Books 18 and 19

Over the past couple of weeks, I finished two more books!

I picked this one up at our favorite little local bookstore:

Our book club read another book by this author, and I love her retelling of mythology that centers the women that are often treated as minor characters. She has a PhD in the classics, and it really shows.

This was our most recent book club book:

I didn't love it. There were one too many gaping plot holes for me. I don't mind sci-fi, but the world has to hold together. This one didn't.
 

Happy First Day

Evan humored me and took a first day of school picture this morning:

It's hard to believe he's a sophomore! He knows most of his teachers this year, and he likes all of them. It would be unfair to say he was excited about returning to school, though. But...he did get up and out on time, so we will take it! Here's to a great year ahead!
 

So Funny

Evan and I spent Monday in Chapel Hill. He is part of a research study, and it was his turn to go back and do all the things. In between the two sessions, we went out for lunch:

 Apparently, the key to getting Evan to talk is to take him out to eat. We sat and chatted for an hour, and it was lovely. He really is the funniest kid with the biggest heart, and I'm awfully glad he is mine.

She's A College Student!

We moved Issa into Meredith on Saturday! Friday afternoon we finished the packing, and the best little brother ever helped us haul it all to the cars:

The Subaru was packed tight, but she had a lot of room in her car. Saturday morning, we joined Meredith tradition to decorate the cars:

"Next Stop: Meredith"

The move in process was so well-organized! There were specific time slots assigned by residence hall, floor, and room number. We had the 8:45 spot, and pulled in to campus at 8:40 where we were greeted by students waving signs. We were also given a color-coded parking pass that let us pull up right beside her building to unload. They had us unload everything in a pile on the curb and then move our cars. Security was there to make sure no one grabbed the wrong piles, and we had borrowed a neighbors big hand truck to move everything up to her second floor room, where she was greeted with this sign:

The boys hauled everything up while Issa and I started unpacking. Her roommate, Tess, was running late, so we had an our alone in the room, which was lovely. We got her furniture built and got the initail overwhelm out of the way. Their original layout didn't work because of plug location, but the revised plan came out well! Evan was amazing, and he even let me take a picture of him. This is actually Tess's side of the room:

Issa loves her cozy bed tucked against the wall:

And her desk has all of her nice things:

They have a great kitchen set-up, too:

We were a hot sweaty mess, but we got it finished by lunch:

We ate at the dining hall, got Italian ice from a food truck on campus, went to the bookstore to pick up her textbooks and some shorts (because she forgot hers), and made a target run for a bedside lamp, batteries, and one more power strip (which was not to be found). We had all of that finished by 2:30, which was perfect since she had her first orientation events at 3.

We got the first dorm update Sunday morning. The one cork board just wouldn't stay on her high wall, although she said she and Tess bonded over trying to make it stay there. It is now a great headboard:

I ended up running her some shorts, shower shoes, and a few little things she decided she wanted Sunday morning, but I was there for less than 20 minutes! She is slowly making the room her own, including this cure affirmations bulletin board above her bed:

My heart was so happy this morning when we got that picture and note that she and Tess stayed up way too late talking and decorating their room. Apparently there are now fairly lights along the ceiling.

I would be lying if I said I didn't cry. I walked into her bedroom and sobbed when I realized she had turned her little start lamp off, which she has never done since she bought it three years ago. We get text updates, and I'm so thrilled she is finding friends and having a great time! I can't wait to see what adventures await her.

 

Goodbye, sweet girl...

I haven't posted because we have been in the thick of it. The last post was on the 5th, and after I made that post things went south. It has taken me this long to be able to actually write it, but I want to remember...

Last Monday night we had to say goodbye to Neela. Sunday, she woke up and was not quite herself, but we thought it was just a rough arthritis day. She was still super snuggly, and she and Issa had a ton of great time together before she left.

Sunday night, she got sick twice, but we still weren't terribly concerned. Dogs do that.

Monday morning, she would drink water but not really eat. We thought she was just recovering from eating something questionable. She was still super snuggly, but she really spent most of the day just sleeping:

By Monday afternoon, she wouldn't eat or drink, so we took her to urgent care. We had the world's most fabulous vet. They did bloodwork and an x-ray to look for blockages or something that might be causing the stomach upset. Everything showed that the stomach upset was likely a stomach bug, but the x-ray revealed a mass on her spleen. It might explain the fatigue.

Most of these masses are cancerous and brutally quick. Even if it's not, they usually rupture, which is lethal. At ten, she was not a good candidate for surgery.

We took her home with some meds and a hope that we could get her to eat and to hang on until Issa came home from the mountains, but we also knew there was no way we would make her suffer. When we got home, though, she wouldn't take the meds. We called Issa to tell her what was going on and see if she wanted to come home, and she made the wise choice to not. We facetimed so she could say goodbye, and as soon as Neela heard that she just laid down and started to shiver. It was time.

She was so sick, and we just couldn't bear the idea of anything rupturing. We got a few last tail wags and kisses, and we all loved on her and said goodbye, and now we know she and Viv are chasing squirrels together again.

I'm still not fully okay, but each day is better. She was my dog, and I will always love her fiercely. I miss her on my feet and night, and I struggle to sleep without her snoring. But...I wouldn't trade a single day with her, and I'm so grateful we could send her off to a peaceful end.

 

Updates and Book 17

The past week has been an absolute whirlwind. I head back to full-time on campus work next week, Issa is in the mountains with Kai's family this week, and she moves to campus in two weeks. That means we spent last week cramming a lot in!

Issa and I wrapping up a six week pottery class. It's been fun doing it with her, and I have learned a ton to round out some of my pottery skills. I'm currently in love with making candle holders:

We also spent a chunk of time planning Issa's dorm room and making the last shopping list. My very type-A child made a drawer outline so she could figure out exactly what would fit:

She actually has a lot of storage, and we went to IKEA and Target this weekend to get the very last things she needs. Her room is going to be so cozy, and she and her roommate are having big fun planning.

Nana is also off in Iceland this week. She had a delayed start thanks to Delta; I actually left Kai and Issa at DPAC to pick her up when the flight cancelled:

She was able to get a direct flight yesterday and met my sister there just a day behind schedule. She missed the settle in day, but she will be there for all of the big adventures!

And I finished book 17:

This was the sequel to the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, and it was just as good if not better. A plot synopsis won't do it justice, but I appreciate the way Bannen creates very real, relatable characters in relationships in a fantasy world.

I'm gearing up for the semester this week and doing some packing for Issa. August is full steam ahead, but we are ready!