I’m sorry I haven’t updated anything or responded to comments.  Just hours after I posted my Mother’s Day blog, I received the news that my little brother died unexpectedly, and my life became tragically chaotic.

I just want to thank everyone for all the love, kindness and support that you’ve offered me over the last six weeks.  I apologize for going off the grid, but I’m just heart broken.  Rich suggested that I may want to “check-in,” so that’s what I’m doing.   Just a few weeks after the loss of Edmund, our family also lost my Aunt Mimi.  We’ve been pinballing from state to state – not the summer I’d planned.  I cancelled the first half of our road trip, to spend time with family in Michigan.  I’m planning to head out west for part two of our family road trip, meeting up with my cousins.  Some of you have been asking about the Road Warrior trip blog…I’m going to try, but I may not be updating every day, but I’m hoping to check in – trying to get back to “normal” for the kids.  Our travel adventures, thus far, haven’t been the stuff of funny reading.

Please know, I’m very grateful for all my friends and family.  Truly.  I promise I WILL return all your phone calls and e-mails, I just need a little more time.  Thank you so much for the cards, flowers, gifts and memories you’ve shared with me.  I will always cherish them.

On a professional note, I’ll soon have news to share and I have a number of book reviews that have been posted.  I’ve been hesitant with links and updates on my blogs well, because it just doesn’t feel appropriate and my heart hasn’t been in it.  I’m not sure when that will happen, but I know I’ll be back.  If I’ve learned anything, it’s that life is too short.

Kelly took me, Hunter & Aud to the Red Sox game at Comerica Park Friday night.  Detroit fans rock, they were so gracious.  Uncle Eggie brought home the win for us! – thank goodness.  Perhaps we should have been at the other three games?  Brother, please shine on the Bruins!

Happy Mother’s Day, my friends!  I love this day.  It’s become my favorite holiday.  One, because I am a mom.  Two, because it requires no planning or execution from me.  I just sit back and received the love, praise and spoils from my babies, while Dad does the heavy lifting.  But for many years, fourteen to be exact, Mother’s Day was tough.  It was lonely.  I lost my mother when I was eighteen and was the only one of my friends in that position.  I’d be invited to celebrate with other families, but I just wasn’t comfortable.  I thought that being alone was sort of a penance, because when she died I was just getting over the teenage years and I wasn’t always very kind.   Those last few years were tough on our relationship.  She was sick and I was incredibly selfish.  I vacillated between being her champion and caregiver and being a resentful brat.

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