Elena 
I feel kind of silly still doing these since the Simple Woman site is shut down for the summer. I’m not sure why I continue to link to it except we were asked to. At this point I guess I am really keeping it up because I enjoy doing these, and it makes a nice snap shot of my life every week, and because I miss it when I don’t. Maybe my kids will enjoy reading these in the future.
Outside my window…
Beautiful skies. It actually looks nice outside – totally not fitting with my cloudy mood.
I am thinking…
about all the moments I wish I could have back to live with my mother again. And I’m thinking of all the wonderful times ahead that she will miss. She won’t be there when Rosie has her first dance recital, or for any more soccer games, or Sam’s graduation, or any of it. She is going to leave a hole in our family that is going to take a long time to close – and even then there will be a scar.
I am thankful for… Sam’s safe return home the Youth Conference at Franciscan University. I couldn’t tell if Father V. had a good time or not. He said he was sending his associate next year!! But the kids were definitely energized!
From the learning rooms…we continue to plug away at schooling. Sam has a final exam to take. He has a new math book to start. The kids and I have much more to do as well.
From the kitchen… I’ve got some pork steaks in the crock pot that cooked over night with tomato, pineapple and rice. I’m kind of inventing it as I go along. It needs a little something. I put in garlic powder – maybe a little salt?
I am wearing…light blue capris and a gray T-shirt I bought over the weekend.
I am creating… I dunno. I don’t think of creating much this week. I think I’m still on a death vigil.
I am going… to try to walk or exercise every day this week. I know, I said that last week and I did get two times in. I’ll try to at least up it to three times this week.
I am reading… Uncle Tom’s Cabin 
I am hoping… wow. I’m not sure what I’m hoping. Part of me hopes that Mom will defy all odds, get off hospice, get back to therapy, make an almost full recovery and get over to assisted living where she will thrive and live for five to ten more years. The other part of me, that realizes the chances of that are very slim is hoping that she is not in much pain. I hesitate to say I hope it is over soon because I do and I don’t. This is really a terrible “limbo” that my family and my sister’s family are in right now. But there is a grace in it as well.
I am hearing… The air conditioner which actually masks the usual buzzing in my ears.
Around the house…More spring cleaning and some eBay listings.
A few plans for the rest of the week: My sister and I decided that no matter what, we’d like to try for a Saturday funeral when the time comes. I think those are so much nicer and not as rushed. Mom has most of her funeral planned out but she wants the music we had for Raphael’s funeral so I’m going to have to listen to the tape again to refresh my memory.
A picture I am sharing:
My mom in her wedding dress. It really screams 1958 doesn’t it? She looks very pretty in it.
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