from here to there and home again

i left school early on friday. something i rarely do. i like the word rarely. it reminds me of really and when i say it in my head is sounds like raally as in raally i do darling. those are the kinds of thoughts i was having on friday.  i mishmash of happy sad free bound scattered-ness.  we were off to see pop and gram. neither are doing well.  both are in pain, one physical, one emotional.  we had many a stop to take care of too. 

but first it was load em up and move em out. aidan and nadia as thrilled as i to sneak out just a little bit early.  the car was packed light on provisions and heavy on electronics. it was one of the emotionally longest rides over the mountain we have ever had. the kids were wonderful and kind and helpful to one another. tony was irritated at how i insist on taking pictures of him while he drives. we had a rousing go at the alphabet game where we realized how silly it is that i am not able to say the next letter in the alphabet without reciting the whole thing. except for m n o p. i have those four down pat. it is the rest that gets jumbled up. i was quick to point out that not once while getting any of my degrees did i need that dribble.  but i digress...it was up and over the mountain to bellevue.

a quick stop at the lego store.

and a delightful dinner with my girls from sesrc. delightful is exactly what i mean. even though we talked of old times and heavy stuff i left feeling delighted by their company.  these are two wonderful women who make me smile. we missed lindsay's mike and i am sorry i nearly made her retinas nearly explode from the insane amount of flash reverberating off of the mirrored corner booth we were in, but i left delighted. 

we stayed in style at the hyatt. aidan informed us on the way over that he will no longer stay in less than a 4 star hotel. awfully pretentious for a boy that had to barter his freedom for the next week to his mom for five bucks to cover his legos. lucky for him we have priceline on our side. we fell asleep boy-boy and girl-girl to the sound of how to train your dragon.

the next morning...

my nadia was folded snug into the circle my body makes when i lie on my side. folded tight with her forehead pressed to mine. my mind was stuck on how she won't fit there forever. she woke up at 5 and wanted to look at the lights of the city. after a quick peek i asked he to come back and snuggle. she snuggled. i snuggled. we giggled and talked about our upcoming day. with every breath we created this little bubble where time did nott exist and i could squish her every moment of every day until eternity.

and then *pop*. 

it was time for showers.

and then off to walk to the coffee shop to start our day. 

then to pop and gram's.

they have moved into what i can only assume is the highest level of care now that they are both confined to their beds.  they sleep holding hands. they deserve the very best, those two. i wish i had a word heavier than sad but as i tried to think of one i think instead of her smile. her mischievous eyebrow wiggle that reminds me of tony. i really don't know what to say about all of that right now. a couple of hours with them was not enough but i don't think they could handle more.

then on to grandpa john & nana becky's.

john built a fantastic addition for becky's mom betty. it was an unbelievable transformation. we visited about dogs and renovations and europe and war and wii over coffee and red velvet cake with the trio. again, a couple of hours was just not enough.

then on to dinner with the cousins and cousins of cousins.

a red robin table for 13 swarmed with activity and updates on things like soccer games and new milestones and school and quarterbacks and cars and iphones and video games and wishes to be closer. i can only imagine the trouble 5 boys and 2 girls could get into if they had more time together, not to mention the damage jake and tony could create. 

  

i felt scattered. and sad. and relaxed. and lucky. and happy too.

and then tony drove us safely back home where margo barely missed us thanks to this lovely girl.