Ups and Downs

About 15 years ago, my mother-in-law passed away. I didn't know her and Craig was just a kid. When we started dating, he told me about his Mom and how much she meant to him but I couldn't really grasp the concept of losing one of my parents. All I could do his hug him. A few months into dating, Craig said "today is the anniversary of my mom's death" and I just froze.

Then I hugged him.

Then he continued, "also, today is my aliyah (immigration) anniversary".

So, I hugged him, again.

Today is both an upper and a downer. A downer because I, too, mourn the loss of his mother. I never met her and Craig was just a boy when she passed but her memory lives inside of him. This day is an upper because if my in-laws hadn't shoved Craig on a plane and made him come to Israel - our paths may not have crossed.

For that, I am eternally grateful to them.

I won't lie and say that today was FANTASTIC - because it wasn't. I'm wrestling with my own demons and dealing with other stuff going on in my life.

The up side? I found more information about my Papa's family before WWII in Hungary. I made an amazing connection. The down side? Finding the new information really makes me miss my Papa. I wish I had him around so I could bombard him with questions about his past. But I can't. The anniversary of his death is March 2nd... only a few days from now.

Today is full of ups and downs:
- Downside: Craig left the trash bag out of the cupboard
- Upside: Cecil, the dog, took the trash out for him... he took out all the trash and sprinkled it throughout the house.
- Downside: Things are work are shifting into a direction I'm uncomfortable with.
- Upside: The people I work with make me laugh every day - keeping me sane.
- Downside: I miss my family.
- Upside: I'll get my dose of them this summer ... and then I'll miss Israel.
- Downside: I couldn't figure out what to make for dinner tonight.
- Upside: I concocted something so delicious, it's probably horrendous for me.

See? Full of ups and downs.

What about your day?