I originally started this blog in 2009: a newlywed with lots of ideas on things to blog about as I started my new life as Mrs. Branham. For a while, it was going well. I was blogging about vacations, the dogs, getting settled in to married life. But then things got a little crazy (and like many projects I start) I didn't have the time to devote to writing on a regular basis. A part of me also though blogging had to look or be a certain way and I didn't know if I had "it" (whatever "it" was). I've come to realize that there is no particular method to the madness. So what if your grammar is all out of whack (and I promise you, mine will be)? So what if your punctuation isn't correct (this isn't an English assignment!)? This is PERSONAL. Blogging is about YOU. It's about the way you think, feel, react, observe and share. No one is going to judge you (or at least they shouldn't). If you want to judge or critique, this is not the place for you. This is about me and my life, plain and simple, for better or for worse.
I really should fill you in on what's happen in the last (almost) 3 years. There was a lot of sad: We lost our 10 year old niece Lauren after a tough and horrible 9 month battle with leukemia. To this day, I tear up every time I think about her or say her name. It's impossible to describe the hurt, the sadness, the confusion. Despite those feelings, my faith has grown in leaps and bounds because of Lauren's life. She brought me closer to God and to our family, and for that I'm forever grateful. But it will always just be incredibly unfair.
I lost my sweet fur baby Chloe after 11 years together. She was very sick in the last few months and I did everything in my power to be the best mommy I could to her-weekly vet visits and countless meds every day. The day after I made the toughest decision of my life (so far) to put her to sleep, she died at home with me by her side. We had an amazing decade together with lots of adventures and she will forever live in my heart.
Ok-tissue break!
There was also a lot of happy! Randy and I will celebrate 3 years together in October. I say every day just how lucky I am to have such a wonderful man to call my husband. We started the adoption process and are getting closer every day to growing our family. We sold my house (thank you for rebounding a bit, housing market!) and were even able to buy new cars for the first time in 10 years. We've taken great vacations, spent lots of time with friends and family (got to see oldest stepson graduate from college and my baby sister graduate with her MBA this spring), and we starting running half marathons! We have been beyond blessed with a wonderful church family and feel so lucky to be where we are in our lives right now.
There is a lot going on now -as you can tell-so it felt like a good time to revive the ‘ol blog. I'm looking forward to sharing our lives- all the good, bad, happy and sad-with you. My hope is that you will enjoy. But more than that I hope it will inspire you, encourage you, maybe make you stop and think, or at least make you laugh as we all continue on the rollercoaster that is this life.
*M