Isn't that a great word, grappling? It makes me think of rappelling off of a mountain or angry apples or grabbing at things too far to reach. Whatever the case, it pretty much encompasses in one word what I'm feeling lately. Some people preserve apples, I preserve grapples, including:

• what to post. I come here, look around, linger with fingers frozen above the computer keys and think.....empty. Jilted at the word well. I've got nothing, my people.
  
• how to be a better mom. I think we moms always grapple with this but there are times when we feel especially ill equipped and inadequate. Red circle around this month for coming up short, parenting wise.
  
• which brings me to the big grapple--whether the phd program needs to go out the window in order to preserve happiness and joy throughout the land. Truth? My heart's not in it lately. I can't decide if it's terminal or just a phase but this is the one and only optional portion of my life. Trudge along or not? Please discuss.
• how to convince a frisky red squirrel that our attic is not his home for the winter.
• a potpourri of unnecessary worries, not worthy of grappling but they don't seem to know it.
  

Enough of my grapplesauce. Suffice it to say, there is grappling and it is time consuming.

We had a wonderful visit with Greg's family for the funeral, celebrating Grandma Pearl and hugging each other. We also sneaked (snuck? definitely not snook) in a quick dinner with my parents, who drove to Brigham City to meet us as we traveled from Idaho to the airport in SLC (three cheers for the Maddox meat fest!). The red eye plane flight back took its toll on all of us. I even fell asleep at a stoplight--fully, dreaming asleep at the wheel. Greg had to wake me up so I could finish the drive home. Even so, we are thrilled to be getting back on the plane tomorrow for our previously scheduled trip to spend Thanksgiving with my parents. Good movies, fabulous food, and great conversation ahead. No grappling there!