Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

We went to Diana and Peter's for Easter. The food was so good! Peter's sister was visiting from New Jersey and she recorded them telling us Diana's pregnant!!! They hadn't told everyone in Peter's family so we couldn't tell anyone. But they went to New Jersey for Father's Day and I'm free to tell you the news!!

 

They really had it all planned out: After dinner we settled in for a game of Chronology, have you played it? I think I posted about it once before.

 

If these were my cards, the player on my right would read a card to me and I'd have to guess if it happened between 1949 or 1983, or before 1793... there were 6 of us and we had gone around the table a few times when Diana picks up a card and 'reads' "CWA originally from California becomes a grandfather again." Chuck picked up on it right away but I'm so focused on the initials CWA, that's not how the cards are written. I even asked, "They only give the initials?" I obviously didn't hear the rest of the clue! When Diana finally says, "We're due in December" that's when I lost it!!!

We all went out for lunch recently and they showed us a bunch of ultrasound pictures. As I'm looking through them I see printed in small red letters, IT'S A GIRL

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! We are so excited!!

Grandparents, It Hit Me Like a Wave, and a Purposeful Re-creation?

We were texting Diana the other day about wedding plans and she said something about riding with Peter's grandparents and right there in the middle of our office area, I began to cry. The grief came over me like a giant wave as I realized - again - that my girls no longer have grandparents.

My dad died in 2019 and Chuck's mom, the last of their grandparents, just died in February. 

It hit me hard and I let the tears flow.

I've had this picture hanging in the living room for many years. It's one of those iconic photos that are a part of your family. It's my dad at around 3 years old, sitting on the hood of their car.

I've seen this next picture a hundred times but never really thought about it. A few months ago I came across it again and it hit me! Was my dad purposefully re-creating his photo? This is me around 2 years old, sitting on the hood of our car.

All these years and I never made the connection!

I've re-created photos:

Me and my sisters

Our girls

Sharaya getting ready to ride on my dads motorcycle

Allison standing next to my dads motorcycle

And my girls have re-created photos - many photos! Here's one:

But to think my dad did it way back in the early 1960's, just makes me miss him even more.

Do you have a family photo that means a lot to you?

Have you ever re-created a picture?

What We've Been Doing So Far

We flew into San Diego on October 3rd. For the first time in a long time we didn't have an early morning flight so we didn't have to rush to get to the airport. 

Chuck is better at directions than I am so he always goes first, then I tell Beth to "follow dad" and I follow Beth.

The airport was pretty busy but we made it through security and got to our gate with plenty of time to spare. I'd much rather be early - to anywhere! - than late so I'm a happy camper when we arrive early. 

Chuck prefers the aisle seat and Beth doesn't like to fly so I always get the window seat. She especially doesn't like it when we take off.

  
Take offs and landings aren't my favorite either but once we're in the air, my phone comes out and I'm glued to the window pane! I love aerial photography! It's a perspective you don't get every day and I've never understood how people can watch movies or play on their phones the whole flight!

Mount Rainier

 

This is Miramar, the Marine Corp air field where my dad will be interned. (Not sure why Miramar, he was in the Navy.) But anyway, when I saw this I started to cry. This trip was the first time in more than 30 years that I went to San Diego and my dad wouldn't be there. It's a hard thing to accept.

  
One of the first things we did after getting to San Diego was go to the beach! Our 2 favorites are La Jolla and Mission Beach. This time we went to Mission. We walked along the shore, played corn hole, did some shopping and even had lunch, right there at the ocean. 

For me there's no place like the beach. And I know it's that way for a lot of people. I took a deep breath and smelled that salt water as I walked across the sand and when the water hit my feet I immediately felt a sense of rest and peace. As much as my heart aches knowing my dad is gone, I just knew everything was going to be okay. What is it about the ocean that causes reflection and introspection? 

A Few Minutes

I have less than an hour before I have to go back to work, it's been all-consuming lately.

I lost 4 custodians this summer; two are now working for other departments at our church, one left for college, etc. Of the 4 I have left, this week one is in India and another is in Oregon... and even though I've hired a couple of people to make up for my summer loss, they aren't familiar enough with the job to work alone yet.

So the last few days I've been working the evening shift. Along with my regular day job. From 8:30am - 10pm. I'm thoroughly exhausted but thankful the week is just about over! Everybody comes back this weekend!

I took some pictures this week... but alas Outlook has stopped working on our laptop. We still get email on our phones but I don't know how to get photos from my phone to my computer without email.

So this is how my week has been and why I haven't posted. I hope you're all doing well and the beginning of fall has been fun and relaxing for you! 

I'll post another picture of my dad. We leave for San Diego next week to celebrate his life. It's strange having both your parents gone. Even though they were both in San Diego and I'm in Seattle, they were always in my thoughts, I knew where they were, what they were doing... now it's just... different.

The Feeling Of Freedom

This last week was so emotional. You could tell my dad was nervous about moving but he knew it had to happen. My sister has been doing everything for him and I think he was just expecting her to do it all. At one point my dad told her, "Deb! I'm hungry!" And she asked him what he wanted to eat. And I lovingly said, "Actually dad I think what you meant to say was, 'Hey Deb would you please fix me something to eat?'" 

And honestly, neither one of them smiled. They both had exhausted, no nonsense expressions on their faces.

Throughout the week I had to remind my sister to feed her animals.

My dad asked her to help him with everything.

She forgot where she put medication.

The house was always closed up. 

Every day she got him out of bed and helped him to the couch. Sometimes he would get up and walk around the living room and kitchen to ease the Restless Leg Syndrome but for the most part he stayed on the couch until it was time for bed again.

They absolutely love each other and they both know the other one is trying their best but after so many years of this, the situation had just drained them both.

It was without a doubt time for my dad to move.

My niece, nephew and some of their kids came over and helped us move the few pieces of furniture that he was going to take with him. We got him in the truck then went back into the house for our purses and stuff and my sister began to cry. I just stood there and hugged her for a while.

When we got to the facility Deb decided to leave my dad in the truck while we moved his stuff into his room. It didn't take very long and he was walking into his new place. His room is much bigger than the one he had at my sisters and there was bright sunlight beaming in through the window.

They put a pole by his bed so he can start getting himself out of bed on his own. My sister has helped him for years but he has to be able to do it on his own.

While Deb sat at the table with the administrator going over medications and paperwork, my dad walked around the facility.

It's a gorgeous place with animals on the property (goats, miniature horses...) a beautiful courtyard, all the residents eat every meal together in the dining room, it's going to be a better quality of life for him and I think he realizes that.

After 3 days his only complaint was that they don't feed him enough! For a 94 year old, he eats non stop! He's the only resident that cleans his plate and asks for seconds! 😋 

The last time Deb and I visited him we were only there a short time when he said, "Well you two I guess I'll see you tomorrow." He was ready for us to leave! 

Thank you all for your prayers. We know he's gonna be just fine!

And my sister? We went back to her place and she collapsed in her recliner. "I can't believe how free I feel."