Currently: October

Disclaimer: This post will be a little vague, but someday, I will fill in all the blanks. The ambiguous version is that these past few months, J has had a pretty serious medical issue related to his lifelong Crohn’s disease (yes, even when he was climbing mountains). Part of resolving the issue happened recently. Together we endured quite possibly the hardest week of our lives, but we got through it and are moving forward!!!

Currently living/working in: Finished up teaching kids environmental education at Fenton Ranch in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico and moving into the Fenton Ranch caretaker role. J has to stay in Denver for a few weeks, but I am returning to New Mexico to fill our caretaker role stag for the time being. 

Current mood: Grateful for SO many things. 

Currently excited about: It feels good to be on the other side of this medical issue that has really been looming over our heads since March. The road to recovery for J may be a long, bumpy road, but we are getting there. 

Currently not excited about: While I am thoroughly excited about my solo book-writing time, I am not excited about being apart from J again, especially on our 10th wedding anniversary!!!

Currently worried about: There were a lot of things I could worry about related to the medical stuff. However, my mom taught me to take things one day, or one minute at a time, and worrying is like a being in a rocking chair; you’re going to get nowhere. So I took her advice and didn’t let my head go all the way to that deep dark place of constant worry. 

Currently thankful for:  Our friends (and family!). We needed our friends more than we realized this month and they far exceeded our expectations for being good buds. Also, we had an amazing medical team working on J! 

Currently proud of: My husband. He could write the book on being a rockstar patient. 

Currently regretting: Not enjoying high school more (see my last post about my 20-year high school reunion). What the heck was wrong with me??? 

Currently amazed by: New Mexico’s fall. I am an East Coast gal who grew up loving the fireworks displayed by the fall trees. When we lived in New Hampshire for 4 years, I became spoiled by those fall fireworks exploding just a little more. New England’s fall can never be beat, but I’ve developed a special place in my heart for a West Coast tree—the aspen. Their golden leaves paired with their stark white bark against a blue sky is something magical!

Current confession: Mrs. Gibbles, our New Mexico feral-turned-domestic cat, has 2 kittens!!! We suspected she had just given birth when we got there in August. But we searched and searched and never found any kittens. Right before we left to come back to Denver, she brought them to us. I am hoping they are still around when I return! 

Current guilty pleasure: We’ve been in Denver this week staying with J’s mom, who has TV (with lots of channels, not like our 2-channel antenna we have in New Mexico). In any case, I’ve been binge watching “This Is Us” via On Demand. I love it and it makes me cry every time and I’ve needed a good cry this week! 

Currently reading: Trying to get through Crazy Free: An Epic Spiritual Journey by Melissa Wyld. I think it was a freebie we picked up on the Kindle. It is way hokey, but I am trying to give it a fair shot. I am only at 26 percent. At what point should I give up? 

Currently watching on Netflix: Thanks to snail mail, J and I enjoyed 2 movies/week the first few weeks in October in New Mexico.