Randomness

So there are a lot of random pictures on my phone, and they all were taken for a reason... 

so before I delete them, I want to share them here.

I took this one in August shortly after Josh had left.  The moon in the sunset made me so happy, and as much as I was missing Josh, I was so grateful to be here, still enjoying the beautiful warm weather.

And here, I'd been feeling so sad.  So so sad.  I ended many days (for many weeks) in tears, alone in my bed.  It's such a devastating feeling.  For some reason crying during the day is far less dramatic than crying alone into your tear drenched pillow. 

This.

I came across this quote from Gretchen Rubin, whom I adore, and I took a snapshot of it on my phone.  The conversations I walk away from feeling lighter, are always (always!) the ones where the person does not downplay what I'm doing, or try to convince me time's going to "fly right by", but when the person tells me that what I'm doing is hard, and that I am strong, and that it must suck.  That's all a person wants to hear when they're down.  That you hear them, you see them, and it's okay for them to feel how they're feeling.

I took this of my mom and my boys after the big gender reveal party.  I don't know why I love it so much.  Maybe because before this they had been out spotting bats flying at dusk and telling "spooky" stories in the dark garage with flashlights.  Or maybe because knowing the baby was going to be a girl made me feel nostalgic about this last bit of time with only my boys.  Either way, I love it.

We made a {humongous} countdown chain for Josh when we were still a few weeks out from his visit.  It made us so happy to rip off a chain each day and start talking about what we want to do when he's here.

When Josh was first gone, FaceTime was also known as CryTime.  Way less fun and far more depressing than I think was intended.  I couldn't help it. Every time we spoke, and I saw his face, I would lose it.  And if he was at home instead of his classroom? Forget it. Seeing our house was (is) so hard for me.  I miss being there.  

Thankfully, with time, it's gotten better.  Today we FaceTimed and each brother got their turn.  And when they were done, I even got a turn.  It was so nice to visit and to make Josh laugh and let him make me laugh.  I may be having mixed feelings about screens from our book club pick this month, but FaceTime with my husband who is 2,500 miles away is definitely on the Pro side of my Pro/Con list.

Sweet Care Packages:

I told you earlier that my friend Ashley sent me a care package, and I just had to share these pictures because even the notes & packaging were beautiful.  

I kind of wanted to leave them wrapped!

They were so beautiful.
Thank you again, for thinking of me, Ashley.  

You put a bit of sunshine into my week!

***

Well, that's all the randomness for tonight.  Tomorrow I have a post planned all about Baby Girl Cunningham, and tonight is Logan's special night with me, which means I have a little bit of Star Wars on the Wii, plus yummy treats ahead of me still.

So goodnight!