Thank God for Summer Break!

June 26, 2018.  It has been three months since Adam was in the fire.  Sometimes it seems longer than that; sometimes it seems less than that.  There are still days when I find myself in disbelief that he is gone.  

Since I last wrote, I have been living it up!  I am super thankful that I am on Summer Break.  It is MUCH needed – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.  I have often thought that if it were not for Summer Break, I don’t think I could handle being a teacher!  

Last Friday evening (June 22), I ended up hanging out with some new friends and had a blast.  My first new friend is Amber.  Lori and I met her the previous Saturday when we went dancing at Bo’s.  She found me on Facebook afterwards, and messaged me to let me know how much fun she had with us.  I messaged her on Friday to see if she had plans for the evening.  She has three children, two who live with her, but they are currently with their dad.  She wasn’t sure about doing anything that night because she was trying to get some things finished at work.  Mid-afternoon she gave me her phone number and told me to call her.  She was excited because she got all of her work done, and said she could go out for the evening!  We went back and forth with ideas, and finally decided to go to Coupland Inn / Dancehall (a little under an hour from Liberty Hill).  A guy named Randall King was playing and I had never seen him before.  Amber came to Liberty Hill around 6:30.  We went to eat at Dahlia Cafe; in addition to supper we got to enjoy listening to live music from “Asleep At The Wheel.”  All older country and all awesome!  After that we killed some time by stopping at the local Beer Market, then we headed out to Coupland.  We got about 20 minutes down the road and I ended up texting with another new friend, Larry.  I met him the same night I met Amber.  He mentioned that he was thinking about going to Bo’s (where we went the previous weekend), so we decided to turn around and go there instead of Coupland.  Weldon Henson (a country musician from Texas) was playing; I had never seen him before.  I told Amber that we could go back to Liberty Hill so I could get my own vehicle, but she insisted on driving so I let her!  We arrived shortly after 10:00 and stayed until closing (2:00), then went to Whataburger.  Had a blast again.  After Whataburger Amber drove me home.  She was wide awake and said she probably wouldn’t sleep (I had offered her my couch), so she went ahead and drove back to her home in Copperas Cove (about 37 miles from Liberty Hill).  Lots of driving, but she said she enjoys driving.  I went straight to bed.  It was a great night.  

June 23…..after waking up, I spoke with Larry on the phone for a little over an hour.  When we met the previous weekend, he informed me that he was going through a divorce after 25 years of marriage.  About three months ago he came home one day and found his (ex) wife gone and a note on the table.  I immediately shared with him that I have been divorced twice and lost my boyfriend recently.  When we spoke on the phone I mentioned Adam; I told him that if I ever refer to Adam, that was my boyfriend’s name.  He asked me how long it had been since he died and I told him.  Then, he asked what happened and I told him.  He listened to the entire story and seemed very sympathetic.  Even though it can be tough (and sometimes are tougher than others), I think it is good to talk about what happened, especially when the person I’m talking to seems genuinely interested in listening.  We texted back and forth a few times last week; I was actually texting him while I was playing 42 last Tuesday.  I told him that it was my first time to go and play; that I don’t typically enjoy going places alone so I debated on whether to go or not.  He said that he cannot make himself go anywhere alone.  I told him that it is totally new for me, and that I have only gone a few places alone so far.  

During our phone conversation we decided to be friends, and to go do things together.  Get out and live life.  He said he doesn’t really have a life; he goes to work, comes home, does the same thing every weekend (golf)…..until last weekend!  He WANTS to get out and do different things, but just hasn’t.  I told him that he needs to make a list of the things he wants to do / places he wants to go, and start doing them!  Apparently just getting out on the dance floor last weekend was a huge thing for him.  When I initially asked him to dance, he said no.  Later on, I struck up a conversation and a few minutes in, he all of a sudden decided to go dance!  He SAID he couldn’t dance, but he can!  Several of his friends stood at the corner of the dance floor and they were his cheer squad!  Ha ha ha.  He told me that no one else had ever been able to get him to dance.  🙂 

We had a very nice phone conversation.  I told him that my friend Dusty and I had plans to go to Bo’s that night, and he said he would be there as well.  

About 4:00 that afternoon, I left and headed to Dusty’s house in Temple.  Dusty and I grew up together and graduated high school together.  She’s actually the first person that I started going dancing with, once we turned 18.  We used to go to a place in Temple called Cactus Canyon.  We had many fun nights there!  Anyways…..I got to her house, we chatted for awhile, she straightened my hair, got ready herself, and we headed out.  We ate at the Olive Garden, then we went to Bo’s.  Unfortunately Dusty ended up getting sick (Diabetes issue) and her son came to pick her up.  I stayed and hung out with Larry, and Amber was there as well.  Fast Moving Train, a country group from New Braunfels, Texas, was playing and they were awesome.  I once again had a blast.  Same routine, ha ha.  Stay until closing time, then head to Whataburger.  After that I drove home and hit the sack!  

June 24…..I was thinking about visiting a new church, but I did not wake up early enough.  Maybe this coming weekend…..

On Saturday night Larry and I discussed possibly doing something on Sunday, and we followed through on that.  He came to Liberty Hill early afternoon.  First, we went to Garey Park in Georgetown (where I went last Monday evening).  We walked out on the pier, enjoyed the beauty of the pond for a few minutes, then walked on one of the hiking trails and enjoyed talking to each other.  After that he said he wanted to go eat.  He is a truck driver, and mostly eats fast food.  I drove down one of the main roads in Cedar Park, and told him to point out a place if he saw one he wanted, ha ha.  He didn’t seem too picky.  I told him I am a Mexican food junkie, and he said that was fine with him.  I decided to take him to Blue Corn, one of my favorite places.  We had a very nice meal together, then spent a few minutes trying to decide what to do next.  He loves golf, and was telling me a golf story.  It made me think of the movie “Just Getting Started.”  I asked him if he had seen it; he said no.  I made an executive decision, ha ha.  I reserved the movie at the closest Redbox, we went and picked it up, then came back to Liberty Hill and went to the Beer Market.  We played three games of pool; we were both pretty pathetic but we had fun!  After that we returned to my place and watched the movie; he enjoyed it!  After it was over he headed back home and I called it a night.  What an eventful, great weekend!  I was especially thankful for Sunday, because the last two Sundays I was really down.  Not this Sunday!  Thank you, Lord!!!!!

June 25…..a LAZY Monday!  Other than going and getting food from Major’s, a local eatery, I stayed at home all day and was super lazy.  Not much to write about!  I did get more Bible reading done last night; I am continuing in the Book of Exodus.  

Today….June 26…..my roommate, Helen, was moved to a Recovery Center and she needed me to bring her some things from home.  The center seems great; everyone was super friendly and it just had a positive vibe overall.  I arrived shortly before 2:00 and stayed until about 2:40, when Helen had a hair appointment, which she was very excited about!  After that I went to her vet to pick up some medicine for her dog, then I came back home.  I did some cleaning in our back bedroom / “office” and that felt really good!  I still have more to do but I am making progress.  My mom called; we had a great conversation and got caught up on things.  I thought about going to play 42 tonight, but I did not.  I got a salad from Major’s for supper, and have just been relaxing at home.  

I believe I am caught up now, but there’s a few things I want to share before closing.  First is a post from a lady in the Grief Support Group on Facebook.  I do not know her personally; however, I am leaving her name on this in order to give her the credit, because she is the one who wrote it.  I think it is very powerful.  

I, Monica, am still standing!!!!!  In spite of everything I have been through, PRAISE GOD, I am still standing!!!!!

Next, another post about grief.  I imagine I have shared something along these lines before, but I don’t believe I have shared this specifically.  I love this!

Last is a post about letting go.  Oh, how true this is…..

Well, I believe I am at a stopping point.  I hope you have enjoyed reading about my recent adventures, and if you are going through any sort of trial, I hope that these last few items are helpful is some way.  Much love to each of you!!!!!