ramblin' on

I keep on intending to write, but I'm fining myself a bit stressed of late and with very little extra energy. Plus, I have so much to catch up on.  Which all clearly indicates a need for an update post in the bullet-point style I love so dearly:

• On April 27, I became Mrs. Military Man.  I really intend to write a full post on the day.  I was a total girly teary mess during the ceremony but made it through a part I'd long promised myself would happen -- we both read some words we'd prepared for the other (not vows, I like matching vows, but more of a message to the other person).  I'm totally taking the suggestion to include both writings in the eventual album and tempted to post my own ramblings.  Those exchanges included, I think it turned out to be a lovely day.  Our week in Florida was a lovely, relaxing escape as well!
• I wanted to throw a party the day I finished my Thank You cards!
• I also have been seeing a new set of docs and had a radiofrequency ablation.  I tried to believe it would work and that they'd zap away the nerves that were causing my pain.  Sadly, enough time has passed that I have to conclude it might have gotten a bit of the issue, but no more than 5-10% of the problem.  My follow-up was frustrating...at one point he said "but you're not there yet" which upset me since he may be new to my case, but my case (i.e. my pain) is not new.  Anyway, for now he's trying some topical medicines.  He did mention maybe looking at a spinal cord simulator but I think he feels like they are going to improve considerably in a year or two. 
• I've progressed well through the grieving process re my father, at least per Pain Shrink.  For brides who've had a similar loss, especially an unexpected one fairly close to the event, I highly recommend picking a day around a week ahead of time to just straight out mope.  It helped to assign a day of grief...not that grieving can be truly confined to a day, but I took one day to just be sad and it really helped.  Of course there were hard moments (I am lucky to have a step-father who served as my escort...I debated walking alone, even before the loss, given where I am in life but it would have been hard), but I think it was a lot better than it could have been.  There are some Dad-related issues that I'm having trouble with, but I feel somewhat at peace with my father in general and that helps across the board.  I still have an impulse to seek out his input on medical things and to send him random notes.
• Perhaps you recall my new-found fondness for aquaucise (and my classmates).  Well, I'm still going but now find myself on the other side of the class.  The Y's aquatic director asked me to take over teaching for the summer.  I'm loving it and getting great reviews (including from at least one woman who'd stay quiet if she wasn't pleased, a contrast to some who I think might just want me to feel good).  Not sure if they'll have me give the class back in the fall or stay on....particularly since I get the impression that most of the class prefers me to the most recent instructor.
• It may take a moment to see, but these are our recent visitors.  The first pic is the day they hatched.  In the second, one baby had already "fledged" (left the nest) and I caught the second as he was getting ready.  He sat and watched me for a bit and then I startled him and he took the big leap.  I think it is pretty cool to have the pics the day they hatched and the day (the moment!!) one of them left the nest.