The New Normal

So I have had a hard time getting my feet back on the ground since T left!  He has been gone 5 1/2 weeks now and I find that I haven't gotten back into "life" yet.  It is so hard to explain.....I keep thinking he is only gone to scout camp or EFY and will be back soon.  You know how you live life for that week when they are gone....you do what you have to to get through the week just waiting for them to return so life can get back on track.....you don't feel you can really do anything until the family is complete again.  You kind of put your life on hold for that small amount of time, knowing that it will be over soon and it will be normal again.  It will never be that kind of normal again for me....I have to find the NEW normal and it is soooooo hard. 

T is doing so great.  He loves his mission...not so much his companion....but he is loving the area he is in and he thinks the people are simply the best.  He is loving the gospel and teaching those around him, even when he gets rejected he said.  I am so proud of him!  But I miss him terribly.  I think about him every day, wishing I could talk to him just to hear his voice......his laugh.  I want to see him wrestling with his sisters on the family room floor or petting Duke while watching Top Gear.  It is just not the same to always have an empty chair at the dinner table or not to have him in the front seat with me when we are driving somewhere. Yes, it has gotten better since the week he left.....but there are still (and always will be) times that I lose it and get extra sad that he is not here with me. 

But life goes on....and so must I. So I am trying to get back into a rhythm.  I need to get back to scrapbooking and blogging on a regular basis.  I need to dive in to a more consistent way of doing my calling.  I need to start planning meals better and cooking more (it hasn't helped that there has been 2 different games played on the same day at the same time in totally different areas of town at least twice a week).  I need to accomplish that TO DO list that keeps getting longer every day.  I need to be better organized.  I need to get rid of unwanted things and items I don't need anymore.  I want to get my craft on! .....I need to get on it and quit putting it all off!

Today is the day that starts!  I have to make myself do it and then it will get easier as time goes by.  So I hope to get some pictures cleaned up to post today...gotta get caught up with this journal of mine.  Gonna get some things done so I can cross them off my list and I am gonna enjoy the day with my family.  Here's to the new normal.....may I embrace it with all I have!