April 16, 2013

• April 16, 2013

  Well, we did it. Sophie and I made our big trip to the Deep South to visit Mamaw and Papaw. I am eternally grateful that we were able to do this. We had a wonderful trip full of memories that will last a lifetime, including listening to my grandmother sing songs to her youngest great-granddaughter, direct descendent number 22, Sophie Dawn. That was an emotional experience. She also put her toes in the bay and walked along the beach for the first time. We played at every park we could find, including all the ones I played at as a child. Sophie got to play with her cousins Oz, Ella Catherine and John Thomas, and she got to meet her aunt Mia and uncle David, and countless other extended family – great aunt Barbara, my cousin Kris and his wife April, my nieces Simone and Britta, and my nephew Joseph. Most importantly though, she was able to spend some very valuable time with her great-grandparents. Her great-grandpa (Papaw) is the only grandfather she will ever meet, as both my dad and Ron’s dad passed away long before she was born. Allowing her to spend some time with him was very important to me, as was meeting Mamaw before she passes. I do believe it was the last time I will see my dear grandmother. She was clearly very uncomfortable, and my grandfather was clearly very sad and distressed. He refuses to sleep in their joint bed since she can no longer be there (she is in a hospital bed in the living room), choosing instead to sleep on the bottom bunk in the back room. He cries when he thinks no one can hear. They have been married over 70 years. I don’t think he will stick around long when she is gone. The visit was bittersweet, but I will treasure it for the remainder of my life.

  In any case, not only was it a lovely visit with family, but we also really enjoyed the beauty of springtime on the eastern shore. The flowers were all in bloom, the trees were majestic and graceful, and we treasured every minute of springtime in a place where there are plants!  If it weren’t for the mostly closed-minded attitudes you find so rampant in the South, I’d move back there in a heart beat. It definitely feels like one of my homes. But most of them are not my people. I need to find our people, and move there. I’m still not sure where that is.

  Overall, it was a wonderful trip. I’m forever grateful we were able to make it. Sophie travels well. She was alert and curious and funny, and only had a few challenging moments fueled by overstimulation and exhaustion. I’m so proud of her. On the first leg of the plane ride there, she slept peacefully. On the second, she played and ate and chatted with me and her Nana. On the way back, it was about the same, except Nana was not with us.

  In other sad news, Jamie and Carina lost their grandfather this weekend. He had been attempting to recover from a surgery, but pneumonia would not let him. We are all very shocked and saddened by this, as he was in no way done living. He was very involved in the girls’ lives and he will be sorely missed.  2013 is turning out to be a tough year for the elders in our clan.

  Anyway, gotta get back to work. Hope you are all doing well!

   

  

   

   

   

   

  • 1:06 pm
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