Losing Beverly

My Mom left us the morning of Thursday June 11th.
Her last few months were a struggle, but being who she is, she still found time for laughter.
That's how she rolled.
I'm forever thankful for the time we had together.
I'm forever thankful for the team we had in place to care for her.
I'm forever thankful for the Mom that she was.
I'm forever thankful to have no regrets in regards to our relationship.
She taught me many things; how to laugh at yourself, how to giggle at others, how to be a giver, how to be a friend, how to love your people unconditionally. Seriously, that IS THE stuff that matters.
My Aunt Trisha was with her at the time she passed. When Trisha came home that morning she said something that struck me with such veracity.
"We come into this life with nothing and we leave with nothing. The only things that really matter are our relationships and our experiences with people."
She is 100% correct.

I'll post more later; this is all I can muster up today.
I'm blessed to have a lovely circle of family and friends; my people are the best.

RIP my sweet and sassy Mama
4/25/43-6/11/15

Bev and Suz, Thanksgiving 2014

 Go hug someone; it's the least you can do.
XOXOXO

She LIVES!

Who lives?

ME!

Me, I live. Suzanne lives!

Yes, I'm still alive, just not in the blogger world though; in real life. Did you know there is real life and blogger life? I just figured it out myself.

So....how are you? What's going on?

You're going on a trip? You've painted the kitchen? Your child colored the bathroom walls with sharpies? Your dog had the nerve to do what?

Oh.....wow. 

Me? I've been busy living life. Which is wayyyyyy better than the alternative. 

My Mom is getting on with her chemo treatments. She's had many, many hiccups, speed bumps, hurdles, but she is persevering as the wonder woman that she is. Hey, any woman who can create a human like me is a super hero.

Suz and Bev celebrating Bev's birthday in April.

Soon, she'll be done with the first 1/2 of her chemo treatments and will go in for some major surgery to have many of her parts removed. Then she'll recover for a few weeks (under my super duper fabulous care) then 9 more weeks of chemo. 

The good news is that super duper nasty chemo stuff that causes soooooooo many issues is actually doing what it's supposed to do; killing those cancer cells. 

And that is the best news ever. EVER.

I'm home now for a while. I was able to visit with both girls on Mother's day and that was stupendous. 

 So many things have happened since I've not been updating the ole blog. For one thing, The Coach and I are now empty nesters. Yes. It shocked me as well. Lolo has moved out (although not officially, but she's never here even though a lot of her items are) Linds is going to school year round.

The Coach and I are enjoying this transition. (Don't tell the girls!) I never thought we'd get here or that I wouldn't go into a depression about it. 

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

We are off to spend the week with good friends at a fabulous beach house. 

The girls will make a few appearances between work and school. 

 I've packed my sunscreen, but not my FUNscreen.

 {That joke never gets old for me!!}

Hey, make today and every day ridiculously amazing.

I'm hoping to have decent wi-fi this week so I can catch up with many of you.

Have a great weekend!!!!

XOXOXOXO

Tortuga

A few weeks ago the coach and I had a too much fun at the Tortuga festival in Fort Lauderdale along with our pals Kelly and Don.
Can you really have too much fun?
I take it back, you can't. 

A huge two day festival ON the beach with three stages. And much fun. 

You'll not catch the four of us in that crowd. Or in THAT hot sun.
Nope.
We've declared that we don't do 'general population' anymore.
Too old. Too tired. We enjoy our personal space too much and our skin; lord do I love keeping my skin from being fried.

Kelly, Don, Suz and Da' Coach

At the front of the stage, in the shade. Like a spade.
I'm not sure what that spade comment means, but it rhymes. 

 Some pics from the festival.....I didn't go there a country music fan, but I've since drank the kool-aid, and by kook-aid, I mean ice cold wine. 

On stage with Colt Ford

The Coach ran into Chase Rice backstage. 

We enjoyed music by Kenny Chesney, The Band Perry, Zac Brown Band, The Doobie brothers and so many other fabulous artists!

You might not have known this, but Kenny Chesney has an award winning derriere.
Fo'serious!

We looked down on Trace Adkins. I know....that's not really polite.  I blame it on the ice cold wine!

I had a blast with MY rock star!

Sunday morning when we were checking out of our hotel, Kelly and I had a good laugh over our matching outfits. We've been doing THAT sort of thing accidentally for more than 20 years!!!

Surely the Coach was placing a drink order?

Has anyone else been privy to great live music lately?

An Update

Thank you all for your sweet emails and comments regarding my Mom.

I ventured up to ATL to be with her while she started her chemotherapy treatments. Things started smoothly then went to hell in a pretty handbasket. She had several complications and was feeling miserable.
I had an open ended ticket and was going to stay as long as needed. We {Coach and I} had plans for April 11-13th, and I was going to cancel and stay because she was in a bad state at that time, but she insisted on me keeping our plans.

The Coach and I had a fabulous weekend, and I'm thankful that my Mom insisted I go home for a bit.

Almost 30 years together and this was our longest separation; 15 days. I missed him terribly.

Right now Mom is doing well with her treatments. Her hairs started falling out right away, which I thought would take longer. She is now able to eat food and "let the food leave her body" like a normal person. (that wasn't the case for  a while)

 I was able to get in some walking daily while at my Moms place; good for my heart and brain.
But I had to watch out for  these guys....because they were everywhere!
Canadian Geese (and their poop!) in GA. 

Who knew?

I mean, I knew geese pooped....I just didn't know they took up residence in GA!


I'm heading back up there this week. This trip was planned to celebrate her birthday before she became ill.
We have much to celebrate; right?


I've been super busy catching up on things while I'm home and prepping to leave again.
I hope you're all doing well; I miss you!

XOXO