Dear Grandma,

I'm still taking it one day at a time over here in Omaha. My patience is certainly being tested but I hope to be nearing the end of all this drama. No matter how much I appear to let things roll of my shoulders, and no matter how tight I keep my mouth shut (which you know is not my greatest forte) but am still repeatedly pushed and sometimes I feel as though I am going to reach a breaking point. But I keep reminding myself that this is almost over. That necessary bridges will be burned and life can go back to normal. There are a lot of things I'd like to say but I keep it to myself because I know it won't help the situation at all. One thing is for certain, I hope to have a WHOLE lot of banana bread coming after all this!

I sat in my kitchen last night and stared at a box of jelly jars - little glasses that remind me of my childhood in Armour. There's one - a Tom and Jerry glass that certainly stands out in my memory more than the others although I'm not sure why. One things for sure: they seemed much bigger back then. I don't know that I'll ever put them in the cupboard to use, but I will most definitely have them out somewhere. I can almost taste the drink of water I used to get out of them in the middle of the night, and then I can smell your house, and see you in your robe wondering what I was doing in the kitchen in the middle of the night...it's amazing all the memories you can get from one little glass. Time is precious and so is family. I think that sometimes we forget how important family is, and the fact that we never know how much time we have to spend together. I know so many people that don't have any family at all, and I know how desperately they wish they did. It's something that is taken for granted too often and I couldn't be more serious when I say that I have learned that the relationships I have with my family are the most important. Don't ever let me forget that.

I headed back to South Dakota this weekend to visit a friend and spend some time with mom and dad. It was fun, and it was relaxing. Even waking up with a 22 pound bichon frisce on my head - yes - on my head - was worth it. We headed to a movie on Sunday, had an ever popular Sunday nap and just relaxed. It was a little on the spur of the moment side for me, but I'm happy I did that instead of staying in Omaha with nothing to do for the weekend. As usual I ate more servings of ice cream in one day than I usually do in one week, but, oh well. So what if my scrubs are a little tight this week, right?

I hope you're having a good time up there in heaven, playing lots of cards and such. Sometimes I see bags of twizzlers and think it would be okay to eat it for supper - in your honor - and then I remind myself that going up a pant size probably isn't the best way to remember you, so I just smile. You can buy twizzerls that are like 3 feet long now, I bet you would've got a kick out of them. Sure wish I could show you myself.



Love you,

Kristen