A year later and still Thankful

I kept telling myself, "If I can just make it through this year..." The first year of my mom being in a nursing home and of the disease taking more of her than we had anticipated would happen so quickly. Everytime things got harder to face, I became understandably weary. Weary emotionally, physically, relationally. At times nothing makes sense.

But then someone said it, so perfectly, in a note I received this week. She said, "I sense the deep loss you already feel and anticipate that physical absence will only deepen that hole." How true were her words. This entire year, for me and my family, has been about learning to process still seeing our Mom, but losing everything we know her to be. Weary, at times, but so Thankful for all we have learned - about our God and His Sovereign plan, about ourselves, about eachother. For that we are Thankful. And, we will wait and find Hope that someday we will know His plan in all of this.

A year ago yeasterday, as I mentioned last night, was when we had our family pictures made (they are scattered through many blog posts). Last night, after El's birthday dinner, we all went together to take Mom icecream and took some pictures together. It isn't often that we are ALL there together, so it was a special time for us - definitely reminding us we have much to be Thankful for!

I hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving from The Bain Gang (and two Grandles)! ;)

A year later and still Thankful

I kept telling myself, "If I can just make it through this year..." The first year of my mom being in a nursing home and of the disease taking more of her than we had anticipated would happen so quickly. Everytime things got harder to face, I became understandably weary. Weary emotionally, physically, relationally. At times nothing makes sense.

But then someone said it, so perfectly, in a note I received this week. She said, "I sense the deep loss you already feel and anticipate that physical absence will only deepen that hole." How true were her words. This entire year, for me and my family, has been about learning to process still seeing our Mom, but losing everything we know her to be. Weary, at times, but so Thankful for all we have learned - about our God and His Sovereign plan, about ourselves, about eachother. For that we are Thankful. And, we will wait and find Hope that someday we will know His plan in all of this.

A year ago yeasterday, as I mentioned last night, was when we had our family pictures made (they are scattered through many blog posts). Last night, after El's birthday dinner, we all went together to take Mom icecream and took some pictures together. It isn't often that we are ALL there together, so it was a special time for us - definitely reminding us we have much to be Thankful for!

I hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving from The Bain Gang (and two Grandles)! ;)

-- Post From My iPhone

We're all adults?

Happy 21st Birthday Ellie B! I am thankful for you today as we celebrate your birth. I really can't believe the day has come that we are all adults!

(It was a year ago today that we took these family pictures with Ashley Carson. Hard to believe how quickly time has gone by).

-- Post From My iPhone

Getting settled

We are getting settled into our home since our move on Saturday. Reid's parents came in town over the weekend to help which was much appreciated! All that is left is some basic closet organizing (since we shrunk from circa 2005-size closets to circa 1958-size closets), moving some of Reid's old college boxes to the attic (yes, he still has unpacked boxes from college), a couple more coats of paint on the study, and boxes of things that go in the study.

Today was the first day it really felt like home to me, though. It was the first time I didn't pass our house when I drove down the street. Those first few days it really felt weird driving home to this house instead of the apartment. And, of course, I cried when we picked up our last load from the apartment last night. Even though it was an apartment it felt like a house, and for three years it was our home. It was the first place we lived together. I'll remember it forever.

Tonight I made dinner for the first time in my new kitchen! It was so much easier with more counter space. See, I wasn't sad about our apartment for long!

Hopefully, I'll get to post some pictures tomorrow.

-- Post From My iPhone

The Story of the Silver Lab Puppy

Have I mentioned I hate packing? Well I hate packing. Reid lands tomorrow and we are going to the house as soon as he gets in. I can't wait, but seriously I'm so ready for this to be over. I keep telling Reid I'm never moving again - like, at least not for ten years. He says he'll be sure to remind me of that when we have three kids, two dogs, and tons of toys. Whatever.

Anyway, about my puppy story. I'm not a big animal person. Maybe because mom always was - there were rabbits, Guinea pigs, hamsters, dogs, fish, turtles, and cats. You name it, she raised it. By the time I was in college I swore I would never have pets of my own. Then there was Reid, and when we got to college and knew we were going to get married I realized getting a dog someday was going to be part of the package. I've gone back and forth for a while, but when we started looking at houses I became really excited.

We have known since college we would one day have a male and female Lab. We've even named them! We decided on both a male and female because they'll need to stay outside because of Reid's allergies and they will have a companion. I can't wait to one day share the names with you!

Anyway, back to the story. Now that we have a house I thought I would be fun to surprise Reid with one of the silver Lab puppies that we have been eyeing since moving to Texas. I have been in email contact with the breeder, finding out all the details about liters, wait lists, etc. Tonight, I couldn't keep it a secret any longer and told Reid I had been emailing with the silver Lab breeder. He said, "You've been emailing Kellyn, too?" HA! He's been emailing her this whole time, asking all the same questions, trying to make it a surprise for me. Can you imagine if we had each gotten each other a puppy!? Kinda scary how much we think alike.

You Hold Me Now - Memories from the past year

*Once again, you must scroll to the bottom of the page and pause my blog music before watching the video.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

"Oh, so you're Pregnant?"

Don't get your hopes up - we aren't expecting. I do, however, have another "Mare Moment" to share. So, if you don't mind, try to follow me.

I went to get a massage tonight. It was great. I'd been looking forward to it all day. My back was killing me from packing and Reid told me to take time to go. So, I'm sitting in the "Tranquility Room" filling out my forms when I came across the line where I would fill in my occupation - I wrote, "None." I continued on and thought nothing more about it.

Then my "Massage Consultant" (we'll call him MC) comes in to talk to me about customizing my masage. Wonderful, right? No. He starts to read my paperwork and gets stuck at "None" for occupation. Here's how the conversation played out:

MC: "'None?' Does that mean you're a student?"
Me: "No, I'm not in school and I don't work."
MC: "Oh, so you were laid off.
Me: "Nope. I stay home."
MC: "I see. How many kids do you have?"
Me: "No, I don't have any kids. I just don't work. Basically, a stay at home wife."
MC: "Oh, so you're pregnant."
Me: "NO!"


-- Post From My iPhone