Three Steps Forward, One or Two Back

I went to see my in-laws last Friday afternoon. They are always so happy to see me, and thank me for coming...and then I cry all the way home. I cry because we all loved DH so much, and miss him with every breath. I cry because I'm happy that I was given such wonderful in-laws, and I wish they lived closer to me so that I could do more for them.

We had a big weekend at my sister's house. My niece and her husband (and that darling baby) came over on Saturday, and then my niece's in-laws came Sunday afternoon to swim, eat, and mostly visit with the baby. They live about 70 miles away, so it wasn't a bad drive, and we all had a nice time. The baby is getting quite comfortable in the pool (with someone holding onto her FIRMLY all the time), and after pool time, she got to draw on the concrete pool deck with her lovely new sidewalk chalk.

I made two cheeseballs, cucumber dip, an almond poundcake, and cinnamon mini-muffins (all from Tastefully Simple mixes...wonderful and easy). My BIL cooked wings and smoked sausages on the grill, and we had boiled corn and slaw. DH was usually the "wing man", so BIL was a little hesitant, but he pulled it off in fine style. I manage pretty well in a crowd, but it makes me lonesome for DH. He had a VERY outgoing personality, and loved to cook and watch people eat what he'd cooked. The house to which we'd just moved when he got sick is set up beautifully for entertaining, and if he'd still been with us, we probably would have had appetizers at my sister's, and moved around the corner to our house for the main course and dessert.

Life is still good, and I have a lot to enjoy and for which to be thankful. I was sick for about two weeks with a sinus infection and a nasty cough that I couldn't shake, and being sick always makes me a little morose...onward and upward.