1 week ago...

There are moments in life when the unexpected happens. Though it can be an exciting thing like winning the lotto or randomly running into a long lost friend, occasionally those surprising times are in fact quite sad. The latter option is what I experienced recently. Actually, it was exactly one week ago when I heard the news about my grandfather. A once strong tower of a man, had officially taken his last breath. With it, marked the beginning stages of his passing and my family's collective mourning. Thinking about the fragile line that exists between life or death is rather mind-boggling. In an instant, our word choice slips into the past tense. A man that is, becomes a was. The worst part, however, is the simple fact that he is gone.

On my journey home to be with the family and to relay my official goodbye, I found myself at one point curled up on a chair in a quiet corner of the airport, writing frantically. Memory after memory flooded my mind, as I so desperately wanted to record them all. When someone passes on, the legacy they leave, apart from their few belongings, exists in the form of memories. In the airport terminal, I had made it my mission to document all my grandfather's stories. There was something healing in that process, however. Though I was traveling alone in a time of grief, the writing really helped me prepare for the farewell and for the family mourning sessions. Some of the memories even made me smile, in spite of the sadness that permeated my body. My grandfather was truly a character.

Upon my arrival in Oregon, I found myself surrounded by my adoring family. We shared hugs, tears, stories, laughter, food, and photos. Together, we took a respectful pause to honor our special family member. Though it was difficult, the support we provided for each other, made the process more tolerable. Shared grief is a bit easier to bear. Once again I was struck by the realization that crying with others is oddly therapeutic. It is also a bonding agent, for the tears we shared in the viewing room, really brought us together. There is something so indescribably powerful about confronting the reality of death by actually seeing the person one more time. My last moment was essentially the first time that the situation really hit me and became real.

After just a couple days, it was time for me to return. Obviously, I was still sad, though I felt "better" about this latest development in my family. It had been important for me to be a part of my family's mourning as well. Those moments, brief and full, helped me acknowledge and celebrate the life of my Gramps. They also rekindled within our family, the knowledge that relationships are the things in life that matter the most. Though we will always miss our Grandpa Frank, we know that we can find comfort in each other.

Who is this???

We've had a busy week, that has included a couple trips to the vet, lots of madness at work, and even some celebrity spotting for Kyle and Lindsey. Those lucky ducks spent the day in Solvang, taking in the sights and excitement of the annual Amgen tour. Quite a few famous athletes sped through town in the time trial event of the day. What fun! Can you recognize the famous face in the following photos? I'll give you a hint, it isn't Lindsey, though she is rather cute with her sporty cowbell!

Linsdey the farting dog...

Moments ago our cute little pooch unleashed a thunderous exhalation from her hind quarters. Kyle and I both immediately began to laugh. We have smelt her farts in the past, though this was by far the loudest and most noticeable one that we have experienced. She was totally nonchalant about the whole thing, which of course made it even more hysterical. Crazy! The Walter character in the farting dog books oddly seems more believable now. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about with reference to the Walter books, I have included a photo of one of the book covers in this post. If you are looking for a little laugh, check them out. It is a pretty funny idea for a story, and as Kyle and I just learned, the concept is also based upon a true scientific fact: dogs can really let 'em rip! Enjoy!

A family photo shoot...

In December, when Kyle and I were visiting our families up north, we decided to get some photos taken of our new unit. Lindsey was mostly cooperative, though it was somewhat challenging to stifle her excitement for the large grassy area and all the puddles. She loves to run and play! Bryan and Leah, our photographers and friends, have an artsy eye, which is definitely what we were hoping for with these pictures. Here are two of our favorites.

A poem for today...

The following poem was written by a wonderful poet, Jack Prelustsky. If you have been away from children's poetry lately, here is a glimpse at all the fun you are missing. Enjoy! Oh yeah, and the reason this is the poem for today is because I just made a pizza for dinner. Yummy, though definitely not the size of the sun!

A Pizza the Size of the Sun

I'm making a pizza the size of the sun,
a pizza that's sure to weigh more than a ton,
a pizza too massive to pick up and toss,
a pizza resplendent with oceans of sauce.

I'm topping my pizza with mountains of cheese,
with acres of peppers, pimentos, and peas,
with mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage galore,
with every last olive they had at the store.

My pizza is sure to be one of a kind,
my pizza will leave other pizzas behind,
my pizza will be a delectable treat,
that all who love pizza are welcome to eat.

The oven is hot, I believe it will take
a year and a half for my pizza to bake.
I hardly can wait till my pizza is done,
my wonderful pizza the size of the sun.