Saturday, June 28, 2014

Hello. My name is Kristy.

Hello. My name is Kristy. It's been quite a while since I've posted anything, so I thought I would reintroduce myself.

Things are moving along for us Baxleys. Nick still loves his job at Baumhower's Wings. He is also taking steps in becoming an EMT. He is still in the very early stages of applying for programs, but he knows what he wants to do. I think it is wonderful!! Nick has been in remission from the PTLD/lymphoma for six months now. It is so hard for me to believe at times that we are actually at this place. It seems surreal. Nick is noticing a difference in his taste buds and energy levels. Differences that he hasn't ever really experienced before...

Kacie is counting down the days until she can get her learner's permit to drive. THAT is hard for this momma to believe. She will start the 9th grade in August. Wow! My baby is growing up so fast. She completed her 9th year of dance in May. We're not sure yet if there will be a year #10, but that's okay too. I certainly don't expect her to have all the answers at her age. I know I didn't. Kacie loves to read, babysit, and is trying her hand at dogsitting.

I am okay. I am in my senior year at ASU. I'm working to complete my bachelor's degree in elementary education. I am almost finished. Just two more semesters. My schoolwork and work-work are the main reason for the long blogging absence. I spend so much time writing papers and completing assignments that the last thing I want to do is write some more.

Today finds me with a sense of melancholy. Keith will be gone five years in just a matter of days. Five years...wow...that's so hard to comprehend. It doesn't seem that long, yet it seems like so much longer at the same time. I went back in the archives and read my posts from around this date in 2009. The amount of heartache we were all experiencing then was tremendous. No wonder I feel the way I do today. It's just an echo...a memory...but it affects me.

I turned 40 last month. I've outlived Keith. That makes me sad. We always talked about when our nest got empty and the things we would do together. I don't know why turning 40 has triggered these memories, but here they are. We were filled with such sweet innocence in our early days of marriage. We just knew we would grow old together. Fact is...we never grew old period. He never stood a chance against that vile disease that took his life. Had he survived, we would celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary in a few weeks. We would have been together just over 23 years.

Anyway...Life does go on. You have to choose whether you live it or it lives you. For a long time, life lived us. Now, we live life. Some days are just pajama days, while others are run like crazy days. Then there are the days that are just plain 'ol days. Today is a combination plain 'ol pajama day.

I pray that you are living life.
Thank you for the continued thoughts and prayers. We continue to feel them.

In HIS Grip!
~Kristy