Head back up again!

Hello lovely friends! I've missed you all, and am aware that I haven't journalled for three months (An age!) It's been the busiest period I've had for a very long time, but also an incredibly fulfilling time. I've been working full-time with the community nurses (and had essays, presentations etc to do at the same time - oof my old brain has had to work hard!) - and I've absolutely loved it. I'm in no doubt at all that nursing is the right path for me to have taken. I finished my placement on Easter Sunday, and oh I felt so different putting on my uniform for that last time than I did on the first day - I was so terrified the first time I drove over the moor to Whitby, but on Sunday night I was really emotional - I'll miss the lovely team, and my patients, some of whom I saw nearly every day, very much. But, onwards to the next thing - eight weeks back in the classroom before the next three month placement over the summer. Before I started, really I had no idea whether or not I'd actually be able to do it - as we all know, caring for a beloved one is a completely different thing. It's not all been easy - my first death was a milestone which I knew was going to be a difficult one, but something which had to happen - we were supporting the family only for two weeks before Anne died, but there were many parallels with D's death. I was, however, able to work with the nurses caring for her, and support the family, without my own emotions getting too much in the way I think. 
And now I have a couple of weeks of heavenly holiday. I've done some excellent sleeping to start with! I've got nice things planned with friends over the next few days - I'm cooking for a friend's birthday lunch tomorrow, and some colleagues from my old work are coming too - a good chance to catch up. On Saturday my choir is competing at a festival, so we'll be there all day. We're all very excited, though our expectations are a wee bit lower than they were last year, as we know exactly how good the opposition are!! It's a wonderful chance to listen to choirs all day though - so many different ones, singing in different styles, from all over the country.
And then....well, my best friend and I are going on a real trip down memory lane next week. We met 19 years ago when both of us were teaching in rural villages in Lithuania, just after it became independent from the USSR. It was a fascinating time, one that could never be had these days, in the world of the internet, and skype etc, very vivid, and cemented our friendship forever. We've been talking about going back for years, and so, as we're both 40 this year, we've decided to finally do it. We've only got time for four nights, so we're just going to Vilnius, the capital (which was where we went for treats and city life when it all got too much in the villages!) - it's going to be so so interesting to see how things have changed. I can't wait!
So - life is very busy, and, often, life is good. But it doesn't mean that D isn't ever present in my mind. I still miss him terribly, and can't see that ever going away. I tell everyone else about my nursing, etc, but really I just want to be telling him. I know he'd be so so interested (and so helpful, too, with my coursework! ;-)) But I think/hope he'd be proud. 
I hope that you've all had an Easter full of spring sunshine, and the blessings of family and friends. I know I've been absent for a while, but, really, I'll always still be here - I'll never ever forget all of you, and still hope we can meet one day!  
All my love xxx