First let me start off by saying long time no talk. I am sorry I have been gone for a while. A lot has happened in my life since the last time I posted anything on Mari’s website. I look back at the date of June 23 and it seems like a lifetime ago. On July 15 Keith and I headed to Chicago to be with Mari (so to speak) on her 3 year mark of being gone. July 16 was officially 3 years and we spent some time at her grave. It is hard to believe that 3 years have already come and gone but they … [Read more...]
Moving forward with the book
Hello everyone. I want to keep everyone up to date with the book progress. I have joined a few writing forum's to help me become a better writer. In the process I have been able to post some of my writing in order to get feedback from strangers as to what they think of the book so far. What I have come to realize is that I need to rewrite much of the book so that I can get Mari's story across the way it needs to. I want others, those who never have had a chance to meet and get to know our … [Read more...]
Women’s Retreat first entry
Keith and I have been attending our new church. We have really been enjoying it. The church has a women’s retreat that happens to be this very weekend. We left this morning around 9:30am and finally arrived in Tennessee around 5:45pm. I drove one of the other women’s Suburban. Man, that was truly a long drive and my derrière was so incredibly happy once we finally got here (I think it may have even been secretly dancing). I went upstairs and found my room. This cabin is really nice … [Read more...]
Going on Business
Keith leaves on another business trip tomorrow. He will be back on Friday. It’s not too bad. He will leave again a week after he gets back on another one for another week. He seems to usually go for about 2 weeks every month to different places all over the country. I think he likes the scenery but is getting tired of the traveling. It’s hard to believe he turned 40 today. For almost half of our lives we have been together. When you really start to think about it that is a very long … [Read more...]
Grateful for the little things in life
It seems that sitting in church, like I am now, seems to be a place where I feel I can open up so freely and easily. I am so grateful and excited to be going back to church and finding one that Keith and I feel at home with. I know that it is God who has been nudging our hearts to find a new church home. It just has been hard grieving as much as we have and having anger issues. But it feels good to be around fellow believers as we are now. I think now I am going to seek out another woman … [Read more...]
Work at Walmart
(It looks like this was written around end of October) I have been working at Walmart now for the past 2 months. When asked, “Is it what you expected?” I’m not sure if I know what to expect exactly. I mean, I know I would be on my feet the majority of the time (I mean it is Walmart after all). But as for what I expected, I really did not have a lot of expectations. I know that starting off on the graveyard shift would be a drastic change since I have never worked that shift before. Not … [Read more...]
Paperwork Junkies
What, you might ask, is a “Paperwork Junky?” Well, you might relate. It's those individuals who go out to check their mail, come back in the house and place it on the table (or where ever one might put their mail). It might get gone through right away or it might sit there and have other mail accumulate with it. If it gets gone through, the stuff that's obvious junk mail almost always gets thrown away. The other stuff more times than not will get put into a nice neat pile to get filed away for … [Read more...]
To Feel Lucky…
What happens after sixteen years of marriage? Is it still wedded bliss or is it a nightmare you can't wait to get out of? Well if you're lucky, it'll be as close to wedded bliss as the two of you can be. What I mean by wedded bliss is not that when you first start going out and everything feels so fresh and new and you just feel so owey goowey with each other or even that first year of marriage where you can tell the couple is newlyweds. I'm talking about how after sixteen years of marriage … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a day where families and loved ones come together to spend time with one another. It’s a day I don't look forward to. I used to love this time of year. When anyone first arrives, everyone wishes them a Happy Thanksgiving. Most are genuine while some it’s just what you are supposed to say this day. Like last year, I will nod my head in acknowledgement but I won’t say it back. I feel that saying “it” would be ingenue on my part and why say something you really don’t mean. Please … [Read more...]
The Unexpected Journey
The sudden darkness that hit her was like an overwhelming force of nature and seemed to envelope her all at once. Suddenly off in the distance there appeared what looked like a speck of light. It drew her in as if calling her by name saying, “Ariella, follow the light. It will guide you on your new path.” So she did. As she went, she soared through the air like a majestic eagle. The light grew bright and more vivid as she drew near. It started to reveal what looked like a giant white door … [Read more...]
