Dining Room Table and Kitchen Table

It is very weird how simple things like the placement of chairs can make a huge difference in how you feel.

Sunday was Easter, and just like last year, I had to color the eggs by myself. Except, this year, I had a system and enjoyed coloring all 23 eggs (I  should have had 24 eggs, but I needed to taste one before I colored it).

Dad’s CD No. 1

Last week, my car was in and out of the shop because I needed new tires and brakes. My dad let me borrow his car so I could get to work, and I would occasionally listen to the CDs he had in the CD changer. One such CD was a gift from Jen, where she burned all of my Dad’s favorite songs, along with a few other eclectic choices. Whenever I listen to the CD, I get choked up on certain songs, just because they have so much meaning behind them.

May I present to you my Dad’s CD No. 1:

There’s an angel watching over you

There are some truly amazing people in the world.

Yesterday, one of our long time twirling friends asked me to stop by her job, because she had something for me. I got to her job later in the evening, and she handed me an envelope. Not having any idea what it could be, I opened it.

Shift in Family Dynamics

Today, I was stumped for a new blog topic, and took to Twitter for help.

I reached out and asked, “Help! Need some great ides for an upcoming blog post,” to which @TheGriefToolBox replied:

“A post from a berieved sibling on family dynamics following your sisters death, what worked and what did not would help others.”

So, I am taking their advice and sharing with you the shift in family dynamic after Jen’s passing.

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

No, this is not going to be a post about the world ending in 2012.

Rather, it is a reflection on the ending of the first year where my sister was not alive. I know I said something about this at the end of 2010, where a woman made a comment about the first New Years without her son, but now we are approaching the end of the first year with no Niff. As of right now, I am not as upset as I was last year, and I even have plans to go out this New Years Eve. It is just crazy to think how quickly 2011 passed, and that is has been just over 16 months since Jenn’s passing (hard to even comprehend).