Has it really been that long?

Yes, I guess it has. Wow -- I'm sorry! Not that there are many of you out there reading...but one of my friends commented a couple of weeks ago that she wished I would update my blog and I hadn't even realized how long it had been.

My excuse? Well, I don't have a good one. Things have been busy, but when are they not?

Here where we live, school starts again in just a couple of weeks. Really -- it starts at the beginning of August (much too early). So after next week, DH goes back to work to prepare for a new school year, A has softball tryouts, and B starts soccer camp and practice. We'll gear up for our annual "I-hate-August-and-September" schedule...because August and September are always, always, always the busiest months of the year for us. *Sigh*


In other news, B was asked to try out for Academy Soccer (a level above rec league) and she made it. She was really excited! Of course this means a bit more travel since she'll have tournaments and games that aren't always in our city, but we'll see how it goes. A is excited about softball tryouts...she'll make the team, no doubt...but she's still nervous about it. Keep your fingers crossed for her!

DH and the girls have been in Utah visiting his family for the last month. Yes, you read that right. The last month. I have been on my own for the last month. Well, not entirely on my own since my parents and my sister and her family live just around the block and have helped keep me occupied and from getting too lonely. But it's been a difficult month.

For one thing, I have never, ever in my entire life been alone for this long. OK, I haven't been entirely alone because I've had the two dogs to keep my company (yeah, two...I got a puppy for Mother's Day. Note to self: don't get a puppy right before your family leaves you for a month...). Up until now, I had only ever stayed in our own home by myself once overnight. LOL I've never lived alone in my entire adult life. So this has been an experience. Up until now, I always felt very nervous and anxious if I was alone at home for any amount of time, even a few hours. While my family has been gone, I've had to be home alone a lot, mostly because I had to be here to take care of the puppy in the evenings. I found that I actually felt better, felt more at peace and more calm, at home than anywhere else. It's been interesting.

That isn't to say that I enjoy being alone. No. No way. Not at all. Not one little bit. But I've learned that I can do it. I can actually fall asleep on my own -- that's pretty big because usually when DH is gone overnight I have a terrible time sleeping. I can even kill bugs -- of course, that's only out of sheer desperation when my dad, brother in law, or neighbor aren't home to come help me, and only if said bugs aren't big spiders. I even had to have my home teacher and his sons come over and clean off my back patio because of a spider problem (I owe them some cookies for that...). But I have killed a few bugs while they've been gone.

So I've learned that I can do hard things. Things I thought I would never be able to do. But I've also learned that I was not meant to be alone. That I'm not good at being alone. I have been moody, sad, mopey, miserable, etc. My friends at work are very glad, I'm sure, that my family will be home tomorrow. LOL For much of the time my family has been gone, I have felt like part of me was missing, like I was incomplete. I felt like I had lost my compass. I don't like that feeling. I need them here.

Oh, I also got a new calling -- Young Women President in our ward. That has kept me busy. Last night I went to the youth dance and had a lot of fun talking to and spending time with some of the youth. That has kept me busy.

But they're not a substitute for my family. I'm so glad my family is coming home tomorrow!