full circle

It's been a long time since I have written a really long post, so here goes. Yesterday marked the four month anniversary of my mother's physical death. Four months? It seems so far away, yet the pain and sting of death is still very fresh. As I photographed my Asiatic lilies a few days ago, I remembered one of my very first blog posts, around this time last year. Last May, I was worried about my mom, thinking we might only get a few more years together. I was worried about being a good wife, and about my classes and whether or not I would be able to graduate. I never thought death would come so soon. But it did. And while I haven't let her death destroy me, it has definitely knocked me down. The last few weeks have been...better, in some ways. Worse in others. The past few months are nothing more than a blur. I am thankful for that. It really helped the time pass faster. Of course time doesn't make the hurt go away, but it has allowed me to begin to realize how things are (aren't?) for me now. There are several reasons I haven't been posting much lately. I am not going to go into that right now, but I am working on a post to try to describe it while being as tactful as possible (yeah, right). Some of you may know why, and I am still not sure if I will publish the post about it or not. But I might. I realized, as I am stepping out of this mental fog, that I haven't been keeping you updated on our lives like I should. Hmm, what to say? Chris's board exam is OVER and he PASSED! Hooray! We are seriously looking at Mayo for residency. That is a few (two) years away, but the more I look into it, the more appealing it sounds. Not Minnesota, sillies, the residency program and the fact that I will actually get to see my husband. Brooks is seriously the best dog ever. I know I say that all of the time, but he is really getting better with time. He has calmed down some, but he is still a blast to be around. I have spoiled him so much. I am not sure what we are going to do when I start working...speaking of me working...I have been applying for jobs at mental health facilities in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. I got offered a job in Montgomery, but that is a little too far for me. I have a VERY PROMISING interview coming up soon, so pray that goes well for me! I am still bouncing back and forth about a Master's degree...still haven't taken the GRE. Surprise. I think I will eventually get my Master's, but I may wait until Chris is in residency. Chris and our Sunday School softball team are in play-offs next week. I am still in my church history class, but we are taking a break for two weeks. I have been cooking more than ever lately, but nothing too terribly exciting. Okay, I know most of you won't read all of this, so I posted some pics of what we've been up to lately. I actually made it into a few of these. Shocker, I know. Enjoy!

Family Group Outing

Mother's Day Weekend with Chris's Fam

favorite skirt Mother's Day with my Nana
Brooks was inspecting the planter that Chris built for our vegetable garden. It is absolutely perfect. Because Chris is a perfectionist. Sigh.

Finished product...Eggplant, squash, zucchini, cucumber, jalapenos, bell peppers, and some herbs.

I painted this. Not at Sips n Strokes. At my house. From my mind. Notice the paw print, the caduceus, and the heart. The words are lyrics from our favorite DMB song. It is hanging right by the front door. You should come to our house and see it in real life *cough*Megan*cough*.

I love this face.

My Asiatic Lilies

I meant to show these to you sooner. My dear friend J had these bracelets made out of the flowers from my Mom's funeral. Neat, huh?

Husband Chris Shubert at our Sunday School Crawfish Boil

Mirror Image of theshubertfam. Surprisingly it only took about four shots to capture this one.