A Long Time Coming

Yesterday was the first day that I felt fall in the air. It totally freaked me out but also totally got me excited about the things I love about fall.  Us Polen's sure have been through a lot this summer and the fall is sure to bring its own trials, but there is something about the changing of seasons that brings triumph, hope, but also a bit of sadness. I live for summer; time on the lake, time in the sun, and lots of time with people that I love.  Fall has become a favorite time for me though in recent  years; the leaves, the cider, the doughnuts (cheat worthy), the orchard, the football, and the beginning of a new school year.  Fall has been associated with newness for so long in my life now that it is also accompanied with excitement and a bit of nervousness.  This year it is my last year of school, at least for a good while, the beginning of my medical social work experience, a new internship, a new and longer distance in my relationship and it is also the biggest fight my mom has had to face in her life.  It is sure to be a season of trial, but I am hopeful that it goes by quick and we can all look back one day proud that we got through this season of life.

Though fall is in the air for sure, I am most certainly hoping for a few more heat waves before the frigid cold hits Michigan as it always does.  In the mean time, I'll try to capture some of this warmth when it becomes impossible to think of weather above 30 in a mere few months.

Madre is enjoying her last few weeks of summer, too.  She has an insane amount of appointments in the upcoming week/s that are keeping us all busy.  She is doing s great job of staying active when she can and resting when she needs to.  She is also trying to be very patient with us all as we try to become caretakers and help out with the house, Zach, and managing the logistics of the next months.

Hope you are all enjoying summer!

Home Again Home Again..

Well after very few days home in over a month (5 days out of 6 weeks to be exact), I am home "for good" for at least awhile.  I went on vacation in Seabrook with the Groh's, vacation with my family on the boat, I was in Ohio mourning the loss of my papaw, I was spending time with Christopher in Columbus, and most recently I helped move Christopher to Charleston.  It has been a whirlwind of six weeks and so much has happened.  I am exhausted, drained, and burned out emotionally.  It's hard to believe that I need to be gearing up for another school year and teaching year. 

Leaving Charleston was difficult for lots of reasons.  Not only was I leaving this incredible man, but I was also coming home to reality.  Whereas the traveling life lends itself to postponing reality, being home does not.  August will be a month of getting our house, my family, and my momma ready for the battle (of which she has very much started) of her life, literally.  All of our focus is on getting her healthy, and the month of August will be put to good use in getting us all ready.  It was hard coming home, but I am so ready to get my mom feeling better and to see her healthy and back up to her maximum feisty levels, though don't get me wrong, she most certainly hasn't lost her feisty spark.  Tonight she was teaching us the proper hours of phone calls.  Only between 9 and 9, and make the phone call yourself if you want it outside those hours, dammit.    

Thanks for being a part of this journey with me.  This year is bound to be full of more ups and downs, but I am still holding out for the positive and good news of 2012, and trying to find it in every day.

#272:  Remembering to be grateful!
#273: 11:11.  I absolutely love making wishes and being able to wish for positivity!
#274: Safe travels on such a CRAZY day in the airports today.  It was beyond busy!
#275: I love my family so so much and am so proud of their incredible strength.