Life. It's funny.

I have a little sister who was born when I was almost 16.

So she was very little when I moved out.

And all of the other kids moved out while she was pretty young...

so her life was very different from the life that the rest of us led.

"Her" parents had more money than "my" parents ever did.

Her parents were way more relaxed.

She got to go on vacations.

She got a car when she got her license.

When she grew up, she got a real wedding dress and reception.

I was a young mom and poor as can be when she was growing up

and having what I considered to be a pretty charmed existence.

And I admit

I was jealous.

I was annoyed.

I still felt like a kid in my heart

and I wanted some of the good stuff she was getting.

I knew I was being immature.

and I had to let it go.

I was a grown up and had to accept that and the responsibility that went with it.

But it was hard.

Jealousy snuck up on me occasionally.

(I mean, obviously, since I mentioned her wedding dress!)

-Now-

I am that relaxed parent of a lone "last in the family" kid.

We have more money than when the other kids were young.

We go on vacations.

He will get a car when he drives because I am sick of driving kids around!

And my older kids don't say much

but they do occasionally say something about Carter being the "favorite" kid.

So what I'm hearing is that they are feeling what I was feeling.

I feel bad about it.

But its just how life is.

I can't change the birth order or span of years between the kids.

So I'm feeling bad for all those jealous feelings I had when I was younger.

And I'm feeling bad that my kids are probably feeling those same things on occasion now.

I can't change it really but it strikes me as funny on occasion.

Well, that was fun

I just got home from an wonderful evening in the local ER

I had the joy of experiencing my second ever kidney stone.

I hope it was my last.

My first was this last Christmas

on the day after Christmas

while we were vacationing in Oregon.

I don't recommend the experience.

Thankfully, I have a wonderful neighbor and friend who was willing to drop everything and take me to the hospital.

I am so grateful for modern pain medications!

The pain of a kidney stone is just...unbearable.

I make noises, cry, moan, throw up, get on all fours in the hospital hallway 

and basically make a fool of myself

without caring one darn bit.

My good friend laughed at me several times.

I still love her.

She managed to make me crack a smile a time or two with her stories and attempts at distracting me.

She even sent a text to my kids

at my request

(once the medicine had started to kick in)

Here is what I said to my children, through her:

Your mother is in the ER with a kidney stone in horrible pain!

It reminds her of labor!

If she does not get a Mother's Day card for the pain you have given her over your lifetime

she will write you out of the will and cry all night long.

I am nothing if not subtle.

But, in my defense, I was on narcotics at the time.

Vacation Story

I have two vacations to record for posterity so I will start with vacation #1.
Cancun Mexico
Frank and I
one week
Planned in the fall...way before we found out that we'd be going back to Cancun
the very next week for work.
My life...so hard.

I just want to share one or two stories from our vacation #1.

Frank and I aren't really the types to do a lot of touristy things.

Tours are informational but usually don't go at the pace we like.

Too slow to arrive, too quick to leave

So we often like to set out on our own and find interesting things.

We rented a car this time so that we felt free to do this.

We looked on a map and Frank saw what looked like a long stretch of beach with no hotels or anything

so he said we would drive that direction and find that beach!

And we did.

Turns out its a long stretch of the most gorgeous beach with amazing soft sand.

and it is a hang out for the locals.

There was a little hut with tables and chairs and umbrellas

and a big menu of fresh foods cooked on their outdoor grill

When we arrived there were hardly any people

but as the day progressed it began to fill with big families and groups of friends.

It was never crowded but there were lots of folks spread around

umbrellas

coolers

dogs

kids

grandparents

it was fun!

And we were the ONLY people there that weren't locals.

I did more "communicating" this vacation than I ever have before.

My vocabulary is sadly lacking

and I'm not all that confident

but I gave it a good effort this time and spoke a lot of spanish.

Frank wanted to order lunch so I had to help him decipher the menu

I ordered him what I thought was a shrimp cocktail

but then I doubted my vocabulary

and I wondered if I ordered him something else.

He has some allergies since the transplant, so I didn't want to get the wrong thing.

So I began to attempt to find out if I really ordered shrimp.

By the time I got done, both the waitress and myself were laughing our heads off.

She ended up handing me her pad of paper and I drew a shrimp

(I am NOT artistic)

she looked at it and laughed and said,"Si!"

and I knew we were ok.

After that she came over and talked to me more...

knowing I was somewhat capable of communication

and willing to laugh at myself in my attempts to talk to her.

Frank ordered a huge amount of food for lunch.

I should have taken a picture.

a big, fresh, fried fish

(yes, eyes and head attached)

lots of homemade tortillas

rice

salad

lots of really amazing homemade tortilla chips

guacamole

and the shrimp cocktail

which turned out to be a large bowl of 

shrimp and something similar to pico-de-gallo

I don't like fish much

or shrimp

So he was pretty much on his own.

I did eat more than my fair share of the tortilla chips though.

So when he was done there was still a lot of food on the table.

She asked us if we didn't like it.

I said that we liked it but it was just too big

(remember I speak like a toddler)

I wished I could explain better but my words leave me when I need them

also true when speaking in English, by the way.

She came back later and says she's sorry about the food.

and I again explain that we liked it

we just couldn't eat it all.

Later, another woman from the restaurant comes over

and tries to speak a little english to us

and is apologizing for the food!

And offering to make us free quesadillas.

She says she realized it was too spicy.

She made it way too hot for us and so she wants to make us something else.

I explained that Frank loves hot stuff 

and he liked it a lot.

Really!

Please believe me

he liked it!

We just got too full.

In the end, I managed to convince them.

and got to speak quite a lot of spanish

probably bad spanish

but still

When we left at the end of the day

we were all smiles

and so were they

though maybe they smiling because they were glad to see the gringos leave their beach

Thoughts on New England

As I feel my time here slipping away

I find myself doing a lot of reminiscing

and a lot of appreciating.

I have really loved my time here in New England.

When we first moved here

my children were very unhappy

and so

I was very unhappy.

I remember a friend from church saying something along the lines of

"I feel sorry for people who can't live in New England"

I was thinking

"WHY?"

long, cold winters

flying bugs that bite you in the summer

I didn't see it.

But after nearly 10 years living here, I realize

I see it now.

The trees

Autumn

The way the snow piles up and looks so gorgeous

wild turkeys wandering around

the geese overhead
the ponds and lakes everywhere
I love them both frozen and unfrozen
the history
the pride

the people

-I really love the people-

and I'm going to shock  few people here:

I like the way people here drive.

assertive but with manners.
the beach is close
the mountains (ok hills) are close
and let's just talk about the amazing health care available
You know that one means a lot to me

I will miss so many things about New England.

With no family nearby its hard to imagine when I will be back to visit.

But maybe...

Frank will have to come back for work

and Carter will certainly be open to it

so maybe I'll be back.

I really really loved living here.

and 

in my heart, I am an Easterner

I am A New Englander

and I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't get a chance to live here.

Wisdom

My free spirit,

my adventure seeker,

the kid who has given me a lot of grief over the years...

and who is also

very fun,

very funny,

a joy to be around most of the time,

a lover of music,

and quite talented (though he doesn't seem to realize it)

left today to go live in Chicago.

He asked me if I would drive him to the airport

at 5:30 this morning.

Of course I said Yes.

_____

Yesterday as we were running errands together he said,"Its my last day here so you know you want to drive me around and do whatever I say"

I said "of course!"

We get along really well and usually have fun together.

______

I arrived at his friend's house to pick him up

and the house is completely and utterly dark.

I can tell that everyone is asleep!

So I text him.

I call him.

I call him.

I call him.

I call him.

I call him.

(you get the idea)

I knock loudly on the door.

Repeatedly.

I ring the doorbell.

multiple times

These people have dogs.

Why aren't they barking?

I finally go on the internet on my phone and find the phone number for the mother of the family.

Luckily she has a business so her number is easy to find.

But I'm hoping its her cell and that she keeps it near her bed.

It rings but goes to voicemail.

I'm beyond frustrated and don't know what to do.

It crosses my mind to try the door

but I do not know these people that well

and just walking into their house while they are sleeping seems like a bad idea.

I could get shot!

Or eaten by a dog!

So I call him.

I call him.

I call him.

(add about 20 more of those in your mind)

I call the mother again.

and she picks up!

Poor woman is completely asleep.

I apologize and tell her I can't seem to wake my son up.

She finds him and hands him her phone.

I say, "I'm here and you were supposed to be out here over 20 minutes ago"

He responds,"Why didn't you just come inside?"

ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?

THIS IS SOMEHOW MY FAULT?

I don't even know which freaking bedroom he's in!

Good idea, I'll just wander aimlessly through a stranger's house!

I'm so annoyed.

We hastily load his stuff and head to the airport.

(Including old library books he wants me to return

and boxes I'm supposed to mail)

he's cranky

(not enough sleep)

and instead of being apologetic and/or thankful

he's just cranky

I want to lecture him.

I want to yell at him.

I'm cranky too!

But

I am wise

I am silent.

and after a few minutes of driving

he is calm

and I am no longer annoyed.

It is just a pleasant drive through a bit more traffic than we would have had 30 minutes earlier.

He arrived in time

and 

we were not mad at each other.

He even let me take his picture.

I made him promise to visit me

even though I'm moving to Utah

and text me

even though I'm his mom, not a fun friend

and he walked into the airport.

My last morning with my son -for who knows how long- was pleasant.

Occasionally, I am wise.

Grandpa

Our second grand baby was born 

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Born April 13 4:48am7lbs18 inches 

Almost as soon as we found out that this baby was going to be a girl,

Frank started calling her "Lizzy"

I really can't tell you why except that it rhymes with

"Izzy"

which is what he calls Isabelle 

(our first granddaughter)

He usually said the two names together

"Izzy and Lizzy"

He mostly calls Isabelle "Izzy" when talking about her

not so much when he is with her.

He seems to follow everyone else's example and call her

Isabelle

when he is with her.

_____

side note:

He is also a little bit confused about what to call himself to be truthful.

We have always called his dad "grandaddy"

which is kind of a southern term I think.

Frank says he plans to be grandpa or whatever the grandkids want to call him

but whenever he refers to himself

he says "grandaddy"

hahaha

_____

Anyway

after our newest addition was born on Sunday morning

the new parents texted to say that they had named her

Kaylee Elizabeth

Oh dear, now he really will call them Izzy and Lizzy!

But, apparently the new parents are ok with that.

Besides, 

Grandpas get to do pretty much whatever they want.

For Posterity

From Amber's Blog...Yay! I'm not going crazy!

Isabelles Birthday (take two)

I'm about to make an embarrassing confession

Last Saturday (the 5th) I created a blog post about Isabelle's Birthday. It originally said,

 "Today is Isabelle's Birthday...We celebrated yesterday with family and Friends."

 I posted it, and then decided to change it the next day (the 6th). While I was editing the post my pregnancy brain got the best of me and I forgot that I had started the post on the 5th and thus, that would be the date shown to viewers on my blog, so I changed the post to say, 

"Yesterday was Isabelle's Birthday..."

making anyone believe that Isabelle's Birthday was on the 4th...

Its on the 5th, always has been

oops

I am telling you this because today, while browsing through blogs I found this:

Isabelle's Birthday TMI

And so Debbie, you were right all year long. 

Your congratulations were not late

You posted on Facebook on her actually Birthday

and you did not need to change your password

 (by the way I think it is super cute that that was your password)

Luckily Isabelle is only one

and will one day get a kick out of the confusion her mom caused

and that her Grandma confessed about on her blog

and hopefully everyone loves me so much, that they will forgive me :)

I am going to leave that original post exactly how it is, just because I think it is funny. I will make a new post about Isabelles Birthday today ;)