Each day I have not gotten back to my blog, I have been thinking about my niece Stephanie, who said several weeks back about the blog, "Every time I check it, you are still at the prom."
The days and weeks since I returned from my visit to Phoenix have been full, and I have barely been keeping up! Summer has treated me kindly. Sadly, the loss of relatives Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Gene, and cousin Brad, have taken a bit of joy out of '08. Always, there is a chance that the moment, sometimes totally unexpected, will occur when God calls your name.
But what a summer I've had! Three months, three trips. First in June to Vegas for a stay in our Marriot time share. Carrie and Chris and their families joined us for a few days, and I cannot remember a more meaningful vacation, just being together. And as always, we had a great time with Eddie and Connie and some of their family while we were there. Next, in July, Mario and I went different directions, he to Guadalajara, his birthplace, and me to Phoenix for a few days with that Arizona babydoll. Oh, and Chris and Maria too! The last summer run was to a beautiful condo in the Ozarks in a place called Old Kinderhook at Camdenton, MO. We had a 5th floor "penthouse" townhouse with plenty of room for all Carrie's gang and Mario and I. Now if I had to share a vacation experience that I will not forget anytime soon, it was the waterslide at the Big Surf Waterpark called the Spacebowl. There should be a "No Grannies Allowed" policy for that one. It had the longest line, and when I knew I'd had about enough of the milder, gentler slides and lazy river, I told Carrie I wanted to see why everybody was standing in line for that one. So down I went, screaming, and when I came up, I could not stop laughing. I told the lifeguard I wasn't sure if I could get myself out of the water. He was at the ready, but slowly I gathered my wits and dragged myself out of the deep pool. I spent the last hour at the waterpark recovering, sitting on a curb, supervising Nolan as he engaged in his favorite activity of the day, throwing rocks at a tree.
Probably my favorite memory of the summer was getting to know my granddaughter Makenna. I spent the better part of 5 days with her while Chris and Maria were unpacking their belongings and adjusting to new jobs in the Phoenix area (they actually live in Scottsdale). Initially, Makenna was a little distant, not sure who I was or where I came from. But our early bonding experience in the back seat of the car helped us along. She was in her car seat, facing backwards, so she had to look at me sitting right next to her. That's when the tongue came out. So I stuck mine out too. For an hour or two while we were riding around Scottsdale, that's what we did. By the next day, we were great pals. I'm told this is how babies this age communicate. I can't remember doing that with my own kids. I think I told them to put their tongue back in their mouth where it belonged! :) But when you are a grandma, the grandchild determines policy. I loved my time there with that little girl.
Now about Mario's trip to Guadalajara, Mexico....in his first phone call home, the joy of the reunion with three of his brothers in their birthplace was evident. He has lots of new material for his storytelling, and we are talking about another trip to Mexico next summer, to Mexico City where Edmundo lives, and wives will go this time. He took lots of pictures, and from what I can tell, there was just a lot of brotherly love goin' on. He met many relatives and related that people there speak very highly of his parents. It all meant a lot to him.
I have just a few "balls in the air" as Chris calls life activities. Helping to plan the upcoming Johnson reunion, gearing up for Blake's JV soccer season, being a facilitator with Mario for the church "Why Catholic" program, getting ready to start a new Bible study year, attending 2 cancer support groups (one is like a party with a little education on the side, the other is a place where you can help people who are presently going through what you have already been through), doing my twice-a-month volunteer cashier job at the hospital Tea Room, Thursday night dinner for Carrie's family..., well those are a few of the things that are going on here. I am coming up on the one-year celebration of being cancer-free. I have a notebook of thoughts for writing the story. Perhaps I will get started on Sept. 4. It's a good story with a good ending. And I think it might help someone else.
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