11 years later - an update

I had to work for a few minutes to get to this page where I could write a new post on this blog.  I used a different email address to set up this blog, and so it doesn't show up with my others.

The Median Sib was my first blog.  I eventually bought the domain but it became a hassle and I finally migrated all the posts to this free site and then I let the other domain go.  My thinking is that I may start blogging here again - after eleven years of silence.  I've blogged a good bit in the past eleven years - just not here.  Several years ago I started painting, and so I set up a painting blog.  I have a cooking blog, and a blog for our farm, and a blog for spiritual growth.  The art blog is the only one I post in regularly, though.

So let's see if I follow through and start posting here again.

Eleven years!  So much has happened.  First, Lily was diagnosed with leukemia on December 1, 2008 - went through 2+ years of awful treatment - then had over 5 years of gaining strength and getting back into school and being a regular kid again - and then she relapsed (September 23, 2016) and went through two additional years of relapse treatment - which was especially brutal since her body was already weak from the first treatment regimen.  But she made it through - finished treatment just a few months ago and is slowly building up strength and health again.  She will go off to college in August.  She applied to six colleges and got six acceptances. She has chosen to go to the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC.  She loves their nursing program - she plans on being a pediatric oncology nurse - and she loves the campus.

I have three granddaughters I didn't have eleven years ago.  Evey (Evelyn Ann) was born to Joey and Meleah in 2010, and Bradley (Mary Bradley) was born to Joey and Meleah in 2013. The "Mary" part of her name is after me - which makes me very happy! Larisa remarried in 2014, and with Phillip came our second Sophie - Sophie Grace - who was born in 1999. So we have five granddaughters now.  And I think that's the end of getting new grandchildren.  However with Sophie Grace being 19 now - and Lily will be 18 in just a few weeks - it won't be too many years before we start on great grandchildren.  Amazing to think of that.  Even more amazing to know that in just 6 months I will turn 70 years old.  OMG!!!!!

Little Sophie will be 16 a month from today - and she's a sophomore in high school.  Just unbelievable how fast these children are growing up.  I could write pages about each of my children and grandchildren.  They each have such a special place in my heart.

My mother turned 96 this week.  She's had some difficulties the past few years - but still is mostly clear-minded and relatively healthy.  She still lives by herself.  I drive down to visit her for a few days as often as I possibly can.

Ron and I will FINALLY go on a trip to Italy next month.  We've rented a villa for 9 nights and will make day trips from that home base.  I'm looking forward to a very low-key first trip abroad.  I've never even used my passport before.  So this will be a major first for me.