Not to say that I actually enjoyed the airplane part with the 4 boys. But it was great to take them to the suburban midwest and then the rural midwest. There were tons of cousins and relatives and new toys to play with (new to them). And the 5 and 9-y-o boys went to an afternoon trip to some farmland owned by my cousin, where they rode around on a quad (no roll bar) and a large go-cart (with roll bars). Just hanging out with family like that is so refreshingly un-Californian. No play dates to schedule. Just family time. Nice.
And Aunt M is hanging in there. She even gained 6 pounds, which is awesome. She looks stronger to me now than she did last October. As long as she can hold steady or gain weight, she stays one step ahead of her colon cancer. I am praying and praying over here for her health.
Showing posts with label planes trains and automobiles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planes trains and automobiles. Show all posts
Monday, February 16, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Flying the friendly skies
I'm really going now. Packing today and flying tomorrow. Back Monday night. I'll miss you. I wonder if I will be able to steal any computer time over there. Perhaps. DH has a sort of cell-phone internet connection on his computer. Sometimes I can sneak on when he is doing something else, which is not often. Either way, I will for sure be back by Tuesday, G-d willing and the creek don't rise.
Edited to add the new tree the kids and I planted in our yard in honor of the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Shevat. That is the New Year of Trees. It is a great time of the year to plant a tree in your yard, anyway. Especially in the Mediterranean climate Southern California. This is a type of magnolia tree that I have loved ever since I saw one in the courtyard in front of the biology building at UCLA.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Gearing up for a trip
My husband and I will be hauling the 4 youngest boys across country with us on a direct flight to the midwest next weekend. Part of me wants to forget the trip. I mean, we just unpacked our suitcases last week after being out of our house for 2.5 months.
On the other hand, I'm starting to get really excited. We will get to spend one day with my husband's brother's family for a bat mitzvah celebration. Then we will drive to spend Sunday with my family. Remember my Aunt M who is sick with colon cancer? She is holding steady at 88 pounds. And she will, G-d willing, be there to greet us next weekend and meet my husband and the three older boys. And she will get to see Baby A again, now that he is walking and talking (in his fashion). And my 4 cousins and their 12 kids will be there. I can't wait for my boys to experience what it is like to be a kid in the midwest. In Southern California, they play with friends if parents arrange a play date. In the midwest, the kids roam free, from yards to basements, playing and having adventures. Just like I did when I was a kid.
To celebrate this upcoming event, I treated myself to a trip to the Nordstrom's Rack and T J Maxx for some boot/purse/wallet shopping. He he.
On the other hand, I'm starting to get really excited. We will get to spend one day with my husband's brother's family for a bat mitzvah celebration. Then we will drive to spend Sunday with my family. Remember my Aunt M who is sick with colon cancer? She is holding steady at 88 pounds. And she will, G-d willing, be there to greet us next weekend and meet my husband and the three older boys. And she will get to see Baby A again, now that he is walking and talking (in his fashion). And my 4 cousins and their 12 kids will be there. I can't wait for my boys to experience what it is like to be a kid in the midwest. In Southern California, they play with friends if parents arrange a play date. In the midwest, the kids roam free, from yards to basements, playing and having adventures. Just like I did when I was a kid.
To celebrate this upcoming event, I treated myself to a trip to the Nordstrom's Rack and T J Maxx for some boot/purse/wallet shopping. He he.
Friday, October 3, 2008
I'm outta here!
No really. I am. I'm programming this to post when I am already on my way to Missouri to visit relatives from my Dad's side of the family. I'll get to meet Aunt M, who I don't really remember, in person, probably for the last time, as she has terminal cancer. I'm hoping that seeing baby A will help to cheer her up, if at all possible. And I will get to meet my 4 cousins, all about my age, give or take 7 years. And their 12 kids, mostly girls, between them. (Don't you just LOVE commas?)
I'm bringing a box of ear plugs to share with my seatmates on the airplane. I imagine that Baby A will be doing his high-pitched shriek, because now he is mobile, and he won't understand why he will not be allowed to motor around the cabin. And the fact that he now has 7 teefies. That eighth one has to be in there somewhere, and I'm sure it will be moving and causing discomfort.
I'm also going to do my most intelligent packing, as we need to try to fit both our stuff into one small carry-on suitcase if we are to avoid checked bag fees and extra waiting at the airport. Not to mention the lost-bag risk. Then after I get there, I will rent a car and drive another 2.5 hours to the destination.
My feelings are so mixed. I'm ecstatic to meet my long-lost relatives. They have been so kind and upbeat on the phone. I feel so happily anticipated, and a little nervous to meet so many new people at once. I mean, to them there will be just me to deal with. But I will be alone in a sea of virtual strangers. But I think I'm up to the task. I am really a shy person in my core, but I have spent my whole life practicing and pretending not to be shy and this will be one of the payoffs for all that effort. I should be able to do pretty well socializing despite my inner discomfort.
And then there is Aunt M. I'm so sad that she is ill. I had just been ratcheting up my contact with her this summer. Remember the family movies I made DVDs of? I sent her a copy. It was weird how it happened. I was watching the movies and there was a couple that I didn't recognize. And they had a little baby. I kept trying to figure out if the baby was one of my older brothers, and who the people were. Then it occurred to me that it was Aunt M. and her husband. As I watched the movies the thought suddenly occurred to me how precious the footage would be to her. And I KNEW that nobody had sent it to her, although most of the footage was filmed by her father before he died. But my dad, her brother, was the family "techie", so he received the film and camera stuff. This upset my sense of justice. And I was angry with myself. I mean, I knew of the films since I was a child. We used to watch the films in the 70's in the garage (where it was dark). When I was a kid, I never questioned who the people were on the film that I didn't recognize. After all, aren't there always random relatives running around who you don't know when you are a kid? So I sent her the DVD without delay, but didn't hear back from her after she received it. Looking back, that must have been the time that she was diagnosed with cancer. So that makes sense that she was preoccupied and didn't write back. Then when I talked to my cousin a few weeks ago to arrange this trip, I asked her if she knew I had sent the DVD to her mom. She said, "Yes, I WATCHED it! It was GREAT!" Isn't that cool? They all got to see footage of the grandparents and their parents in their youth after all these years. And of the eldest child as a baby.
So sadly, right when I'm in the middle of trying to cultivate a closer relationship with Aunt M, THIS happens. :-( And from what I hear, she is REALLY upset about it. I mean, who wouldn't be. The course of her cancer means that she will have to have numerous operations to correct blockages to her colon, until she finally succumbs, probably to one of the operations. She is in her mid 70s.
So I'll update you after this weekend. Wish me luck on the plane and with the relatives. I imagine I will be surrounded by sweet women and children and enveloped in southern hospitality. Oh, and I will not abandon my blog. I have scheduled another post after this one to appear during the weekend. He he. Gotta love the new technology of post-dated blogging.
I'm bringing a box of ear plugs to share with my seatmates on the airplane. I imagine that Baby A will be doing his high-pitched shriek, because now he is mobile, and he won't understand why he will not be allowed to motor around the cabin. And the fact that he now has 7 teefies. That eighth one has to be in there somewhere, and I'm sure it will be moving and causing discomfort.
I'm also going to do my most intelligent packing, as we need to try to fit both our stuff into one small carry-on suitcase if we are to avoid checked bag fees and extra waiting at the airport. Not to mention the lost-bag risk. Then after I get there, I will rent a car and drive another 2.5 hours to the destination.
My feelings are so mixed. I'm ecstatic to meet my long-lost relatives. They have been so kind and upbeat on the phone. I feel so happily anticipated, and a little nervous to meet so many new people at once. I mean, to them there will be just me to deal with. But I will be alone in a sea of virtual strangers. But I think I'm up to the task. I am really a shy person in my core, but I have spent my whole life practicing and pretending not to be shy and this will be one of the payoffs for all that effort. I should be able to do pretty well socializing despite my inner discomfort.
And then there is Aunt M. I'm so sad that she is ill. I had just been ratcheting up my contact with her this summer. Remember the family movies I made DVDs of? I sent her a copy. It was weird how it happened. I was watching the movies and there was a couple that I didn't recognize. And they had a little baby. I kept trying to figure out if the baby was one of my older brothers, and who the people were. Then it occurred to me that it was Aunt M. and her husband. As I watched the movies the thought suddenly occurred to me how precious the footage would be to her. And I KNEW that nobody had sent it to her, although most of the footage was filmed by her father before he died. But my dad, her brother, was the family "techie", so he received the film and camera stuff. This upset my sense of justice. And I was angry with myself. I mean, I knew of the films since I was a child. We used to watch the films in the 70's in the garage (where it was dark). When I was a kid, I never questioned who the people were on the film that I didn't recognize. After all, aren't there always random relatives running around who you don't know when you are a kid? So I sent her the DVD without delay, but didn't hear back from her after she received it. Looking back, that must have been the time that she was diagnosed with cancer. So that makes sense that she was preoccupied and didn't write back. Then when I talked to my cousin a few weeks ago to arrange this trip, I asked her if she knew I had sent the DVD to her mom. She said, "Yes, I WATCHED it! It was GREAT!" Isn't that cool? They all got to see footage of the grandparents and their parents in their youth after all these years. And of the eldest child as a baby.
So sadly, right when I'm in the middle of trying to cultivate a closer relationship with Aunt M, THIS happens. :-( And from what I hear, she is REALLY upset about it. I mean, who wouldn't be. The course of her cancer means that she will have to have numerous operations to correct blockages to her colon, until she finally succumbs, probably to one of the operations. She is in her mid 70s.
So I'll update you after this weekend. Wish me luck on the plane and with the relatives. I imagine I will be surrounded by sweet women and children and enveloped in southern hospitality. Oh, and I will not abandon my blog. I have scheduled another post after this one to appear during the weekend. He he. Gotta love the new technology of post-dated blogging.
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