Catching up! ♥

Hello Friends!  ♥

I hope you all had a lovely Easter.  For me it seems like a lifetime ago. The photo above is the only one I took that day and when I look at it, it reminds me of a brief moment of peace I had over a coffee and my sister in laws pavlova (which was delicious by the way).  Let me catch you up...

On Monday April 14th my Dad went into the hospital for a knee replacement surgery.  He had a very bad reaction to the anesthesia and pain medications, which left him very sedated for days and when he finally did wake up he wasn't himself.  It took quite a while for all that to work through his system.  The doctors kept telling me that even though it's scary, it does happen with people and it really is quite common - especially with the elderly - so you just have to "wait."  Easier said than done.  My Dad is 85 and not in the best health as it is so naturally, I was worried (I'm always worried). I must have walked this hallway a thousand times over the course of the week.  

 

Hospitals are not my favorite place, and I am reminded so much of my mom here because we spent so much time in and out of this place.  In this very hall. 

Fast forward to the Monday after Easter.  My Dad was back!  It was early in the morning, and he called me on the phone asking when he was going home!  He sounded like himself and I literally couldn't believe it.  I flew to the hospital.  It took a few more days for the effects of what happened to bring his vitals back to normal, but he got there.  And then...the knee pain set in.  The reason he went to the hospital in the first place.  With all the chaos, I almost forgot.  A few days later he moved to a rehab to start physical therapy for the knee surgery and thankfully he's doing very well!  It's painful but I see progress every day and he'll probably be home next week.  

Thank you God  ♥

I feel like I know this hospital way too well and I hope I don't have to go back there for a long time.  Although I will say the cafeteria has very good coffee.  But that's the only thing good about it.  

Meanwhile, outside the hospital life continued to happen.  

John got his license!  Very exciting!  ♥

And spring is officially in full bloom!  ♥

We are all suffering with allergies (especially the new driver!) but at least it's pretty.  

It's 70 degrees and sunny.  

Our trees are blooming and when the wind blows it looks like confetti in the air! 

I will enjoy this until the summer heat arrives...and then I will hibernate until Fall.

Yes, I'm already thinking about that but please don't hold it against me : ) 

The lilies of the valley are getting ready. 

They are my favorite.  I knew they were thriving under all that winter snow and ice.  It's time for them to finally have their moment in the sun ♥

And the forsythias are such a pretty spring color.  I want to cut some of these and bring them inside.  Today was the first day in over 10 days when I've felt like myself again.  I'm starting to catch up on things at home and opening my eyes to appreciate what's happening around me.  You know that feeling of just being happy to breathe?  That's me right now ♥

We're going to have a little rain tomorrow but that's ok.  I can't wait to wake up in the morning and have my coffee.  I'm getting a long overdue haircut and then I'll get my Dad a chocolate donut and head up to visit him in the rehab.  And I'm grateful I'm able to do it. 

 ♥

I hope all is well in your corner of the world and you are enjoying beautiful spring days.  Have a great weekend friends! I'll be visiting your blogs and catching up this weekend.  I've missed you! xx