I'm here!

Yes, I'm back.
A bunch of stuff happened last week to prevent my posting, number one being that my computer was attacked by a virus and I had to reload my operating system.  What a pain.  Thank goodness for Carbonite-- I didn't lose anything!
Also, I was madly trying to finish Christmas card making and mailing, Christmas shopping, Christmas baking, and school with the boys, so I didn't sleep much last week.  :-)
Add to that the fact that I was in a bit of a funk last week, and you get internet silence.
Doesn't it sometimes seem like bad things happen in threes?
I was really distressed by the Connecticut shooting.  I don't think I've ever cried so much for people I don't know.  I listened to Obama's speech in which he read out the names of all those sweet little kids and I totally lost it.  I know I'm not alone in my reaction.
And then our neighbor died.  I still don't know what happened.  This is our neighbor across the street-- the wonderful man who came over and gave the boys little treat bags with candy and a dollar because he and his wife were going to be out of town on Halloween.  He had come over to talk with me a number of times, and we saw him often out in the yard.  He wanted Brigham to come and play chess with him.  We had visited with him only a few days before when we were out putting up Christmas lights.  Then on Thursday we noticed an ambulance and police cars in front of their house.  I watched from our front windows for a while before going out to see if I could find out what was going on.  The paramedics wouldn't tell me anything except that it was a very tragic situation, and that "she" (presumably our neighbor's wife) would need our love and support.  What could have happened to necessitate several policemen to be going in and out of the house for a few hours?  The paramedics said, "You can see the police are here, but they won't be leaving with anyone."  What could it be?  Suicide?  I can't imagine that nice man would have done that.  So I don't know what happened but I'm very sad about it.  He was a very nice man with a nice family and it is horrible when things like this happen just before a holiday.  Any time, of course, but it seems particularly cruel to happen just before Christmas or Thanksgiving, when things are supposed to be happy.
The third sad thing was that my friend had a miscarriage.  She is pretty philosophical about it, which is good.  But I was really hoping things would work out for her.  Something about the fact that I can't have any more kids when I really wish I could makes me even  more excited about other people's babies, I guess.  Exactly the opposite reaction than before I had children, isn't that weird?
But, this is a new week, and other people's sadnesses shouldn't prevent me from being happy for my own family, right?
Life is good.  It is often cruel and sad and difficult, but it is also good.