Shannon had his 34th birthday.
In July, we went to Panama City Beach with Bulls Baseball 12-year-olds for a week of fun in the sun.

Shannon came home from Gainesville, which was one step closer to home for him. There was relief yet I could still feel his restless desire to be AT HOME doing things the only way he's know it for such a long time...HIS WAY. But he had lots of visitors to keep him distracted, for the most part. Family surrounded him at all times.


Bo completed summer training for PHS Football and brought us closer to the beginning of his Freshmen year. Aaron started 8th grade as Big Man on Campus, and Ethan went into 4th grade. The only thing I remember besides the normal routine of school, practice, hospital, sleep, is the Thursday night football games. Bo was happy to be part of the team, although he was one of 13 wide receivers, and only got one chance to go into a game all season. And I was happy as long as he was happy.


Shannon got to go home in September, which lifted his spirits considerably. Kevin's sister, aunt and mom were the constant assistants by his side. I had peaceful visits with him and got to make him some banana bread and feed it to him. It was bittersweet moments like that I will keep in my heart.
In October, we lost our Shan-Man due to all the complications surrounding the recovery of the initial surgery.


One thing after another seemed to spiral downward: Kevin's health and work, Ethan's & Aaron's schoolwork, the economy, etc., etc. Thanksgiving was difficult. Christmas was almost impossible, as we also lost our chocolate lab, Oakley, reinforcing those deep seated feelings of sadness. Although it doesn't compare to losing a brother, the loss of our puppy (he had just turned 1) was like pushing salt into the wound. It was more on a level that the boys could relate to.

The new year came around and we dredged forward. Gradually, some things started getting better, but in some ways worse. We knew we were embarking on the beginning of a new baseball season, and we had twelve 13-year-olds and their parents looking for us to get things started. So, we tried. But after only a couple of weeks, the burden of balancing emotions, health, and work along with managing a baseball team, seemed unbearable. A huge decision was made: Kevin decided to resign as a coach of the team in order to allow things to be run in a more rewarding manner for the boys and their families. It seemed a good move at the time.

The day after Kevin resigned, Aaron sprained a growth plate in his foot, putting him off the field for six weeks. Of course, once the six weeks was up and he was released from the doctor, we were spoiled on the freedom from the practices and games that tied us to a certain schedule and normalcy. Or maybe it was just an excuse to keep ourselves out of the public realm where we would have to function socially.

Ethan began a round of golf clinic classes at Stonebrook. Bo got going on the track team. Aaron started on his trek toward modeling and acting. I submerged myself into the Twilight books. We all had some sort of escape......except Kevin. Time ticked along, not stopping to wait for any of us.
Aaron and partner, Eleana, had put together an awesome History Fair project on Osceola, taking it from the school level, placing first at County level and finishing 5th of 47 in Tallahassee at the state level. They won the Native American Heritage Award.


Bo developed a friendship with a sweet girl, they became "an item" and then he broke up with her a couple weeks later. Aaron still has an on-again/off-again relationship with the same girl since last May, although there have been some "in-betweens", he keeps holding her the highest. Ethan still says he doesn't like girls. I was told by a class mom that he must be one of the class hotties, because she's heard his name around her house quite a bit. Ethan denies this title, giving all the credit to his best friend, Scott.


Now we're winding down the school year, praying for good final grades of the year so that summer isn't miserable for any of us. Bo has a spring jamboree football game the Tuesday after Memorial Day and then he'll have a couple weeks off to prepare for summer training for football and basketball. Aaron will also be doing football, but we're undecided on the basketball or baseball thing. Ethan will be going on a summer golf tour with First Tee. I hope to play along with him a time or two and get his Pa-Paul and daddy to go a time or two as well. They should have fun with it.
Looking forward to a multi-class gathering at Pensacola Beach on July 26th and some relaxing time alone with Kevin to celebrate our 18th anniversary. Hoping to work in some traveling. Juggling all the boys' schedules and making plans for travel seems like a daunting task, but I'm sure we'll figure something out. Till next time, thanks for letting me use this space and your time for much needed therapy.