I'm back

The last time I posted was in May 2011.....almost two years ago. The road I traveled since that time has been pretty dark. I stopped blogging, reading blogs, and pretty much sewing too. In June 2011, conventional treatments had failed to put my dad's cancer into remission and it was necessary to take a much more radical approach. Much of my free time over the next year and half was spend visiting and providing emotional support. Along the way, death knocked on my family's door again and again......Quint the cat, Brad's 10 year old classmate, Pepper the dog, my co-worker...  On the first day of school in August 2012, my son's high school had an active shooter in the cafeteria. He was in locked down mode for three hours before his class was escorted by the SWAT from the building. That day, an angel was watching over the kids in that school. Only one student was shot and he recovered. Teachers were able to overpower the shooter before he got off more than one round. It was a miracle no one else was hurt.....

By October 2012, my father was rapidly failing from the cancer. He and my mom took a short trip to Florida   for a respite from the hospitals, the treatments, the endless tests. On the third day of their trip, I got a phone call....my dad had taken a very bad turn for the worst. I was on a plane within hours. He died two days later. By then Hurricane Sandy was off the coast of Florida and was beginning its northwards trek. Words can not explain the next two weeks....racing home ahead of Sandy to prepare my home then heading northwards to New Jersey to prepare my parent's home. Sitting through the storm, no power, cell lines all jammed up, bailing water, no gas, the amount of damage......and in the amid all this, trying to bury my dad. 

We ended up just burying him......me, my oldest son, my mom, brother and sister in law. There was no power, no gas......and was too unsafe for people to attempt to come for a funeral. My husband and two younger children had remained behind in Maryland to ride out Sandy there and take care of our home. They wanted so much to come for the burial, but it was so unsafe to travel.....

Six weeks later, we held a memorial service for my dad. 

This past weekend I was up in New Jersey, helping my mom with going through my dad's things. 

On October 29, 2012, I took this flag down before Sandy struck.......on March 29th, five months later, I hung the flag again. It has been a very long road traveled. Spring is coming to this part of the country, a time for rebirth, regrowth, and longer days. Things are finally taking a turn for the better......and I am slowly coming back.