So in the past 5 yrs we have:
- In 2016, wemoved closer to our family (within 1/2 mile of where I grew up)
- Celebrated many of J’s birthdays (she’s now 8)! Yes I said 8!
- Received a dreaded phone call on the evening of March 30, 2018, that my father had been in a vintage race car accident and was being life flighted To Shands Hospital in Gainesville. He had flipped his car 8 times and had a brain injury, spinal damage to three vertebrae, broken ribs, collapsed lungs, and a brain injury but was ALIVE. The next day he underwent spinal surgery and remained in ICU for 25 days. He was then transported back to our hometown for further intensive hospital rehab. We had good days and bad days, but were certainly blessed to have the love and support of family around. He was unfortunately dependent on 24hr care and not able to voluntarily move his arms or legs. Over the six months after his accident, he was a fighter and we laughed and cried many times. For those we knew my dad, everyone knew that he spoke his mind and was hard of hearing. One of the nurses asked him , “How’s your pain level?” He responded with “Huh?,” so she politely asked him again, “Sir, How is your pain level?” He started laughing and chucking and responded with “Pineapple!! I LOVE pineapple!” Now I know that’s not super funny, but we were running on caffeine, sleep deprivation and heartache so we were hanging on every funny/silly moment we could have. Then the next day we decided to take him down to the duck pond to get him some sun and get him out of the hospital for some fresh air, so we wheeled him into the elevator. I went in first, my dad behind me and then my stepmom. We were the only three in the elevator and as soon as the door closed my stepmom and I were trying to figure out which button to push to get to the main floor, we heard dad talking. We had our backs to him at this time and he said... “So how long have you been in here?” My stepmom and I looked at each other, in a what the heck kind of look and the around at dad... then we realized that he was “...talking to the man in the mirror.” He was talking to his reflection! This was likely the first time he had seen himself in months after the accident and while he didn’t look different, the brain injury caused him to every now and then to have some quirky moments. I started singing the song “I talking to the man in the mirror” and once again, just had to start laughing to keep from crying. This is the man that has always been my rock. The guy who has always been so strong, but now was so fragile. Within the next month, he would take a turn for the worse quickly and we would have to say goodbye to him. My father passed away on September 25, 2018.
- I left my employer after 18 yrs in May 2018, due to corporate realignment
- My husband retired from the USN after 20 yrs of service in 2019
So.... now here we are 2020. It came in like a lamb and has been roaring like a damn lion. We have been homeschooling since spring break and the kiddo is about to go stir crazy. I am working from home, she is staying busy during the week by either going to her Mimis or Grandmas house and the hubby is working from home too. We however are all about to go stir crazy and can’t wait to get out and get life back to normal. Well as normal as possible. 
Stay safe -
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