Wishes for Gramma

Two weeks ago, we celebrated my grandma's 87th birthday. For some reason, this age really struck me--partly because it means she's a lot closer to 90 than I imagine. To me, she's still my spry "Gramma" who played Twister with us when we were in jr. high and splashed in the pool with us when we visited family in Florida. I still deal with a measure of disbelief when my Mom talks about Gramma having a dizzy day or not being able to walk as long as she used to. When I see her, she's still as sharp and wonderful as ever. I just have to remind myself that she's aged a year (or half a year) since I last saw her. With that comes changes.

That's why I'm forever grateful for the way we celebrated her 82nd birthday. It was the kind of experience that ingrained itself in my mind, so I always imagine Gramma like she was that summer. (How can that be five years ago already?) To some, it might be the strangest way to celebrate a grandmother. But not to us.

We went to Disney World! My sister had just graduated college and I was going into my junior year. When the job search proved futile for both of us, we decided to do something wild and different. Rather than wallow over our joblessness and be bored, we'd plan a memorable vacation. What's the dream vacation spot? Disney World, of course! (I've never been to Disneyland...except in utero when my Mom and Dad visited California...so I refuse to debate this. And of course, there are thousands dream vacations out there. But, for the sake of this blog post, please agree with me on this one.)

When we told Mom, she mentioned that my aunt, and maybe even Gramma, would love to go too! Our Aunty D is a high-functioning, sweet, and thoughtful lady who happens to have down syndrome. She and Gramma live together, which is a blessing on many levels--Grandpa has been gone a long time (it's a strange thing to miss someone without ever really having met them), so Gramma and Aunty D take good care of each other. And, like me, Aunty D loves Disney! We both enjoy the movies (classic and new) and all the music associated with them. She hadn't been to Disney in two decades (count 'em, 20 years!) and had mentioned she'd like to go again sometime.

Well, that "sometime" was now! My sister and I were thrilled to tell them, and we couldn't believe it when Gramma's response to the invitation was an unhesitating yes! We expected her to be nervous about the long days in the sun and not interested in all the rides at Disney World. But her enthusiasm for our vacation made us kick into high-gear planning mode! We looked for comfortable hotels with them in mind and rented a wheelchair so Gramma could be off her feet while we toured the parks. It was going to be a "girls getaway," and it happened to fall on Gramma's 82nd birthday!

Before we left, I wasn't sure how other guests and park cast members would react to two young adults vacationing with their grandmother and disabled aunt. Would they shake their heads at us? We're we crazy to even attempt it? Knowing (and loving) my aunt and grandma, I knew we'd enjoy the time together, but I was afraid of others making it difficult or emotionally hard for us. When I expressed these concerns to Dad, he said we could be a testimony to the blessing of family. He said we could be an example of respecting our elders and enjoying friendship with them, regardless of age or abilities. So we moved forward with faith and prayed that God would use this time to bring the four of us closer together.

And He did! We had the best time! Not only was the slower pace more relaxing, we got to really enjoy the themes and storytelling of the parks. The wheelchair worked out great and we were surprised at how kind and helpful the cast members were! Sometimes we'd be waiting patiently in line, not worrying about our time table or the crowds, and they'd bring us to the front of the line through a special entrance! Totally unexpected and really special if you think about it. Better yet, people in line didn't seem to get mad at us or judge us for "abusing the system" (Gramma's wheelchair was certainly not about getting in the fast lane!). And it gave us plenty of time to see it all.

Some of my favorite moments were the shows we watched together, sometimes singing or clapping along. All four of us appreciate good music and it wasn't a surprise that we enjoyed this aspect of the parks. Some other favorite moments were sitting with Gramma in the shade, waiting while my sister and Aunty D went on some of the fast-paced rides together. We'd talk and, as always, I loved asking her questions about her life. It was treasured time. (Note: Gramma DID go on quite a few "less-tranquil rides," including Pirates of the Caribbean and the backwards-dropping Viking boat tour. She's a champ!)

I was also delighted by the way Gramma's humor bubbled to the surface at "the happiest place on earth." One of my favorite quotes from the trip was whenever one of us said, "Where are we going?" Gramma would throw up her hands and reply dramatically, "We're goin' CRAZY!" It made us smileevery time. Believe me, you ask that question a lot at Disney World! And it always lifted any weight from my shoulders to hear Gramma laugh and make light of every moment. :) We were going crazy--crazy with excitement and fun!

On August 10th, we went to EPCOT. I requested a birthday button for Gramma and was amazed at how well the colors matched her shirt! She was a sport to wear it, and it turned out to bring her some magical birthday surprises.

We'd planned a special birthday lunch for Gramma at the Rose and Crown restaurant. It was a quiet affair, in which we gave her cards and sang. There were no candles (the waiter seemed oblivious to our hints before dessert that we were celebrating), so we used the light-up Tinkerbell toy on Aunty D's drinking straw so she could make a wish. :) We're nothing if not creative!

My Gramma is also wonderfully patriotic. So we were excited to visit the American Adventure pavilion and see the show. It turned out WAY better than we could've hoped for! First, we sat and listened to an amazing a capella choir. The songs were so moving, I'm sure I saw tears in Aunty D's eyes as she sang along under her breath. As if that wasn't enough, we met the sweetest cast member on the elevator ride up to the theater. He was an older gentleman who clearly loved his job and did it well. He noticed Gramma's button and wished her a happy birthday--complimenting her on how young she looked, and I'm pretty sure he was the only one to ask, "How young are you?" :) We were led to a great seat in the theater, and when this same gentleman was introducing the show, he took a moment to congratulate Gramma on her birthday and asked her to "Give us a wave, Aileen!" while the whole crowd clapped for her. I was nearly in tears over this! It was like he knew this would be one of Gramma's favorite attractions at the park and he wanted to make it extra special.

After the show, he asked us to follow him. "We have some more celebrating to do!" He led us next door to the little restaurant attached to the pavilion. He spoke with a cast member behind the counter and returned with a little apple pie for Gramma. As he placed it before her, he called out, "Three cheers for Aileen on her 82nd birthday today! Hip, hip!" "HOORAY!" "Hip hip!" HOORAY!" "Hip hip!" "HOORAY!" everyone in the restaurant cheered.

Photo credit: http://www.thedisneyproject.com/2012/06/interview-with-lonnie-hicks.htm

I found out later that this wonderful gentleman's name is Lonnie. (I was too "in the moment" to make note of his name tag then.) I so wish I could go back and thank him again for how he blessed us on that day. I know it's all part of the "Disney magic" and cast members do this sort of thing all the time. But for us, it was an extra special memory.

We thanked him and sat down to enjoy the treat. (Because, being the wonderful woman she is, Gramma shared her little pie with all of us.) Aunty D wanted to buy a soda to go along with it, and as we stood in line, she told me through tears how this whole thing reminded her of Grandpa (who served in the Navy and was a proud American) and how she can't wait for all of them to be home in Heaven together again someday.

Wow. It chokes me up just remembering it. In that comment, through Aunty D, it was like Grandpa was with us too. This was the perfect way to celebrate Gramma's birthday that year. She was healthy and strong enough to endure the heat (and some pretty crazy wheelchair rides from her granddaughters...Weeeee!), and we made countless memories that will last us a lifetime. When I mentioned it to my sister again the other day, she said, "Aw, Disney! That was so much fun!" And every time we mention it to each other, some variation of "that was the best time" comes out.

So, that was our Disney vacation! I still smile uncontrollably when I look at photos and videos from it. (That's what all those record-keeping devices are for, right?) We've vacationed with Gramma and Aunty D to many places before and after, but this one was particularly memorable because of the perfect, celebratory circumstances, and the fact that my sis and I were still pretty new to planning travel by ourselves.

Next week, Gramma and Aunty D will be moving back in with my parents. I'm sure it will be an adjustment all around, but I can say in full certainty that I'm SO glad. Not only will this make care-taking a lot easier for everyone, it'll be great to have them so close. I love them both dearly and I'm grateful for the extra time we'll get to have when we visit. They lived with us when I was very young, so it's kind of like coming full circle!

Hopefully we'll make lots of fun memories with them in this next stage of life. I love seeing Gramma with her great-grandchildren (and hope to add my own kids among them someday!). And Aunty D's enthusiasm for life and experiencing new things always helps bring out "the kid in me." There's lots of good ahead.

So here are just a few of my birthday wishes for Gramma:

May you be full of God's peace and joy.

May He bless you with good health and happy years.

May you be surrounded by the love you so freely give.

May you enjoy the true fullness of knowing Jesus as your Savior.

And may you always "go crazy" with excitement for what God's done in your life, and how He's used to you bless others.

I love you, Gramma-ma!

Thank God for Hometowns

I already touched on our 4th of July visit to the East Coast. It wasn't until about a month later that I heard Carrie Underwood's song "Thank God for Hometowns." I found myself nodding at the chorus:

Thank God for hometowns
And all the love that makes them go round.
Thank God for the county lines that welcome you back in
When you were dying to get out.
Thank God for church pews
And all the faces that won’t forget you.
And when you’re lost out in this crazy world,
You got somewhere to go and get found.
Thank God for hometowns.

I wasn't "dying to get out," but I was anxious to be with my love out here in Washington. Our church was a few towns over, and I certainly didn't know as many people as I would've if we had gone to the public school. But I still love my hometown and there are certainly plenty of familiar places and faces, many of which I recognize though they may not know me--like the librarians that have been there my whole life, or the woman from my childhood church who always plays the spoons on the back of a bandwagon in the Independence Day parade.

I consider the whole state of New Hampshire to be "my hometown" in some way. Each town I drive through has memories or impressions of a particular life stage connected to it. From crossing the border from Massachusetts (on our way north from the Boston airport) to the northernmost towns by our family Camp, it sometimes feels like nothing has changed. Like someone hit the pause button when I left, at least to the places themselves. (When it comes to people, the changes are all too evident--the silver in my Dadda's hair, or the way my sister's little family has grown.)

Many of the towns in New Hampshire are celebrating their 250th birthdays this year. I marveled at them as we drove around the state. Banners across main streets announced the milestone. In my own hometown, the theme of the Independence Day parade was our town history. The floats all featured particular moments or particular landmarks and people of our town. I was thrilled to have Super Husband see it and get a better sense of what this place has meant to me. My favorite was the Sunday Driver Rock, a rock on the side of the road someone (no one really remembers who) painted these words:

(photo not mine)

It's been vandalized and repainted multiple times, and was most recently "edited" by a grammar freak. (Hey, I'm an editor, but even I wouldn't mess with this historical artifact!) Anyway, it was a fun tribute to one of the many quirky, "quaint" things about my hometown.

This little gem was taken on the front porch of our general store. Super Husband and I were sent on an errand and Dodge's Store (also 141 years old, I might add). It almost seemed staged--this beauty parked out front, and two elderly gentlemen sitting on the porch just chatting and "people watching" in our sleepy downtown. I felt a little foolish taking a picture, this Seattlite girl who's enchanted by old New England. But as I walked through that creaky front door to buy a bag of ice for my parents' party, I was "that girl who lives on Town Farm Road" again.

The song says, "I always find another piece of me, Walking down these old familiar streets." Now, I feel perfectly whole in my Lord, and He has eased the pain of homesickness time and time again (as this blog bears witness to). But I "get" these lyrics, because there's an element of rediscovery when you return to where you grew up. I'm faced with who I was, how I changed with the turning seasons, and why I am the way I am! I like the reminder that I came from this place. That no matter where I end up, this will always be where my journey began. And I always tell my parents, they couldn't have chosen a better town to raise a family in.

I hope my kids can say the same. That they'll thank God for hometowns too, maybe even sharing my thankfulness for this same town because this is where Grandma and Grandpa are. We'll see. Maybe someday this suburban/urban living will have a similar sentiment attached to it.

Summer Summary

Last month alone, we went hiking, biking, camping, fishing, barbecuing, swimming, and picnicking. Pretty much all the quintessential summer activities. Oh, and squeeze in trips to the west-coast family cabin, a drive-in movie, berry picking, yard work, soccer playing, and archery (for the first time in a few years!). 

It's been a full summer!

For all of that, I'm not quite ready for it to be over. Thank goodness we still have about a month and a half of good weather left! Our upcoming adventures include (but are not limited to) backpacking in the Olympics again and a camping/rafting weekend. To top it all off, my parents and two family friends are coming to visit at the end of September! Glad to have that visit to look forward to, and maybe the transition to "rainy season" won't be that bad after all!

In my last post I alluded to our bike rides. This is a "new" activity to me, since I haven't had a bike of my own since moving here. Super Husband found me an awesome pre-owned "hybrid" bike (flat handlebars of a mountain bike with thin tires of a road bike), so I could have an easier time keeping up with his uber-fast road bike. There are lots of beautiful trails around this area. My favorite so far has been the Burke-Gilman trail around Lake Washington. Super Husband is a great encourager, and I find the words of affirmation just as sweet as the treats we give ourselves after a long ride--mainly ice cream and chocolate, but any sugary item will do. I'm looking forward to riding more and dread the rainy weather when we can't count on good biking conditions.

The second renewed activity is, of course, archery! My poor re-curve bow and mismatched quiver-full of arrows has sat neglected in my closet for about 3 or 4 years. When we were searching for a house, I thought for sure we'd have a lawn where I could practice. It took only a few home viewings to realize I will find no such yard in this neck of the woods--it certainly doesn't merit the term "woods" at all! I resigned myself to this fact and instead drooled over "Hunger Games," Disney's "Brave," "Robin Hood," and of course "The Lord of the Rings trilogy" for my archery fix.

A month or so ago, a friend asked to borrow some arrows for a photo shoot at work (at right). As I pulled out my gear, I realized this was something I had to pursue again, somehow. I started dreaming up ways I could shoot safely in our little yard, in a manner that wouldn't alarm the neighbors or passers-by. When no good ideas were forthcoming, I turned to that marvelous resource--parents! My in-laws reminded me that there's plenty of room to shoot at the family cabin down in Shelton. So this past trip, I bought a target to keep there. Ironically, it was the same exact target I bought in New Hampshire about 6+ years ago! (Confession: It was from Wal-Mart, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.) It made the cabin feel even more like home!

No pictures to prove it, but I think some of my form is still there! Super Husband and BIL (brother-in-law) shot too and did really well. It felt so good to hold the bow again, no matter how shaky my arms were. (Super Husband calls my "guns" "potato canons" for a reason. Good thing archery is only 20% arm and 80% back muscles.) I can't wait to get back to the cabin to shoot more! And it's only whetted my appetite to find a range closer to home.

For a truly new activity, Super Husband and I have been learning how to fly fish! We got these incredible rods from the aforementioned "visitors coming at the end of September" (thanks, guys!) last Christmas and couldn't wait to try them. Our first tries were in the front lawn of my childhood home, under the tutelage of my uncle, who's a pro! Dad (my original fishing buddy) took us to a few dams and ponds to practice. I quickly fell in love with this unique form of fishing. It's a lot more technical than I'm used to, but I'm up for the challenge!

Super Husband and I went to my favorite river in all of New England to try our luck. He managed to catch one trout on his fly rod, but it was too tiny to keep. Quick shout-out to Super Husband: He stuck with it and kept trying the difficult fly-fishing cast from the brush-lined riverbanks, while his wimpy wife traded in her fly rod for a normal pole and worm. Keep that in mind--he ain't no quitter! That said, I caught perhaps the biggest trout of my life that day...but with my old pole and a juicy worm I'd dug up from our "worm farm" back at the Camp. So I don't think it's quite the victory I was looking for. But I still had a blast! Super Husband has gone fishing with a coworker since returning to WA, and I'm hopeful I'll get the hang of it enough to start reeling in some big 'uns on my fly rod.

That's our summer in a nutshell. I love, love, LOVE summer in Washington! It's what makes the other nine months of the year bearable. What's your favorite summer activity? What new things have you tried?

Christmas in July

I know it's cliche, but I truly felt like it was Christmas in July this year! Just like "the most wonderful time of the year," I got to spend time with family, attend parties, and receive some amazing gifts. Allow me to break those down for you:

Spend time with family: We spent a week in New Hampshire at the beginning of the month. It felt like that wonderful, "home for the holidays" type of trip, because I hadn't seen my family in almost three months (although, that's not too bad, considering our usual absences of 6+ months). We enjoyed many family meals (and pretty much ate every kind of meat you can imagine, including "lobstah"), sitting around talking on the back porch, and even some movie nights that I love so much! All we were missing was the Christmas tree and snow!

It was also our first time visiting NH in summer since we've been married! For that reason, we got to relive nostalgic moments of our dating days when Super Husband (then Charming Boyfriend) would come to visit. Perhaps my favorite moment of nostalgia was during our two day trip to the Camp--our family cabin in the mountains, capitalized because it's one-of-a-kind...it's not a camp, it's the Camp!

This is where we came to swim in the river (and jump off the 18 ft rock because I wanted to impress Charming Boyfriend with my bravery...even though that jump still scares me!), where Dad "tested" Charming Boyfriend by asking him to go down into the well and scrub the walls with bleach (he passed with flying colors), and where Charming Boyfriend became my fiance 3 years ago! We even revisited the exact spot--a beautiful meadow up the hill, where an old inn once stood at the base of the mountain. We were there to see if we could get a cell phone signal, but neither of us overlooked the "sacredness" of that place. It was there we were promised to each other, and where we shared our first kiss. I couldn't have chosen a more perfect proposal spot. "The boy done good!"

Attend parties: The day after our arrival in NH, we got to take part in a welcome party for our family's latest addition, my sweet nephew! Mom and Dad threw an amazing shindig and invited a lot of relatives and family friends, whom I always appreciate seeing. Super Husband makes fun of me for using the word "festive" to describe an event--he says his grandma uses that term, which makes me want to use it all the more! So there!--and it was a very festive time. My family really knows how to host a "pahty" (sorry, the Boston accent kinda boils to the surface when I visit New England). Welcome Benjamin! I don't think you know quite how crazy this family you've been born into really is! Not yet, anyway...

Towards the end of our stay, we got to celebrate America's birthday old-school style. My hometown turned 250 years old this year (a blog post about that to come) so it was an extra special time to introduce the annual parade and fireworks to Super Husband. We had our own little party, complete with a few relatives and some of our own fireworks. (That last one...sometimes yikes. Sometimes wow. Not sure if it's a good idea to let Super Husband and Sworn Brother pick out the fireworks.)

Gifts: I bet you know this one already, don't you? It's obvious, right? The biggest gift of July...my favorite, sweetest little gift...was a bike! (Please tell me you know I'm kidding.) I do really enjoy my new toy and I'm grateful to Super Husband for finding and buying it for me. But the greatest gift actually arrived in June. I didn't get to "receive" him fully until this trip. My handsome little nephew, Benjamin! While he has many nicknames already (unavoidable in this family), one of my favorites is Baby Benja! It sounds a little like "ninja," which is probably why I like it so much.

Of course, Christmas isn't about getting but giving!

I made this little cape for my ninja nephew. His aunty knows he's going to be a superhero someday. ;) I think he's pretty super already! As predicted, I cried when I first saw him in my sister's arms, both in a picture and in person ... especially in person. It was so surreal holding him in my arms. It's a bit of a jet-lagged blur (stupid red-eye flights), but I remember a bit of our first conversation. It went something like this:

Me: Hi Benjamin!
Him: *sleeping*
Me: You're finally here! We've waited so long to meet you.
Him: *still sleeping*
Me: I'm your Aunty and I love you so much already!
Him: *starts wiggling and face gets all scrunched up...you know where this is going*
Me: Welcome to the family!
Him: *mouth opens wide...I'm not the only one to say this kid has a big mouth...and cries*

As you can see, he slept through most of our "conversation" and seemed a little freaked out to have me as an aunt...because it certainly can't be because he has us as a family! ;) I think we're pretty cool--lots of quirks, humor, love, and fun all around! In reality, Baby Benja fits in quite nicely. He's already making faces and raising his eyebrows at us. :) Yep, he's my sister's son alright! And I looooooove him!

So, that's a very brief summary of our Christmas in July. Now I look forward to Thanksgiving and the start of the official Christmas season, because I'll get to see my Benja again!...oh, and the rest of the fam too. ;) I hate to think of how much he will grow by then, and all the firsts I'm sure to miss. But I'm grateful for our little FaceTime dates and updates from "BenjaMomma" (she graduated from PregoSis, obviously). So thrilled to see him and his fantastic parents settling in and doing well. And Grandma and Grandpa are over the moon, of course! Have I mentioned how talented they are? Within Benja's first month, both of my parents had composed their own (silly) lullaby for him. The kid's in for a treat--after 25 years of having songs "made up for me" (usually stealing other tunes and putting new words to them), I know what it's like to be both amazed and embarrassed at what innovative parents I have! Good luck, kiddo!

In the next post I plan to talk a little more about summer here at home. Stay tuned and subscribe if you don't want to miss an update! I can't guarantee I'll post a link on Facebook, especially if I keep up this blogging spree and post more often! (Here's hoping!)

Oh, and a very merry early Christmas to you!