Well goodness gracious, it has been a long time since I posted on this website--strike that, I did post a little something on the 25th, but not a long post.
Let me see, what's been up with me since my last full post?
To begin, I finally graduated with my Bachelor's in Individualized Studies in December 2014. And then from 2015 until April 2016, I tried to apply for graduate school, but it became too much work and was wearing me down to a tiny nub as it were. So I decided to take a break.
And then in May 2016, my Grandma, whom I think I've mentioned a few time here on the forum, fell and dislocated her shoulder. That was the beginning of the end. She became completely bedridden, and her condition became worse.
On June 15th, 2016, she died peacefully at home. She was 92.
It was very hard on all three of us (Chris has now moved up to Albuquerque and got married last December!
): my mom Ann, my sister Alyssa, and myself. But we persevered. The concert I mentioned? Riverdance? That was our last concert with Grandma, and she really enjoyed it just as much as we did.
I've begun writing full time now (a year ago this past September), and I've been working on several writing projects since then. You should go check out my blog (I'll put the link up at the end)! I've also started volunteering at one of my local museums here in Las Cruces, and one day I hope to actually get paid working there. But's it's a wonderful place. I work with the education curator, and we come up with activities/lectures, etc to tie in with our exhibits we have there.
Alyssa graduated with her Masters in Public History, and now is going to get a certificate in Library Education in the spring. Mom retired from teaching in El Paso, tried teaching for a while in 2015, but then she took a Family Medical Leave so she could take care of Grandma at that time. Now she's hoping to get a job with the school district here in Las Cruces.
We have had our hard times, of course.
Alyssa's godmother Aunt Pat (I've mentioned her a few times here, and that her favorite was Mairead Nesbitt; she called her "the pixie") went up to New Jersey last month to a niece's wedding, and yours truly went with her. While we were up there, she developed a pain in her stomach and had to have emergency gallbladder surgery as a result. The surgery went well, but while she was at a rehab center, the pain came back.
In the early hours of Friday the 13th, she passed out while in the bathroom and while they were trying to revive her, she stopped breathing.
She was 81. We'd just celebrated her birthday three months ago.
As a result of it happening so suddenly, we are going through some emotional times. But one thing that has kept me grounded and soothed is--of course, Celtic Woman. AP loved them just as much as we did, and I take comfort in knowing that, as well as the beautiful melodies and soaring voices of our girls. And I realized that I missed posting on here so I will be doing that more often.
Well, there ya go. A full update. But I'm glad to be back.
Here's my blog:
www.gabriellabrillante.wordpress.comAnd hey, I have a YouTube channel, too!
www.youtube.com/user/ggungaby