It never ceases to amaze me, the randomness of my thoughts sometimes. Usually, it is about family and close friends - how much people mean to me and how thankful I am. I'm certain part of it all, at least at this point, has been the past seven months, pretty much all of 2007....and really the spectrum is much bigger than these last months.
Anyway...there really isn't a much sweeter sound than to hear "Aan - SEE...." coming from the lips of my almost 20 month old niece - well, "Grandma" ranks right up there too!
Sara and I spent the morning together we tackled Sams, Costco and Bill Estes and then moved on to the Fashion Mall....for a close encounter with Restoration Hardware. I have two words....BIG MISTAKE - on the aunt's behalf! Now, I should be smart enough to know that MY niece would be not only intrigued and curious with all the 'stuff' there....but "hello" - lots of glass items....on every isle. So, I maintained a firm grip on one of her paws and stopped frequently as Sara admired all the "prrretteee" stuff in the store. And....wouldn't you know it, they didn't have what I needed!!!
Chickfilet is a kid magnet on Saturday around noon. Though I will confess, it seems to me that parents who bring their small fry to the Chickfilet are far more courteous and seem to have better parenting skills than those at most kiddy kinds of fast foot restaurants!
While attempting to supervise a very nosey and curious little girl who was downing her chicken nuggets, waffle fries, fruit cup, and milk my cell rang....it was the princess ring, from my very own grown up princess (HRH Tab!!! That would be princess, as in a beautiful, fairy tale princess - as in almost too good to be true!)....as it turned out it wasn't Tab - it was a great moment in time, as it was Belle, the amazing oldest granddaughter - giving Grandma an update on how she was feeling...she's been a little under the weather for a few days.
Let's just say, I'm pretty certain I hit the jackpot at that moment - surrounded by the most pure, unconditional love of the human kind - that of a child.
While tooling around the north side of Indianapolis today I found myself pondering how I want to fill my days - as the uncertainty of the future is often more than I can wrap my head and heart around. The answer was very clear - clearer than most things have been in many months. I shall fill my days with life - with things, people, activities that give life meaning and purpose, not only for me and those I love and care about; but, hopefully, some greater good.
Yeah, I know - sounds a little lofty for some middle aged woman from the Midwest - but, it is how I see things...it's my hope and prayer.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Toto....
...there's no place like home, there's no place like home.... However, last night I wasn't entirely sure of that! When we pulled in the driveway from the airport I immediately noticed all the windows of my house were opened....never a good sign, in the middle of the summer in Indiana!!!
So, after blowing off some steam of my own getting everything unpacked and put away I ventured down to the basement cursing as I walked down the stairs, and then praying to Jesus as I flipped the breaker switch in an effort to 'jump start' the AC - THANK YOU Jesus!!! It clicked on - left the windows opened to cool down the oven (aka: my house!) as quickly as possible, in the middle of the night I even needed a blanket, so we're getting back on track!
Spent the majority of the day getting the post-vacation stuff taken care of....banking, bill paying, grocery shopping - add to the mix getting disability and travel insurance forms filled out and mailed (certified, of course!)....and then, my monthly IVIG infusion.
That IVIG really makes me feel lousy - shaking chills, terrible achiness in my back and kinda everywhere, chest pain....argh. Think getting hit by a semi!
So, after blowing off some steam of my own getting everything unpacked and put away I ventured down to the basement cursing as I walked down the stairs, and then praying to Jesus as I flipped the breaker switch in an effort to 'jump start' the AC - THANK YOU Jesus!!! It clicked on - left the windows opened to cool down the oven (aka: my house!) as quickly as possible, in the middle of the night I even needed a blanket, so we're getting back on track!
Spent the majority of the day getting the post-vacation stuff taken care of....banking, bill paying, grocery shopping - add to the mix getting disability and travel insurance forms filled out and mailed (certified, of course!)....and then, my monthly IVIG infusion.
That IVIG really makes me feel lousy - shaking chills, terrible achiness in my back and kinda everywhere, chest pain....argh. Think getting hit by a semi!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Schlitter....what?!?!
Obviously, I DON'T get it....posted this last night, but....it didn't post.....argh!!!!! So, I will 'recreate' the proverbial wheel and move on from there!
It has become very, very, very clear to me that I am not longer 25 or 35 or even 45!!!! There is enough energy in this house, with a 8, 4, and 2 year old to provide energy not only for the entire eastern seaboard, but, perhaps the entire country in the event of a future "blackout"!!!
Yesterday the 5 of us....Tab, Will, Isabel, Jill and Grandma (that would be me....I know a scary thought, don't 'ya think!) spent the day at Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, TX (I make no promises about any of the spelling of those proper nouns!). http://www.schlitterbahn.com/brochures/NB.pdf
On the flight from Chicago to Austin I was perusing the Southwest Airline magazine and they had an article on the '5 Best Water Parks in America" and #1 on the list was....you guessed it....Schlitter- whatever! After spending the better part of a day there, I think the 'title' of "THE best" is well founded. The girls had a great time - and so did the adults!! My days of being a maniac on water slides is over - but I did groove on the 'lazy river' and the 'not so lazy river' that had some pretty good 'rapids'!!!
After spending a day a full tilt yesterday, today, Tab and I spent the day at the spa - facial, full body sugar scrub and body massage, haircut and style - a fabulous 'spa' lunch.....NOW you are talking MY language!!! However, 'sticking' to the sheets post sugar scrub was a rather intriguing experience!
Tomorrow I leave for home, and though it will be nice to get back - I'll really miss the girls, and Tab and Will. Wish Vance were here to share all of this, he would have an a amazing time with these three little girls - he'd be a great Grandpa.
It has become very, very, very clear to me that I am not longer 25 or 35 or even 45!!!! There is enough energy in this house, with a 8, 4, and 2 year old to provide energy not only for the entire eastern seaboard, but, perhaps the entire country in the event of a future "blackout"!!!
Yesterday the 5 of us....Tab, Will, Isabel, Jill and Grandma (that would be me....I know a scary thought, don't 'ya think!) spent the day at Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, TX (I make no promises about any of the spelling of those proper nouns!). http://www.schlitterbahn.com/brochures/NB.pdf
On the flight from Chicago to Austin I was perusing the Southwest Airline magazine and they had an article on the '5 Best Water Parks in America" and #1 on the list was....you guessed it....Schlitter- whatever! After spending the better part of a day there, I think the 'title' of "THE best" is well founded. The girls had a great time - and so did the adults!! My days of being a maniac on water slides is over - but I did groove on the 'lazy river' and the 'not so lazy river' that had some pretty good 'rapids'!!!
After spending a day a full tilt yesterday, today, Tab and I spent the day at the spa - facial, full body sugar scrub and body massage, haircut and style - a fabulous 'spa' lunch.....NOW you are talking MY language!!! However, 'sticking' to the sheets post sugar scrub was a rather intriguing experience!
Tomorrow I leave for home, and though it will be nice to get back - I'll really miss the girls, and Tab and Will. Wish Vance were here to share all of this, he would have an a amazing time with these three little girls - he'd be a great Grandpa.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Yee, Hah...cowboy!
OK, so I don't have a clue how to spell that Southwestern lingo, but, you get the idea!
First, let me say, Southwest Airline is so far superior to Northworst Airline (and no, that's no typo!) that I don't even know where to begin to start! Lets just say, that the flights were on time, everyone I dealt with from curb check-in to flight attendents were more than pleasant and helpful, they 'served' peanuts and Ritz chips with the complimentary beverages on the flight, AND they didn't loose my luggage!!! Really, after the great Northwest debacle, it doesn't get much better than that!!!!
Now, those 2.5 hours of sleep I got Wednesday morning before I had to "get up" to shower and dress weren't exactly adequate - but, it was what it was....there was that nap I took yesterday afternoon and then the three hour nap this afternoon....!!!!
Texas, is well, Texas - hot and humid...I know, what do I expect in the middle of the summer. They have had so much rain here, you need a machette to cut through the air!!!
Today was my youngest granddaughters birthday - Maya turned two!!! We went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse tonight (go figure!), then to a playground for the girls to burn some energy - and finished up at Amy's Ice Cream - it's been featured on the Food Network, for good reason.
Whenever I'm here - or able to spend time with Tabitha I feel especially close to Vance - she reminds me of him in so many ways - her eyes are just like her Dad's and she has his sense of humor and quick wit. I know he is looking down from heaven and so proud of her and the life she and Will have built - and so pleased that Tabi and I remain closer than ever. I am so blessed to have this amazing relationship with her - Will and the girls are icing on the cake!
First, let me say, Southwest Airline is so far superior to Northworst Airline (and no, that's no typo!) that I don't even know where to begin to start! Lets just say, that the flights were on time, everyone I dealt with from curb check-in to flight attendents were more than pleasant and helpful, they 'served' peanuts and Ritz chips with the complimentary beverages on the flight, AND they didn't loose my luggage!!! Really, after the great Northwest debacle, it doesn't get much better than that!!!!
Now, those 2.5 hours of sleep I got Wednesday morning before I had to "get up" to shower and dress weren't exactly adequate - but, it was what it was....there was that nap I took yesterday afternoon and then the three hour nap this afternoon....!!!!
Texas, is well, Texas - hot and humid...I know, what do I expect in the middle of the summer. They have had so much rain here, you need a machette to cut through the air!!!
Today was my youngest granddaughters birthday - Maya turned two!!! We went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse tonight (go figure!), then to a playground for the girls to burn some energy - and finished up at Amy's Ice Cream - it's been featured on the Food Network, for good reason.
Whenever I'm here - or able to spend time with Tabitha I feel especially close to Vance - she reminds me of him in so many ways - her eyes are just like her Dad's and she has his sense of humor and quick wit. I know he is looking down from heaven and so proud of her and the life she and Will have built - and so pleased that Tabi and I remain closer than ever. I am so blessed to have this amazing relationship with her - Will and the girls are icing on the cake!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
OKEY DOKEY...
OK, so I don't exactly have this whole blogging thing down to a science...it's been a little over 11 months since my initial post, it seemed like such a great idea at the time.
Now, I stand by that initial post! And quite frankly that niece of mine has probably been the saving grace of my sanity the past 11 months! Dad's diagnosis with brain cancer and the months of caring for him (with a lot of help from family....especially Amy and Aunt Elaine), then his death in
February.....and then just when I thought I could take that long deep breath and return to some kind of normalcy, the bottom falls out - healthwise!
So, maybe 'normal', is overrated - but then, I couldn't tell you because I'm not even sure that the whole concept of normal exists in my little corner of the world!!!
Figuring all of this out is a real adventure - not one I would have willingly signed up for....but I've got it, and you know me - once the gauntlet has been thrown down, 'let the games begin'!
So here I am, typing this, after midnight and I'm going to be on an airplane on my way to Texas in seven hours. Am I done packing - heck no.....but at least I'm started, and really everything is pretty much under control - or at least as under control as it can be in the middle of the flippin' flappin' night! Talked to Tabitha a while ago and told her the only thing I knew for sure about this trip right now was, I'm taking a nap after I get there tomorrow afternoon - oops, that would be THIS afternoon!!!! I can hardly wait to cool my heels at Midway airport for more than three hours in a few hours, "later" this morning...since when is 0700 'later' in the morning!?!?!?!
Oh well....tick-toc, if I'm not going to pack anymore, I need to try and get a little snore in, before the alarm goes off at 0407...don't ask me why I picked that time, I don't have a clue!
Now, I stand by that initial post! And quite frankly that niece of mine has probably been the saving grace of my sanity the past 11 months! Dad's diagnosis with brain cancer and the months of caring for him (with a lot of help from family....especially Amy and Aunt Elaine), then his death in
February.....and then just when I thought I could take that long deep breath and return to some kind of normalcy, the bottom falls out - healthwise!
So, maybe 'normal', is overrated - but then, I couldn't tell you because I'm not even sure that the whole concept of normal exists in my little corner of the world!!!
Figuring all of this out is a real adventure - not one I would have willingly signed up for....but I've got it, and you know me - once the gauntlet has been thrown down, 'let the games begin'!
So here I am, typing this, after midnight and I'm going to be on an airplane on my way to Texas in seven hours. Am I done packing - heck no.....but at least I'm started, and really everything is pretty much under control - or at least as under control as it can be in the middle of the flippin' flappin' night! Talked to Tabitha a while ago and told her the only thing I knew for sure about this trip right now was, I'm taking a nap after I get there tomorrow afternoon - oops, that would be THIS afternoon!!!! I can hardly wait to cool my heels at Midway airport for more than three hours in a few hours, "later" this morning...since when is 0700 'later' in the morning!?!?!?!
Oh well....tick-toc, if I'm not going to pack anymore, I need to try and get a little snore in, before the alarm goes off at 0407...don't ask me why I picked that time, I don't have a clue!
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