You have suffered enough.

Gosh, I just feel like these last few weeks have been just so odd.  Not ironic odd, just like nothing else I've ever experienced.  Maybe it's been the crazy weather so far this year or all the fantastical young adult books I've been having to read.  Things just seem strange.

The Captain's grandfather is dying.  He has been sick for quite some time, but up until less than a week ago, he was functioning normally.  I'll give some back story.  He was diagnosed several years ago with colon cancer.  He had surgery and treatment and came out of it fine.  Shortly after his bill of health was cleared, his wife was diagnosed with cancer, as well.  Her case was not so fortunate.  It progressed rapidly, and she passed only a couple of months later.  I believe that was the summer of 2009.  Last summer, his cancer returned.  He, once again, had surgery.  While recovering from this surgery, he complained of stomach pain.  It took some convincing on his family's part, but they did a scan on him and discovered a large tumor in his stomach.  He's been living in an assisted living community for a little over a year.  He misses his wife terribly.  He had decided at the finding of the mass that he would not have treatment, that he would let the cancer run its course.  Over these last few months, we've enjoyed spending time with him, visiting him at his "apartment", taking him to lunch, seeing all his artistic creations.  Last Wednesday he had a bad night.  And he hasn't quite come out of it.  Late Saturday night, he was moved to hospice and given a five-day window.  TC has been on the boat since Thursday.  I went to visit Son (what we call his grandfather) while TC's mom was staying with him yesterday.  I would say that it was even more of a 180 since I'd last seen him just a few weeks ago.  He was in and out of sleep and uncomfortable, but it was very hard to understand what he was saying when he did speak.  The moments I could understand him, he asked for a haircut.  He wants to look nice for his wife when he sees her soon.  It's easy for me to be torn up about this, but it takes me completely by surprise how calm TC's family is.  They are all so strong.  Perhaps they are more compassionate or less selfish than me.  They understand that it's his time.  They've all made their peace with it.  They love him SO much.  When TC comes home Thursday, he plans to go spend as much time as possible with Son.

Onto another weird topic, three weeks ago I had a growth cut off of my shoulder.  It popped up after I went to the tanning bed (like a moron) a few times before my friend's wedding in December.  This may sound gross, but it looked like a pimple.  I tried to pop it, but it was hard.  I waited far too long to have it checked out, but they lanced it immediately to have a biopsy.  I finally heard back about it today.  They say it's an abnormal mole and that the cells don't look regular.  They casually mentioned the "possibility" of skin cancer, but they want to cut it out either way.  So next Tuesday, I'll be having my shoulder cut into.  I'm super not excited about this.  But with my skin and my stubbornness, I suppose I always expected to have a skin cancer scare.  My mom and TC will both be with me.  I just would rather not have to go through all that.  But, given other recent events, I really can't complain.

Guys, there are also lots of good things happening.  I'm just feeling so odd today, I just had to get out why.

Hello. Is it me you're looking for?

Did you guys think you'd never hear from me again, or what?  I honestly didn't know if I'd find the time or inspiration to blog again, but alas, the Ides of March approaches, so I thought I needed at least one post before then to catch everyone up.

Ummmmm soooooo, what's been going on in my life?  Hmmmmm...

(I probably should have read my last post to see where I was at that point...)

I'm in my final semester of undergrad right now.  Like, literally.  Like, I'm sitting in class while writing this.  The class I'm in is English, adolescent literature, emphasis on fantasy.  Yes, Twilight and The Hunger Games trilogy are on the reading list.  This was the class I was most looking forward to taking. Here's the problem.  I'm a little bit older than your typical college student.  A lot of these books were written after I graduated high school (with the exception of a couple of them, like The Giver).  Said books were the kinds of books these kids read for fun in middle school.  Their perceptions of the themes and issues in these books are REALLY different than my own.  It sort of takes away from my excitement.  I wish I could tell you guys to read some of these books and discuss them with me.  (This one kid [who knows everything, obviously] just mentioned that he was 15 during Hurricane Gustav.  I was 15 during Hurricane Andrew.  [Okay, not really.])

SO.  Presuming I'll pass all my courses, after a decade of college on and off, I'll finally have a bachelors degree.  And I'll celebrate with a trip to my favorite place on Earth with some of my favorite people on Earth.  While I'm sad that my big brother and The Captain won't be joining, I'll be honest, it'll probably be more fun to just have a girls' trip.  Plus, since TC has never been there, it ensures that I'll have another trip that way hopefully in the next few years.

Family stuff has just become so strange.  Both my brothers live an hour away now.  I miss my big brother.  So much.  I haven't seen him since Christmas.  TC and I went into the city last weekend to celebrate Valentine's Day, and I wanted so badly to get together with him, but it just didn't work out.  Then he came into town the next day, and I was throwing a baby shower for my bestie, and it didn't work out again.  My parents each have their own separate things going, and it's just taking some getting used to.  I don't hate it at all.  It's just different.

Things with TC's family have been quite transitional, as well.  I don't feel comfortable elaborating much on those things, but I'm sure as things come up, I'll share more.

Welp, there's your update.  I hope I've covered the main topics.