In chronological order...

Tragedy Number 1:
Reagan made it to the final four, but didn't get the job he was hoping for. Final Four only counts in basketball. This means we'll have to move back to CA. Now.

Tragedy Number 2:
Our car needs Expensive Repairs. Not so much repairs as breaks, which are routine maintenance, but one that came sooner and more costly than expected. If we tow it behind a u-haul to CA we won't need to get them repaired right away, but the condition is too unstable to drive 500 miles, which leads us to...

Tragedy Number 3:
No seeing Kenna in concert. Kenna is an artist I've been with since his first album, and I don't associate him with any other people in my life or past. Also, I love his music, and it's incredibly special to me. All this means that when we bought tickets to see him in concert Monday in Atlanta, it became the music event I've looked forward to the most in my life, even more than the time the Supertones played a gig at my church when I was in middle school.

At the height of grieving Tragedy Number 3 (in part precipitated by Tragedies One and Two) I had a nice crying fit. Crying fit beget Time With Reagan, Time With Reagan beget going to the beach.

The beach was wonderfully overcast, rainy, and empty. I took the camera, we had a nice long walk, and captured that hour of afternoon in a little gray box. Which brings me to...

Tragedy Number Four:
The trip to the beach was Saturday. I tried that night for hours and tried today for long minutes to upload the really cool pictures and tell people what's been going on with me, and what's projected to be going on with me in the next few weeks. Blogger is being terribly stubborn with uploading these pictures.

Through the course of writing this post it's progressed to the last pair to upload, but seems to be slowing down. *frustration*

Okay, while it works on that, I'll move to the Blessings.

Blessing Number One:
Reagan and I will be in California for Carol's birthday, Thanksgiving, my mom's birthday, Christmas, my brother's birthday, New Year's, and all events and activities associated with those holidays. We will be able to spend time with other friends and family as well, and get to know our baby niece (who still scares me).

Blessing Number Two:
We're out of the limbo that's been holding us up in the air for the past three months. While moving home is not incredibly Savory, we have cleared a path a short way into the dense underbrush of life. Pack up, move home, Do Projects. While our current trajectory wasn't ideal, we have a clear read on what it is now, and it's better than uncertainty.

Blessing Number Three:
Even though I didn't make it to the concert, I'm still totally enthralled by Kenna's new CD (which he is promoting with the current tour). For an example of how inspired I am by his music, in the few hours I thought we would be going to the concert, I sketched out a gift-art comic to give Kenna. Even if I don't finish it, the little exercise helped me build more confidence in my artistic abilities.

Blessing 3a:
Reagan got me into reading the Otherland series by Tad Williams. I like to think it was to console me over loss of meeting Kenna, but I believe he pushed the book into my hands before that. Good book in a good bubble bath is a sure thing for calming me down. Or making me happy when I'm already calm.

Blessing Number Four:
Carol offered to get me prints of a couple of the beach pictures with her spare SnapFish credits. And Blogger finally pulled through with uploading photos.

In the end, when you really think about it, things aren't really that bad. Family, friends, health, creativity... so what if my surroundings are in chaos for a few weeks? I've got the things that matter. :)