It's Grand To Have Grandchildren - Cleveland Trip, Part 2

The wedding was nice, it was fun to see everyone and try new restaurants while we were in Cleveland, but the absolute best part of the trip for me was seeing Ben, Sam, Ellie and Zach (thank you, Jon!!)  After not seeing them for 2 years, I swear, they all grew 4 feet!

We saw Sam riding around the neighborhood on his bike, first.  He raced home, shouting, "They're here!!!"  And so we were.  Ben and Zach came out to the car, but Ellie escaped to the garage.  It wasn't long, however, before she was right in the middle of hugs and kisses and happily telling us about school and her "boyfriend"  He liked Ellie and another girl in their class, but he only held hands with Ellie.  She was very proud of that!

Jon told us that Jenna tried home schooling with Ellie, but it was not successful.  He said that when El started regular school, she was behind most of the other kids, but has worked hard and is now right where she should be in terms of language, math and reading.  

The boys were all about sports--swim team, baseball and Tai Kwan Do.  Ben told us all about his mission trip and what he worked on.  He is looking forward to going again.  

The visit was noisy, wild, fun and goofy!  We were never sure what the kids were going to do or say next--from, "Hey, Momo, wanna see my butt?"  To, "Why don't you visit us more?"  Ellie wanted to have a sleep over with her friends at our house.  We're not sure how we would transport a bunch of six year-olds from Cleveland to Leland, but we all agreed it would be fun.  

We brought new games to play with and had a great time just watching the kids bounce off of the walls.  

We did get a few pictures but they don't do justice to the memories we made.

Enjoy:

Elizabeth, The Diva

Ben asking why we don't visit more often

Ben and Sam photo-bombing Zach

Zach and his killer smile!

All of us...

Ben, Sam, Tony, Zach, Me and Ellie

The Big Guys!  Sam and Ben 

Tony and I recovering from the visit at a local bar!!

A Wedding, Grandchildren, A Baptism and A Wonderful Time - Part 1, The Wedding

How crazy it is that we haven't been in Cleveland since 2016.  It's like letting go of a familiar place in order to raise the curtain on a new play in  your life.  We raised that curtain 7 years ago, and with each passing  year, it is easier not to go home to Cleveland.  We are older, the drive is harder, it takes us longer to recover when we get back.  Sad, but true.

But we did go home.  We went home for Sarah and Steve's wedding and to see family. Our Cleveland grandchildren are huge and tons of fun!  After Cleveland, we went to Charlotte for Owen's baptism.  This was the first time since they have been born that we have seen all of our grandchildren within the space of a week.  It was wonderful.

The first event was the wedding...or, the rehearsal dinner.  We met Steven's parents and family and had a great time at a restaurant in Strongsville that we had not frequented before.  It was a nice event.

The wedding itself was fantastic.  I'm sorry to say that my sister, Fritz (Donna), was almost more beautiful than  the bride.  I know, it's hard to imagine, but there she was, in a brocade, fitted dress, looking (as her husband said....) "like a million bucks."  It was the Fritz I used to know.  The one who could knock me down from, "good looking contender," to "an also ran."  She was glowing and I was glad.  

The wedding was meaningful, elegant and thoughtful.  I did a reading from Corinthians and Lynn told me I "talked funny."  Apparently, I didn't say the word, "sister," in the nasal, mid-western way.  But, Sarah and Steven liked the reading and their opinion was the only thing that mattered to me. 

So this chapter of the blog will highlight the wedding; a beautiful event for a beautiful couple.

Dad, Steve, walking Sarah down the aisle.  We weren't sure he was

 going to let go of her when he got to the altar!

Mr. and Mrs. Steven White

In their own little world

Happy Together...

  

This is a picture of the bride's family, but all I can see is

 how wonderful my sister looks.  

Uncle Tony, Aunt Jan and the Whites!

The Mom, The Reader and The Aunt

Here I am, talking "funny"

Dancing with "Baby" Joe, Sarah's brother

Next chapter....the grandchildren!!

Just When You Think.....

Time is a precious thing.  You can measure it, live by it and  watch it go by, but you can't stop it.  

When I was younger, I felt more in control of time.  I had time to develop my career, I was in the "desirable time" age group--translation--no poochy stomach, great legs and a firm butt! And, the days of my life seemed to stretch endlessly into the future.  But, just when you think you are in the "sweet" spot of life, you begin to age.

I am older now.  My life of late has been a flurry of doctor's appointments, working, being short of breath and  feeling tired all of the time.  

I went to a new heart doctor last week.  Dr. McCrispin is Tony's heart doctor and I really like him.  He was with us during my appointment for more than a half an hour.  I didn't feel rushed or like I was less important than his time or next patient.  

He ordered a breathing test for me--what a killer that was.  When you hear "breathing test," you think, "how hard could that be?  You just breathe."  Wrong.  

For the test to be read accurately, you have to establish a baseline breathing pattern.  That equates to three "readings" that are similar.   My readings were all over the place and the computer mocked me by flashing red "failing" messages over and over again.  It took awhile to go from flashing red to "you're almost there" yellow to a weak, "OK, I"m green," reading.  As silly as it sounds, the test was a real workout.  I found that out when it was over and I stood up to leave.  The room started to spin and my legs were weak.  Geez, am I really that old? 

But, I survived!   The next thing on the list of medical mysteries that have to be solved is a 6 millimeter spot on my lung that I was surprised to find out I have had for 6 months.  I have a CT scan scheduled for Monday to find out what it is and frankly, there is a part of my brain that really doesn't want to know.  But, I guess I will find out after Monday.  

On brighter notes, Sarah's wedding is coming up in less than a week and Owen will be baptized.    I am so looking forward to both events.  It will be good to be in Cleveland because, unfortunately, for me, it will always be "home."  Leland, North Carolina is the place where our home is, but, Cleveland is home.  From Cleveland, we go to Charlotte for the baptism--another important spot on the map of our family.    

We are going to see Jenna and Jon's kids and I am super excited about that.  I'm guessing that Ben is almost as tall as Tony and I are and that tickling him and telling him that he was not supposed to grow, is going to be difficult.  But, I will try.  Ben was our first grandchild and will always hold a special place in our hearts.  To me, he will always be that baby with the tubes all over him that looked straight at Tony for his first photo-op before going to the Pediatric Neo-natal Unit in the hospital.  I value that picture.    

We are a bit worried about leaving Dixie (OK, maybe I am) because she has been reacting to thunder and lightening all of a sudden. July has been a really rainy..no, major thunder storm, month down here.  We have only had 6 or 7 days of sunshine during the entire month.  She trembles terribly and cowers in corners and closets when the storms come rolling in.  Maybe 12 days with Aunt Jan and Uncle Stu will help with that.  I hope so, we hate to see her be so afraid.  

And so, just when you think that your life is falling into a routine place,  stuff happens.  Happy stuff for our children and extended family.  Happy memories.   The beginning of a new married unit that will happily endure.  Happy photo ops and happiness in seeing our "old" grandchildren.  I can't wait.  

Cleveland....here we come!!

The Rhythm of Life

We spent a few days in Cleveland in June to attend Sarah's bridal shower.  I have to admit to looking at the beautiful bride-to-be in front of me and remembering that little girl that I took shopping so many years ago.  Her hands were messy after lunch, which was also showing on her face.  She raced along happily in stores and in the mall and stood patiently while I tried dresses and slips on her for hours.  

What a difference I saw on the day of her shower.  With guidance from her parents, she has become a self assured, graceful woman.  She set goals for her career and life and is achieving them as time goes quickly by.  

And now she's getting married. She found a wonderful man, they have spent years together learning about each other and making memories and now, they have a home of their own.  

I thought of Sarah again the other day.  Tony and I have started a new routine in the rhythm of our life together.  We do our own thing during the day and sometime in the afternoon, we take Alexa out on the lanai and take turns choosing songs for her to play.  We sing along, we talk about the first time we heard the song, who is singing it, why we like it and all kinds of other things.  We watch to see if there are any humming birds taking advantage of our feeder and we stretch our necks to see the military planes that are flying overhead.  Dixie, of course, comes out to be with us--sometimes sitting on Tony's legs or just on the cool concrete.  

It's a time when we don't get bogged down in the little things that tend to get in the way of enjoying the life we have made.  It's a time to plan and to remember.  It's a time that neither of  us would change.   

I look forward to the time that Sarah and Steven discover their rhythm of life.  I know that they will have a family and get stressed with all of the things that parents who have children go through.  Are they healthy,  are they safe when they leave the house, will they make the right choices?  I know that they will get stressed over money--do they have enough for all of the things that their family really needs in various stages of their lives?

But at the end of their careers, when their children are on their own, I hope they have a lanai that reminds them of why they are together and the things they have accomplished together.  I hope they play music and sing.  I hope they dance.  I hope they smile.   I hope they are as happy as they will be on their wedding day--just 23 days away!

Cheers...Here's to your new life together!

Hilton Head

Donna and Bob invited us to spend time with them in Hilton Head again this year.  Chris, Shannon and Emma were there too and we celebrated Emma's sixth birthday there.  As always we had fun.  

Hilton Head in June is hot, muggy and buggy, but it was worth it.  I spent a lot of time inside in the air conditioning, but with all of the large windows, I could see activity on the golf course in the back and in the pool in the backyard. 

Dixie used the windows to guard the house from small squirrels and frogs.  She and Emma were great playmates. 

Emma had a great birthday.  Kids today have these mystery things called LOL's.  It's layers of wrapping and  you have no idea what is inside.  Typically, it is some sort of small plastic animal or cute doll that is about 2 inches tall.  The wrapping is like confetti and you have to watch where you are opening them.  Don't do it in the car!

Donna, Shannon, Emma and I massaged the South Carolina economy again and had lunches out while "the guys" golfed and napped.  

We took our new toy, Alexa with us.  Alexa is a voice controlled personal assistant.  She can tell you jokes, sing happy birthday, play music that you like, make lists, program reminders, answer questions and in general, out smart you.  We got it to (I can't think of the word, I have to ask Alexa...)  supplement....that's the word...supplement our collective memory.  More and more, Tony and I are finding ourselves saying....."um, you know what I mean..." or, "what was the name of the guy in that movie?"   

Of course, Alexa doesn't know everything, which in and of itself, is annoying, but we are finding that a lot depends on how you ask her questions.  You have to say, "Alexa...play music by David Lonz," instead of just, "play David Lonz."  She is teaching us how to treat her!

We have barely scratched the surface of her capabilities.  If we had a "smart" house (controlled by an IPhone) she could turn lights on and off, lock doors and all kinds of stuff.  For now, we are happy just to have her play music from our era while we sit in the lanai.

Speaking of the lanai, we are going to make it a 3 seasons room.  The screens and current door will come out and new windows and a door will go in.  Not glass windows, but more like vinyl.  

June is flying by and we will be in Cleveland for Sarah's bridal shower on June 24.  David, Brenda and Alexandra are coming in for Father's Day and of course, my camera isn't working.  I'll have to be content to take "phone pictures" and have Tony transfer them to our computer.  

Alex, at 8 months, is taking swimming lessons (or, I guess, water acceptance lessons...) and seems to enjoy them.  I can't wait to see her in our pool.  I took the opportunity to find 4 bathing suits for her to model there!  I'm sure she will be the cutest one at the pool.

I'm still working more hours than I had anticipated.  Again, we are down 3 people and are in our high volume season of tourists.  So far, we have seen 5 people who have fallen into oyster shells, 3 who have fallen on the slippery decks of their big boats, 2 with severe sunburns, 1 with heat stroke and several toddlers who have burns on their feet from walking on hot sand.  So far, no snake bites, but it's just a matter of time!

And so, I'm off....it's time to get my nails done before Alex gets here!

Here are some pictures from Hilton Head before my camera died.

This is a picture David and Brenda sent of 

Alex on her "8th month birthday!"

Emma the swimmer

She even dives in....

 

A pretty cake for a pretty girl....

It's birthday time

Dixie guarding the presents from squirrels!!

Drawing with Uncle Tony

Playing cornhole

The view of the golf course from the living room

We Went to a Funeral Today

We went to a funeral today to say good-bye to a friend.  He wasn't a good friend--one that you hung out with or shared confessions with--he was just a good person who made you happy when you were around him. 

Dennis Walsh was my first "taste" of Leland.  He owned a restaurant/bar called McGrooders in Leland that was what every bar strives to be--a "Cheers."  The food was excellent, the wine menu extensive and the wait staff was his family.  Everyone was his family when you went to McGrooders.   

We used to go to wine tastings and fancy dinners there and then we just went to hang out.  The music he had playing in the background was from the '60's.  I used to go myself from time to time, just to sit at the bar, listen to "my" music and watch people.  

Dennis was 58 and diagnosed with Leukemia--the same kind of cancer that Bill had.  He lost his battle quickly, again, just like Bill.  

The church where his service was held was packed with people from different parts of his life--his family, his co-workers, his friends, his business associates.  The residents of Compass Pointe, of which he was one, were there in good numbers, because Dennis offered his food and entertainment talents to the  community at large.  He was a nice man.   

His brother gave the eulogy, his children read psalms, but it was his wife, Karin, that moved me to tears.  At the end of the service, there was a man playing the bag pipes--Danny Boy and Amazing Grace--typical Irish, Catholic funeral songs, and Karin walked down the isle--alone, but flanked by her children and their spouses.  She was crying.  I felt her pain and wanted to reach out to her.  I know that she will have to sleep on Dennis' side of the bed now, so it won't be empty when she looks for him in the middle of the night.   I know that she will be the only one in a sea of married couples at future social events and I wanted to tell her that even though she was physically alone, Dennis was by her side.  

We went to the Grand Lanai at Compass Pointe where his reception was held and saw pictures of Dennis in various stages of his life.  In every picture--even in the hospital with thinning hair and tubes sticking out of his arms, he was smiling and hugging his wife.  They both knew that time was running out, but they smiled anyway.  They smiled for their children and they smiled for the memories of a life shared.  A happy life.  A life well lived. 

We went to a funeral today to say good-bye to a friend.  A friend to many and a good man to all. 

Rest in peace, Dennis.  You were remembered well. 

A Sense of Wonder

I remember a boy with a perpetual frown.  It's as if he was looking hard at life and wondering what it was all about.  He was curious and asked questions beyond his years.  His hair was always "interesting."  As a baby, it was feathery and fly-away.  As a boy, it was close cut and symmetrical, except for the top which was stand up and the back, which was longer.  His glasses were more like goggles.  But, it was his legs and feet that I remember most.  He was always lanky, but his legs were slim and he had knobby knees.  His feet seemed to stick out of his legs, long and flat.  I always wondered when he would grow into his feet. 

As a young man, his passions were basketball, football and his truck.  He kept his quest for learning and questioning life and developed a spiritual sense.  He  always loved to travel and wasn't afraid of any journey.  He welcomed adventure in many forms and worked to make positive changes in himself and as much as he could at the point in his life, in the world.    

And now he is a man.  He is his father's son, with the same sense of humor and deep feelings of loyalty.   He still looks inward to examine life and still has that sense of wonder.  But, now, that sense of wonder has a name:  Alexandra.  His daughter.  

Somehow, I always thought his children would be boys.  Boys that he could mold, like his father did for he and his brother.  Boys that he could coach in sports and boys that he could teach to drive.  Boys that he could hang with and be a pal.  But a daughter?  You have to be a father to a daughter.  You have to teach her to be wary of the world, yet remain strong.  You have to teach her to value herself and follow her dreams.  You  have to teach her what values to look for in the boys that will certainly come around.  And, you have to show her what "real men" are really like.  

But now, his having a daughter makes perfect sense, for he can do all of those things.  He is strong with her, yet gentle.  He is her playground and he celebrates every milestone she makes.   He plays music for her and has already had their first father/daughter dance.  He values her mother and respects her achievements.  He will look for his daughter to favor her mother in the successes she has had.   

And now, it is his daughter that is full of wonder.  She looks up at him and smiles when he comes in the room.  She reaches excitedly for him and babbles, "da da da da da."  She watches him and examines his face with her tiny hands. She strums his guitar and smiles when it makes noise from her hands like it did from his.   She is calm when she is with him and has a look of contentment being in his strong arms.  

This past weekend, he and her mother committed her to God and had her baptized.  He knelt and prayed and I know those prayers were for her to always be safe and happy.  

His perpetual frown is gone, replaced by a beautiful smile when he looks at his wife and daughter.  He is their champion and always will be, for they are his passion now. 

God bless you, Alexandra.