Still reeling a bit here – my father’s health started declining when my mother passed in September, and he finally slipped away to join her last week. He was ready to go – life just wasn’t complete for him without her. They were married almost 74 years, and had known each other since they were children. When someone has been by your side for that long, losing them is like losing half of yourself.

But we were so lucky to have them as long as we did, and their lives were long and full, and their ends were peaceful and painless. As a good friend told me, there is more here to celebrate than to mourn, and I am surprising myself with how resilient I apparently am. Who knew?

Anyway, as resilient and well-adjusted as I may be, I’m still feeling the kick. I just haven’t been able to get myself into the happy space in my head that gave birth to Jake and Boo, and right now I really need Jake and Boo, you know? So I’m trying, I really am, but when life kicks you in the gut, sometimes you just need to roll around on the floor for a while before you get back up again.