Going to Grandma's

We started our journey to Germany with a 10 day pit stop in Central New York to visit family we have not seen in years.

We flew from Tucson Arizona to Baltimore Maryland, where we stayed in a hotel for the night, getting some much needed rest.  The following morning, we piled into our rented Toyota Sienna and headed North.

For me personally, this seemed like the longest part of the trip.  I was more than eager to see my sister, brothers, parents, and all the nieces and nephews I have not seen in so long, along with some little ones we had never met.   Of course traveling with 4 children and a husband with a bladder the size of a pea caused many bathroom stops, not to mention a thunderstorm and plenty of summer time road construction sites.

Things always seem to remain just as I remembered them each time I return home.  My parents house and yard is just as I recalled growing up.  Gorgeous green trees that always seemed to hold one or two of my children at any given time, my father's flawlessly manicured lawn, the freshly painted red picnic tables and adirondack chairs neatly arranged in the shade of the same tree Craig had vengefully hung my underwear from 18 years prior.  Ah..  Memories.

We are so blessed.  My siblings, and their children are as beautiful, happy, and healthy as I could possibly imagine.  Mom and Dad are still working hard as ever, never showing an ounce of fatigue.  Life is good.

We spent our days swimming in the pool, sipping lemonade and sucking popsicles in the yard.  Kick ball games were a daily occurrence.  Uncle Tom brought a big blow up ball to Grandma and Grandpa's that the kids would pile inside of and we would roll them around in the yard.  There were water ballons, kites, bikes, tractor rides, fishing, and s'mores.  It warmed my heart and soul to see my children doing all the same things, all in the same place I spent my entire childhood, 10 cousins all united for the very first time.

A trip to New York would not be complete without Hoffmann hotdogs, Pepi's Pizza, Panther Lake, and the Sylvan Beach Midway.  Teddy and Patrick went on their first Scrambler ride while Rowan and Liam lit up the kiddie park.  The evening would not be complete without the entire family piling on the antique carousel dating back more than a century.

During our visit my 94 year old grandmother passed away.  She was hands down one of the most incredible women you would ever meet.  She earned a Bachelor's Degree as a young woman during the depression, serving as one of the very first women in the United States Navy, and raised 7 children. She had the hardest work ethic, relentless dedication to her family, and warmest smile of any woman you would ever meet. Unfortunately we had to leave Central New York on the day of her funeral, the same day as my mother's birthday.  It was very hard to leave on such an important day.  I was leaving the only home I knew for the first 18 years of my life, and missing a celebration of the two women who had the greatest influence on my life.

It was time to set out on yet another life changing experience.

Cousins enjoying a popsicle.

Tractor rides from Grandpa

Fishing off the dock and boats on Panther Lake

Teddy, 9 years, Westyn, 2 months

                                           

 Chillin' in our life vests with cousin Carter in the canoe

                                   
                                                         Summer nights with family

"I will always remember catching my first fish!"  -Rowan Finley age 5

                                          Rowan, age 5, Madeline, age 8 relaxing poolside.

A Walk In The Woods..

Its Monsoon Season here in Arizona.  The days are beastly hot, until the late afternoon storm clouds roll in, revitalizing the sun parched desert with its rain.

We have 4 more days left in Arizona.  We decided to pack up the family, some sandwiches and head for the mountains where temperatures are typically 10 degrees cooler.   We picked a gorgeous spot in the Huachuca Mountains, Garden Canyon, where a stream is flowing from all the summer rain, and the cliffs are decorated with Native American pictographs.  Teddy and Patrick were enthralled with the ancient pictures etched in rock.  All the kids were so excited to throw rocks in the stream.  Daniel could not wait to build a dam in the stream.  I could not wait to capture some last minute memories on my camera.  And the whole family built a great lean-to out of fallen trees and branches.

When everyone comes home wet, dirty, and with sunburned cheeks, we can easily say it was a fun filled day.  We will miss our Arizona mountains.  Until we meet again!

Goodbye, Dear Friend

Grandma Marylou, Liam, Rowan & Ben the Horse, June 2013

One last horse back ride for Liam and Rowan, on Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista AZ before we leave for Germany.  Daniel took the two oldest, Teddy and Patrick out to San Diego with Pop for the weekend to drop off our Suburban for shipment to Germany.  Rowan, Liam and I stayed in Sierra Vista with Grandma and Nana.  The boys attended a pro baseball game with cousins Avery, Griffin, Everett, Aunt Rochelle and Uncle Jarrod.  They also included one last trip to the beach.

It was bitter sweet to see our home all packed up and empty as we prepare for our trip to Germany.  We have so many wonderful things and people in our lives here in Arizona.  This is our home.  We have said our "see you laters" to a number of friends and family, including Grandma and Pop.

We said goodbye to our dear friend and family member, Bella.  Daniel and I got her when we first got married.  Bella was very well traveled.  She had made 2 cross country trips.  She has been as far West as California, and as far East as New York.  She has seen the Pacific Ocean and tromped in the snows of the Great North Woods.   About a year ago Bella really started to go downhill.  She was having trouble standing up.  The past few months there were days where she would only get up once a day to go to the bathroom and eat.  She would sometimes fall down and have trouble getting back up.  Her back legs would just give out. She sometimes would not get up until Daniel got home from work.  She had severe muscle atrophy.  Her once 130 pound physique had deteriorated to a mere 89 pounds.

It is never easy to prepare ourselves, and even more so, prepare young children for the death of a beloved pet and family member.  I still remember the day we brought Teddy home from the hospital and we introduced him to Bella and Murphy.  We explained to the kids that dogs just don't live as long as people do.  We shared all the stories of the wonderful adventures Bella had been on.  When they asked if she would ever "wake up" once the vet puts here "to sleep," we explained the circle of life.  We are all placed on this Earth with a duty to take care of  each other and our environment.  When animals and people get old, we live on in another way.  We go back to the Earth.  When we go back to the Earth we help other plants and animals thrive.  We live on in a whole new way.  When Murphy, our other Great Pyrenees died, we had him cremated and planted a mesquite tree over his ashes.  Today that tree thrives in our back yard.  It has grown considerably, and will one day be the home for birds and other wildlife.  This tree will provide a home, nourishment, and oxygen for other living things.  Murphy is continuing on in the circle of life.  We have also had Bella cremated and she will also continue on in the circle of life.  Teddy says we can plant the trees next to each other and one day they can "hold hands." She is still living and is still with us in so many ways.  Even though we cannot hug her and pet her like we used to, she is going through another whole stage of life.

It is the first time in our married life that we do not have a great big white dog laying by the back door.  It is the first time there is no white face to greet us when we come in the front door.

We were all broken hearted to have to say goodbye to her.  She lived a life rich in friendship, love, and experience.   After packing up our home I look at all the empty rooms.  I realize this is the first move we have made without our big white companions.   We will have a home rich in love and memories to return to.  And the two mesquite trees planted neatly in the back yard will forever be a tribute to Murphy and Bella, symbolizing the journeys of love, relationships, friendships, and experiences of the past, present,  and all we have to look forward to in the future.