June 9th 2014 archive

Weekend in Pictures

By Natalie

Do you ever have those weekends where you finally get a chance to sit Sunday night, and you wonder “What on earth did I do all weekend?” Mondays are not my favorite. I can’t imagine they’d be anyone’s favorite. It’s not so much the going back to work part. I enjoy my job. It’s the leaving the family behind part that I really dread. After a weekend full of love, and events with family I find it difficult to muster up the strength to lock Bingley up in his crate for the day, and drop B off for a similarly long day.

This past weekend was beautiful. It was hot, after all it’s June. Welcome summer. We missed you.

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My weekend started off with a long trail walk next to the Bug. Should I mention he is huge? There was a time when I could pick him up in my arms, to walk the poor little stinker out in the dark in the wee hours of the morning. And then he grew. Faster than my eyes and heart could handle.

Friday

Oh Friday night. How my young heart feels you should be honored as the king of weekend happiness. But my married heart of 3 years remembers… It’s just another night. And we’ve worked all week. We’re kind of tired. And Friday night, we enjoyed you in our dating years. We still do. But these days we seem to enjoy you more in the comfort of our own home. Is that so bad? Enjoying your Friday night freedom in our pjs, watching Netflix, with maybe a bag of popcorn, and a soda.

Saturday

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I headed off to Richmond with the fam for a very important event for all of us…

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The 3rd annual 2014 Lupus Summit. We spent the day becoming more educated on my sister’s illness. The summit included several doctor’s who were so gracious to provide their time to help loved ones better understand this autoimmune disease, and all the treatments that are out there.

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As hard as I tried, and tried, The only family member who was not camera shy was Sean.

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And he was just kind of being a goober. We’re all kind of goobers when we get together. My sister Nadir and I are grown women, and for some reason I find that when we get together for things like this we just seem to get all giggly, and act like children. Something that only a sisterly friendship could consist of.

After the doctors had a chance to speak. We were sent off into breakouts. We attended an informal Lupus Caregivers session where we were able to voice the difficulties we were feeling. I had no idea it would be so relieving to hear that there are other people out there who feel just the same way. And their loved one with lupus is going through all the heartache, pressure, doctor’s appointments, and struggles that my sister Nem is going through. I walked out of that room and when I saw her waiting for us I gave her a hug. Because I’ve been frustrated too. I’ve wanted to do more. And after feeling so much relief from voicing a few thoughts I knew that it was time to just give her a hug, and realize that she’s still my same sister.

And then there was Rita’s…

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That Saturday evening it was hot. When you’re in the car in the sweltering heat, and your husband turns to you and says “Rita’s?” You do not protest. First cherry italian ice of the summer. 2014, I see a good future in you.