Birthdays and Catching Up

I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I'm planning for my next birthday. It's going to be a doozy. I have 29 weeks or 203 days until the big day.  That means 153 days until....well, you will just have to check back and see.  I hope I don't disappoint myself.  I've been known to do that.

Speaking of birthdays, I've missed a few this year.  My lovely married-into-the-family daughter, Lauren, had her birthday recently. 

She is everything we ever hoped and dreamed of for our son.  Add to that she is the woman I prayed for, the little girl that I knew was out there waiting to become his lovely wife, his companion and partner for life.  We adore her.

Speaking of adorable, Ethan had his birthday in July.  I can't believe he is 9 years old.  He is all boy, loves baseball,

motor vehicles,

and working on things.

He also has a very tender, sweet side.

He found a baby doll the other day.

He was fascinated and kept repeating "baby?" 

Speaking of babies, my baby boy turned 27 in July.

In August, he and Lauren moved to New Orleans.  Christopher started law school last week.  He is smart, funny, thoughtful, responsible and fun.  (He takes after his dad.)

Speaking of dads, mine has begun writing down stories from his past.  It has been fascinating to hear about his early years.    I've added a link in my sidebar.  Dad's mother died before I was born and hearing stories makes me wish all the more that I could have met my grandmother.  I'm told I look a lot like her.  In fact, one day my dad was at my home and did a double-take.  He said it was as if he was a boy again watching his mother cooking in the kitchen. 

Speaking of kitchens...I have some cooking to do.

The Fun Grandma

A Good Grandma lets her grandson spend the night.

A Fun Grandma stays up until 1:30 a.m. with her grandson when he spends the night.  Then stays up another hour to unwind.

A Good Grandma gets up early the next morning so the two can have breakfast.

A Fun Grandma convinces her grandson he'd like to snuggle in grandma's bed for at least another hour as 5 hours is not nearly enough sleep.  Then she makes him gluten free pancakes.

A Good Grandma watches her grandson play baseball.

A Fun Grandma plays baseball with her grandson, wears the obligatory cap when outfielding and helmet when pitching-even though it gives her hat hair.

A Good Grandma lets her grandson take a bubble bath in her big tub.

A Fun Grandma lets her grandson go fishing in her big tub.

A Good Grandma lets her grandson have mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups after dinner.

A Fun Grandma helps her grandson eat a bag of mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups after dinner, of course.

A Good Grandma lets her grandson help bake cookies.

A Fun Grandma lets her grandson wear an apron, take food orders, make drinks, and cut with sharp knives.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord

 Praise God in his holy place.
Praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his mighty acts.
Praise him for his immense greatness.

  

Praise him with tambourines and dancing.

Praise him with sounds from horns.

  

Praise him with harps and lyres.

Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.

 

Praise him with loud cymbals.

Praise him with crashing cymbals.

 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

   Hallelujah!

Randoms

Massive mosquito bites make for miserable nights.
Calling customer service should create calm, not commotion.
Hot, humid weather has me hankering for the beach.

Highest Phone Bill Ever

Our T-mobile phone bill arrived in the mail  yesterday.  It was 350 pages long, printed on both sides of the paper.

The grand total?

Yes, you read that correctly:  $2,720.07

Apparently 3 weeks ago, when we bought SB her new phone, they changed our plan.  Unlimited text messaging was inadvertently removed.  We were charged 20 cents for each incoming and outgoing message.

Really?  Did they think we wanted to pay two thousand, seven hundred & twenty dollars and seven cents instead of paying a monthly unlimited fee?

Summertime

If Only I Had A Tripod

Hope everyone had a Happy 4th of July.  I sat in the sand, watching fireworks over the ocean.  It was beautiful!  One day I get a tripod to take pictures of fire in the sky.

No More Velcro

I can hardly believe it. Twenty-two???  When did that happen?

What a year it has been!

 Last June was your 21st birthday.

In the fall, amidst the vibrant colors, changes began.

January found us saying good-bye as you headed off to London.

Your semester abroad was filled with adventures and new friends.

You spent time in the ER & returned home to surgery,




As soon as you were well, you became CNA certified and are almost ready for more life experiences.

So proud of you.  I'll bet those who thought the velcro would never lose its stickiness would be too.

(Sorry I forgot to hit publish on your birthday, and left this sitting unposted for so long.)

Relationships Are Tricky

I confess, early on I took you for granted.  It wasn't until the busyness of life began to crowd you out, that I realized how important you are.  I began wishing I could spend more time with you.  I thought about you more and more.  I couldn't get enough of you.  I longed for life to slow down, so we could spend bigger blocks of time together.

More recently, our time together is much more satisfying.  I am completely refreshed by you.  Why is it, when I'm most content, it becomes easy to put you off?  I avoid you as much as possible so I can do things that I want to do, in spite of your gentle tugging.   But I count on you to be there for me the minute I need you.

Tonight you let me down.  The moment I felt you vying for my attention, I didn't ignore you. I turned off the computer, shut out the lights, and gave you my undivided attention.  I've missed you!

What happened to your peaceful presence? I thought since we've had so little time together, my generosity tonight would yield an extra hour or two with you.

Oh sleep...I'm so sorry that I've kept you waiting.  Please come back to me.  I really do need you.  Don't let me down now.

Just Three More Days

Christopher and Lauren will be home on Saturday.


Their two plus years of teaching in South Korea is at its conclusion.



While I'm busy thinking of the first meal we'll share together, the first hug, the first family get together,

on the other side of the world, they are are drinking in their lasts.


Their daily walk to school will end.

They'll take their final Subway in Seoul.
 

One last time they'll eat Korean kimchi,



and shop at a local market.

They'll say good-bye to friends who've become like family.

When Christopher and Lauren departed for their teaching adventure, it wasn't without a bit of sadness. But they left home knowing they would return.

This leaving is different. Most likely they will never see the children again.

A final, wistful good-bye to their school



and friends,

their apartment, and life as they now know it.

They may even miss their very private mailbox.
 

Maybe not.

There is no promise that they'll have the opportunity to walk the streets of Seoul and experience its culture.


The week I spent in Korea, I fell in love with the people.  In that brief moment in time, the city of Seoul captured my soul.

So while everyone here is excited for their return, Christopher and Lauren are most likely leaving with mixed emotions-uncertainty of ever being in this corner of the world again.



Nevertheless, they will remain forever connected to this place. Their hearts were woven into the fabric of life in Seoul, South Korea.



The investments they made in the lives of the children will be everlasting.

This was their home.