Highs and Lows

This weekend was a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows, and chock full of activity. Friday morning I traveled back to my hometown of Storm Lake, with Buddy in tow. This was his first long roadtrip, and I have to say he did very well! I was worried he would be whiney the whole time, but he seemed to find some comfortable spots and minded his own business. Upon arrival in SL I spent some time with my brother Justin, and then visited my old high school buddy Jason and his family. It was a lovely evening with a clear, bright sky, and I enjoyed sitting on their deck by the lake and catching up.

Saturday was a busy day as we prepared for the weekend's main event - the wedding of my cousin Doug to the beautiful Allison. It was a wonderful wedding, held at the same church in which our grandparents were married. Doug is the only remaining male in this White line, and I sure was thinking about my grandpa Lyle and how much he would have enjoyed being there. I'm positive he was watching over us all day long.

Sunday morning I left very early so I could make it back in time for another family event of a different sort. We celebrated the life Husband's cousin Jay, who died suddenly at the age of 39. With no prior medical issues, his death is still a bit of a mystery, but he died doing what he loved - fishing with his dad. We are sure Jay is catching the big ones in heaven. It certainly has made the rest of us think twice about how lucky we are to be here, and to hold close the ones we love.

So here I am, Sunday evening...exhausted. I'm all stuffed up from allergies and/or some kind of cold, and completely spent from a limited amount of sleep and the emotionality of the whole weekend. But through it all, I am reminded that this life, whatever it throws at me, is a good life. Though it seems unfair at times that people are taken from us too soon, life barrels forward and we must take time to remember the good times, and rejoice in the new memories and new beginnings. So I am content, and filled with love and gratitude for this life that has been given to me, and the people I share it with.

Peace.