Day 220 of 365 Days of Being Thankful

         Today I am thankful for my friend Helen.  We had lunch together yesterday. She reads my blog and told me that she sees a change in my attitude about life in general. Focusing on the positive things in my life makes me appreciate them more and focus less on my grief.   Although my loss of Amy is ever present and I am always missing her and the joy she was and the joy she brought to all of us, I am trying to focus more on celebrating her life and being grateful that I got to be her mom.The time is NEVER enough when a child dies. I want her back but I know that can't happen.  It is not an easy thing to do.  Most bereaved parents would like to curl up in a ball and do nothing except sob and sob about the loss of their beloved child.  When you lose a child, everything changes.  The person you once were no longer exists and a new "you" emerges. Amy is dead 17 years and I still remember and miss her laugh, her smell, her voice, the texture of her hair and the joy of being in her presence.
         I am also thankful that we had board game night last night.  I love most board games! Olivia made the mistake of telling me that she and Frankie played board games with his parents and brother so I scheduled a board game night for us!! First we had pizza and salad. Then we let the games commence! We played Scattergories, Dirty Minds, Spot It and Pictionary!



Renee brought the game Dirty Minds, we all cracked up reading the clues.  She also brought Spot It. Spot It is a game for the younger generation.  Dan and I sucked at it! Frankie, Renee, Olivia and Olya were really good at the game.  I think Olya or Renee won!

The clues sound dirty but they are describing ordinary items like glue, turkey, neck, etc.  The clues take your mind to crazy places but are so, so, so funny! We played Pictionary in teams and used a whiteboard.




Dan and Olya won! That makes sense  because Olya is the most artistic of all of us! When we played Dirty Minds we were all hysterical and our stomachs hurt from laughing so hard.  Then Dan, Renee and I watched Risky Business. It was a wonderful family night! I am thankful for our time together having so much fun!
         My cats are getting along really well.  I didn't think that my cat Nittany would take to Rosie.  Rosie doesn't give up and keeps trying to hang with him, I think he just got tired of chasing her away! When he leaves a room, she follows him! Wherever he lies down she lies next to him.


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