Wedding, funerals, birthdays, graduations, after a divorce,

Thank you for asking!  When it rains it pours! My daughter had appointments to "finally after a year and a half" get her knee surgery scheduled. That went extremely well" The surgeon is a personal friend of mine". The morning of the funeral one of our sons needed to be picked up an hour away at a care facility. He was suicidal due to not receiving the proper medication for his newly diagnosed bi-polar. He's doing much better!

My ex politely emailed me for my help in picking up our son, while one of my older boys took my daughter to the orthodontist. All this on the morning of the funeral!

I did not attend. Instead I went out and had a dinner date with a new woman, whom I met online.  I did not send flowers, I stayed my distance.

My daughter was the one who had the idea, "lets stay with mom for two weeks, and then we can stay with you for two weeks". That was my final decision. My ex agreed to that through our daughter, no communication with me, a very minor point.

My very first portrait I ever painted was of grandpa. It's one of my best. I had some guidance from other painters in a class I was taking so I can not enter it in local or state competition. I think It would have gotten many awards. it was used in his funeral.

my youngest daughter came into my room the other night and told me more details about the funeral. She asked the question, "why didn't you go?" ( she asks direct unfiltered questions!!) I told her ,in a soft tone, " "I wasn't invited, and it was probably best that I wasn't there". 
She responded ," yeah probably, moms whole family was there, it was okay, and kind of boring". Nothing else needed to be said.

I am glad that they are getting a two week break from all that was going on at the other house that week. And I love having them with me!