I was feeling a bit verklempt yesterday.  I love that word.  My boss, Mark, wrote me a note the day after I told him that I was leaving because the hubby got a different job.  The note said that he would always feel a little verklempt when he saw a Starbucks because that is where I broke up with him.   Well, I know what that feeling is.

We took Chris’s brother, Carlton, to live with his sister yesterday.  It is all part of the plan and all of you have helped me along the way with dealing with all that has happened this year as a result of Chris’s dad’s illness and death.  I got kind of choked up on the drive just because there is some finality to all of this.  I know he is going to be fine.  I know he is still a part of our lives and will always be but the responsibility has shifted and quite frankly my emotions surprised me. As Chris said, I am a mom.  My best role in life ever.  And I was a mom to him for awhile. So the feelings were flooding in.

And then it was on to celebrate Christmas with my family at my sister’s house and it was wonderful.  It is harder to get everyone here at one time with jobs and folks living in about 8 different states.  So we did what we could with who we could. We Skyped with some that could not be with us.  And we enjoyed being together.  And we ate.  And ate.  Yum.

My husband was so happy to find the perfect gift for our new baby great niece.

Chris and Hopper

And it was wonderful to see the 4 generations of women in our family!

Paula, Mother, Carla and Harper Adelle

Aunt Beth Ann and Harper

Somehow being around my family helped me a bit with the sadness of letting go of Carlton.  Life is good!!!