A Long Day of Travel

Today was definitely one of the longest I had spent in recent memory.  I was up at 4:30 a.m. to go to Longwood with Doug.  We didn’t want to have to drive both cars back when we return from California, so it was the best option.  While he was working, I hung out at Meg’s catching up on my shows, talking to several of my children, and resting for our long trip to come.  

I picked Doug up at 1 p.m. from work.  It had been a quiet day for him with most people out of the office for a meeting.  We left the Accord at Meg’s and took a Lyft to the airport.  It was a lot cheaper than paying for parking for eight days and our driver was super helpful.  There was a long line at check-in, but security was short, so we had plenty of time to eat an early dinner.  In the end, I was very glad that we did as we wouldn’t have much to eat the rest of the day.

Our flight was delayed at the gate for a mechanical issue which made us twenty minutes late getting into San Diego.  I was really worried about that as we had to catch our flight to Oakland 40 minutes after our original plane was supposed to arrive.  Thankfully, our Oakland flight was delayed as well.  It was the easiest flight of the two as it was only an hour long and the wi-fi worked on it.  That wasn’t the case on the first flight, which made it feel a lot longer than the five hours we were on the plane.  Doug slept almost the entirety of that flight, so he really didn’t notice.  I did start the series on Apple TV called Pluribus.  It was good, just not as much as Severance.  

With all of the delays, we had very little time to get our luggage and catch the shuttle to the rental car lot before it closed.  Thankfully, everything was in our favor.  Ours were the first bags off of the plane and we were the last ones on the shuttle bus.  We pulled out of the parking lot at 11:45 p.m. just as they were starting to shut down for the night.  It was a long day of traveling, but worth it as now our vacation could begin.

Life Changer

Over the past two weeks I have had a lot of time to reflect on the conversation that I had with my gastroenterologist and the session that I had with my therapist.  One item that was causing a lot of stress in my life came to light during those appointments.  I was spending almost all of my time and energy making sure that no one had to deal with the natural consequences of their actions.  For years, I had been anticipating every bad outcome that could occur from a decision that someone in our family made and sometimes even trying to guess all of the different decisions that they could make beforehand so I could prevent anything negative from happening. It made sense to me why I was doing this, but realistically it wasn’t really helping anyone.  People learn best from dealing with the consequences of their choices, good or bad.  By preventing that from happening, they weren’t learning anything and I was destroying my health.  I had taken steps last July to step back from this behavior, but until the doctor explained exactly how doing this was a direct physical cause of pain for me, I knew that I had to stop completely.  

Because of this, I have let go of the guilt of not going the extra mile for others and instead have started to focus on myself.  For the past two weeks, I have exercised daily, watched what and how I ate, put my interests first and set boundaries.  The difference has been amazing.  I have only experience severe pain a few times in the past two weeks.  I have lost weight.  I sleep better and I am happier.  I wish that I would have understood that this behavior was making me sick a long time ago, but am thankful that I understand it now.  It has definitely been a life changer.  

Surgery Success

My dad's surgery to remove the sarcoma in his right bicep was yesterday and I was happy to hear that it went very well.  There were multiple outcomes that could have occurred including amputation, nerve damage or loss of the use of his hand.  The surgeon was very pleased to relay to my dad that none of those had happened.  Instead, my dad got the best-case scenario, removal of the tumor and muscle without disturbing the vascular or nervous system.  He was obviously extremely relieved to hear that news.

I really appreciated that Aunt Susie and Uncle Dean were able to take him yesterday and pick him up this afternoon.  It was very nice to have a family member there who was positive and could let us know what was happening before my dad woke up.  Hopefully, now my dad can focus on healing and recovering.  It will take some work in rehab and several follow-up appointments, but thankfully, the worst is behind him now.

The Hidden King

Since we finished the book of Isaiah during the Lenten season, our Bible study leader suggested that we spend three weeks studying Saint Joseph.  I was very excited about that as I didn't know a lot about him besides being a carpenter and Jesus' father.  The video that we were using for our studies was divided in three parts and was titled The Hidden King. I thought that was very interesting as I had most often heard of him as The Forgotten Saint.  We listened to the first part last week which focused on the lineage of Joseph and his relationship to King David.  There was also a lot of discussion regarding Herod who was the king of Jerusalem.  He was a horrible person and was responsible for killing all male Jews under the age of two after he found out about Jesus' birth. It was very difficult to listen to at times because of Herod's cruelty.

This week's lesson focused on the story of Joseph and Mary's betrothal and marriage as well as Jesus' conception.  It was absolutely fascinating.  It not only gave us information about relationships during that time period but also gave Biblical verses that supported the Catholic Church's beliefs surrounding the lives of Joseph and Mary. There were verses that showed that Mary remained a virgin her entire life, it dated Joseph's age and it explained perfectly the question about Jesus' "brothers."  I thoroughly enjoyed the video and the discussion that followed.  I will miss the last session next week but should be able to finish on my own later.  If not, I am so happy with what I learned today.  It was truly enlightening.  

The Plant Debate Continues

Since Doug and I first bought our home in Naperville, we have always disagreed on how to trim our bushes.  He has always liked our landscaping to look natural with only minor trimming several times a year.  I one the other hand preferred to have all bushes shaped and kept small.  It made sense that our opinions differed.  The landscaping at his parents' home was large almost covering the front of the home.  Ours was always kept small so the house was in open view.

At first, we followed more of Doug's thoughts on the landscaping.  That seemed fair to me since he did most of the yardwork.  Once he started traveling more and I got involved, we changed to more of my way of thinking. I was very glad when we moved to Florida that Doug changed his opinion completely.  I didn't have to do much persuading either.  Once he saw that large bushes and brush near the house brough more bugs, lizards and snakes he agreed to minimal landscaping near the home and rock instead of mulch.

Our houseplants, on the other hand, have still continued to be a debate.  Doug likes to have them grow naturally, and I prefer them trimmed.  Since I take care of them, I agreed to leave two grow and prune the rest as I saw fit.  I had mentioned to him not to long ago that our angel wings plant was starting to take over the top shelf.  He wasn't quite ready for me to do anything about it yet but agreed to think about it.  I guess the plant had another idea.  This morning I woke up to it lying on the ground.  It had taken quite a fall from the top tier and lost many leaves and a few of the vines along the way.  I couldn't believe it.  The vines must have gotten too heavy.  I was able to replant what was left in another planter and get it back up on the shelf this afternoon.  After that mishap, Doug was fine with me doing research on all of the plants to see the best way to care for them even if it meant trimming a few more.  I was glad to hear that as I didn't want any more late-night free falls to happen to my beloved houseplants.  

The Masters

The past four days have been filled with Masters updates from our family group chat.  There were cheers, taunts, and disappointments shared among the twelve of us involved in the pool and many laughs as well.  Karen had chosen the fan favorite, Rory McIlroy, as her pick and was tied for the lead after three rounds.  The rest of us were cheering for other golfers and for a time it looked like my pick, Cameron Young, would be the winner as he started the day tied with Rory, but the pressure must have gotten to him as he couldn't make a putt. Maggie's pick, Justin Rose, climbed to the top before a few errant shots knocked him down to third.  Cora was the last lone one in our group to have any chance of catching Rory as her pick, Scottie Scheffler, came roaring back on the last nine, but unfortunately, he ran out of holes before he could send the tournament into a playoff.  

As a family we were divided on who were rooting for on the last few holes, some for Karen and others for Cora.  Either way it was a lot of fun and the closest Masters that I had watched in a long time. In the end, Karen was excited to have won our family pool, and I was thankful that everyone had a great time together even though we all lived miles apart.  

A Beautiful Change of Weather

Meg decided to leave for Orlando tonight after dinner, but we made the most of her visit these past two days before she left.  Last night, we picked up dinner from Publix and afterward sat outside on the back patio listening to vinyls. This morning, Meg and I went to the new thrift store by McAlister's.  I had been there on Thursday with Robbi, and I knew that Meg would really like it.  She found a few shirts for herself, and I even picked up two for me and a brand-new dress shirt for Doug.  

After lunch, Meg worked on her crafts while I helped Doug with a few things.  He left around 3 to meet Phil back at Hiatus.  They had just tapped the keg on their "beertini."  Meg and I weren't into the martini inspired beer and went for a walk at Sholom Park instead.  We were both thankful for the beautiful day.  It had been dreary and rainy in Florida this past week and sunshine was just what we needed.  The three of us went to dinner once everyone got back. I picked Las Margaritas so that we could sit outside and enjoy the end of the day.  We also did a little bit of shopping before we left Heath Brook Square where I found the perfect glasses for our game nights while Meg picked up duck ones for their collection.  Overall, it was a wonderful day, and we were very glad to have spent it with Meg.

Unexpected Turn of Events

Meg decided to come out today and hang out with us since Nick was flying.  It had been a while since she had stayed in Ocala, and it was very nice to have her here.  She and I went to Hobby Lobby when she first arrived to pick up crafting supplies for her and some front porch decorations for me.  It was packed, but we still had a lot of fun.

Doug was home early today as they had a company outing that got over at 2 p.m.  The three of us decided to ask Uncle Phil if he wanted to meet us at Hiatus in the late afternoon.  Neither Meg nor I had talked to him in a month and were surprised by his life change.  He had started volunteering at a local pet rescue where he would be walking dogs that were in need of a little exercise before they found their new forever owner.  He told us all about it and the dogs that he had walked so far.  It was neat to see the excitement in his eyes and nice to know that he really enjoyed it.  I had been very worried about him since he quit his job last year.  He didn't seem to have much interaction with others besides our family.  It was nice to know that he found something he loved that would give him a chance to get involved in his new community.  

Severance

Several months ago, Jim suggested to me that I watch the Apple TV series, Severance.  We didn't have the streaming service then, so I put it on the list for later.  The new iPhone that I just purchased came with a free two-month subscription so I decided that I would give it a try and I am so glad that I did.  

All I knew before I started the series was that it followed a group of workers that have their mind severed. Thus, their "innies" only know their work environment, and their "outies" only know the outside world. The show hasn't been as hard to follow as I thought it would be and I was hooked from the very first episode.  Sometimes it feels like I'm watching a car accident; I don't want to look but I can't seem to turn away.  I can never figure out what's going to happen next and each episode ends on a cliff hanger.  The fact that it was written by Ben Stiller makes it even more fascinating.  I have already finished the first season and am starting season two today.  I have no idea how this will end, but I know that I will enjoy the ride along the way.

Not What He Expected, But Maybe a Whole Lot Better

I talked to Cameron yesterday and found out that he did not get the position that he interviewed for on the Student Athletic Board - VP of Membership.  I knew that he was very disappointed about it, especially since he had not won the race for president of the group earlier in the semester as well.  For him the worst part was that all of his friends got the position that they wanted and it was hard to celebrate their victory while mourning his own loss.  We talked a lot about empathy and understanding.  Most importantly, we talked about how to handle rejection and acceptance as we both knew that this wouldn't be the last time he was turned down for something that he had worked hard to achieve.

The one topic that I had brought up to him multiple times before he applied and today after he knew the results was the belief that I had - "Everything happens for a reason."  This time it was very obvious to me what that reason was because as soon as Cameron told me about losing out on the position that he wanted, he followed it up with "but I will still be a director and they are opening it up to another sport, football." I couldn't believe it.  Cameron has been 100% Hoosier football for as long as I could remember pledging his loyalty way before he committed to IU.  He was the only one of our children who enjoyed the games even more than the tailgates.  He had stuck with them when they were 3-9 and sat through many rain drenched games even though the team had given up long before he did.  It was the perfect spot for him and even Cal said, "Do you know how much cooler it is to tell people that my brother is SAB Director of Football than VP of Membership?"  I hoped that me telling him how proud our family was of him and how awesome we thought his new position was helped him to see that the old adage "when one door closes, another one opens" is not just a saying but a belief system.

Celebrating Nick's Birthday

This afternoon I drove to Orlando to celebrate Nick's birthday with he, Meg and Doug.  I was very happy to do so since I hadn't seen them in a week. They picked the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.  Neither Doug nor I had ever been there.  The food was absolutely delicious. I was very thankful for the "skinny menu" as it was filled with several dairy free options.  It also helped me leave room to try a dessert.  Meg and I split the chocolate cake and the guys each got a piece of cheesecake in honor of Nick's 25th. No one was disappointed with their choice. 

Dinner wasn't the only item on the agenda tonight.  Nick also opened his gifts from Brett - a pair of Purdue socks, and Doug and I - a Purdue hat.  Both were greatly appreciated.  We also got to hear Nick's favorite parts of DC in person and to see all of the souvenirs that they brought back from their trip.  It was a lot of fun, and I was very glad to celebrate Nick tonight. He truly has become an integral part of the Heinisch family, even if he is a Yoder.

Washington DC for the Newbie

Meg and Nick spent the last four days in Washington DC enjoying all that our nation's capital has to offer.  While they were there, Meg even got to visit with childhood friend, Aaron.  He had been stationed at the Pentagon for the past several years.  I loved all of the pictures that she sent.  Nick had never been and I was glad to hear that he liked the city as much as we had on our family's three previous trips.  The monuments, Arlington Cemetery and Mount Vernon were high on their favorite's list as was the American History Museum.  Neither one loved the food but did enjoy eating at one of the oldest restaurants in the capital city.  Their photos brought back so many fond memories and I can't wait to hear more about it when we catch up with them tomorrow.  

Happy Easter

It was a quiet Easter for Doug and I in Ocala, but we didn't mind.  We had visited with all of our children in the last two weeks and had really enjoyed being with them.  Today, Doug and I went to 11 a.m. mass about 30 minutes early.  We found seats without any issue, but it definitely was more crowded than usual by the time the service began.  The mass was very nice, and we enjoyed it very much.  We also bought a big cookie to celebrate the day.

The rest of the afternoon was spent working in the yard.  We needed to prune several trees and plants that had had been either damaged by the frost or were just growing too big.  After careful evaluation, we were glad to see that the palm tree was growing green palms again.  We were also happy to find out that the lemon tree had survived the harsh winter.  Unfortunately, the lime tree and the pineapple had too much damage.  We planned on trying new ones after our trip to California.

We were also able to talk to all of our children today and appreciated hearing how they were celebrating the holiday.  Brett and Karen spent it much as we had with mass, lunch and getting a few things done around their apartment.  Cal and Maggie were enjoying Easter in Oak Park with Maggie's family.  I appreciated all of Cal's humorous texts reminding everyone about his long time run at winning the family Easter egg hunts.  Meg and Nick were in DC and went to mass at one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States. The pictures were beautiful.  Cameron's Easter was very quiet with all of his roommates out of the apartment for the weekend.  He appreciated the time to catch up on a few things and hanging out with Cora.  Although it wasn't our traditional family Easter, it was still very nice and I loved hearing from everyone, especially the memories that they shared.

The Hail Mary Project

Doug and I spent the afternoon at the movie theater today watching Ryan Gosling's newest film, "The Hail Mary Project."  It had gotten great reviews and Cal told us that he really liked it, so I had pretty high expectations.  Thankfully, I was not let down.  The movie was fantastic and I loved it from start to finish.  It reminded me somewhat of Castaway with Tom Hanks, but this film had a lot more humor in it.  The main character did go into space and there was an alien character, so it was completely science fiction. The movie was incredibly heartwarming, however, so the genre of film didn't really matter that much.  Overall, I was very glad that Doug agreed to go with me as he liked the movie as well, and we were able to share a large bucket of popcorn making for a fun lunch for the two of us.  As Roger Ebert would say, "a big thumbs up" for today's theater experience.  

Good Friday

Today was Good Friday and because of it, I spent quite a bit of time at Blessed Trinity.  I first went there to hear the stations of the cross.  Father Pat did a very nice job with the service, and I was pleased to have attended.  I couldn't remember the last time that I had done heard the stations of the cross in church and it gave me a lot of time to reflect on the life of Jesus and the suffering that he endured as well has Mary.  Since becoming a mother of adult men, I have often thought of her and what it must have been like to watch her only son be crucified.  I cannot even imagine the anguish that she felt.  

I was very happy that Doug was able to join me for their Good Friday service since his work let out at noon today.  Father Bill led this one and also did wonderful job reminding us of what Jesus sacrificed for all.  We were also given a chance to say a prayer at the feet of Jesus, and I found it to be extremely moving.  I spent a lot of time during this service thinking about the brevity of life and the suffering that we must all bare.  God didn't promise us a life of ease, but he does promise to help along the way.  I am thankful today that He brought us to a church that has helped me grow in my faith and feel His spirit in my daily life.  I couldn't ask for anything more than that.

Finally, A New Plan That Might Work

I went to the gastroenterologist today with low expectations of getting help with my stomach issues.  I had been dealing with the pain and intestinal distress since I was eighteen years old.  I had been given a lot of medications to try without too much support.  The only doctor that really took me seriously and helped at all was Dr. Mulry.  The medication he had given me back then was no longer available, so I felt like I had been in a holding pattern for the last fifteen years.  On my last visit to the gastroenterologist in December, the PA spent most of the time shaming me on what I was taking and what I was eating.  Her advice helped a little bit, but I could never get over how negative she made me feel about myself.

All of that changed this afternoon.  Dr. Brown was one of the quirkiest guys that I had ever met, but his advice and recommendations were by far the most helpful.  He told me immediately that I was dealing with a nerve issue that was creating intense pain in my stomach.  The gastritis didn't help but wasn't the main cause.  The stress that I was under these past couple of months was.  He explained that the nerve ran from the brain to the ear to the stomach and that the extreme stress that I had been under since last June was causing the pain.  He couldn't fix my life situation, but he had several holistic recommendations that would help my stomach as well as a medication that I could try if I wanted.  

The doctor wrote everything down and I walked out of his office the happiest I had been in months.  I not only had an answer, but a way to fix the situation.  I planned to "destress" my life, start on his holistic recommendations and go back to walking anytime I felt upset or in pain.  It was nice to have a correct diagnosis after all of these years of struggling.  Just knowing that made my stomach feel a lot better.  It also answered why my sciatica was the worst when I was under a lot of stress.  I couldn't wait to tell everyone else.  

Companion Pass

By flying to Chicago and back this past week, I earned a companion pass promotion from Southwest. With that Doug would be able to fly for free with me anytime I booked a flight from August 7th to October 7th.  We were both very excited to hear that as that the fall was prime IU football season.  

The one downside to the pass was that I couldn't book Doug's ticket until August 7th, so we might not be able to sit together.  If it meant that the flight was free, I knew that neither one of us would care about that.  The companion pass also meant that I would only be in the Midwest when Doug was able to go.  It would make for shorter three-day trips instead of the weeklong ones that I had been taking in the past.  I was ok with that as I had spent a lot of time in Indiana since last June and was ready for a break from being away from home for extended periods of time. As of right now, Doug and I haven't decided when or where we will travel this fall, but at least now we know that it would be a lot less expensive.  

An Early Start to the Day

Last night, I was in bed by 9 p.m.  After waking up early, making three trips to Goshen and being on my feet a good portion of the day, I was impressed that I made it up that late.  I told my mom before I went to bed that whatever time I woke up, I would get dressed and head straight to Midway.  That way I wouldn't have to worry about traffic and if there was an earlier flight, I could catch it.  No one was up when I left the house at 4:50 a.m. but that was ok as I had said my goodbyes last night.  

The drive was extremely easy as there were very few people on the road to Chicago.  Because of that, I was shocked by all of the semi-trucks at the rest stop when I got gas, but I guess that made sense as many of them were probably not ready to get back on the road again.  I returned the car with no problem and caught the shuttle to the airport right away.  Before I got to the Southwest counter to check my luggage, I was able to switch my 1 p.m. flight to an 8:30 a.m. one.  I was very happy as that got me back to Florida by lunchtime.  I had actually arrived so early that I almost caught the flight at 7:40.  

I had an hour before the plane boarded and spent a good portion of that time looking for a smoothie for breakfast.  I was surprised that there weren't any places that made them and settled for a peanut butter and strawberry jelly Uncrustable.  It wasn't what I expected to find, but it tasted great and had the protein that I was looking for this morning.  I had chosen an upgraded seat for my flight as the only standard one left was in the middle in the back of the plane.  I appreciated being in the seventh row and enjoyed catching up on the Pitt on my way home.  Doug had waited to take his lunch break until I landed.  I was very happy that he did that.  It saved me the hassle of taking an Uber and I was glad to see him.

I spent the afternoon at Meg's catching up on some much-needed sleep.  Once she and Doug arrived at the apartment, the three of us went to Gastro Pub for dinner.  I hadn't been in at least a month and loved sitting outside eating my favorite flatbread talking to Doug and Meg. It was a nice way to celebrate all that I had accomplished this past week. 

Waterford Crossing

On Saturday morning my mom and I visited Green Oaks in Goshen.  It is an independent/assisted living facility that had just opened in the past few years.  It was very nice and had a lot of great amenities, but my mom felt that it was too small for her and my dad.  Today, we went to see Waterford Crossing.  My parents knew people who lived there, and it was on the south side of Goshen which was a lot closer to Syracuse.  My mom liked it right away and I could see why.  The facility was bigger, it had an outdoor area, the rooms were a lot more spacious and the people that lived there were extremely positive about it.  Waterford Crossing felt a lot like Bethany.  I loved that the different areas were named after familiar areas of Goshen - Shanklin Avenue, Linway Plaza, etc.  Another big positive was the amount of nursing staff that they had available as well as the help they could provide when needed.  Overall, it was extremely impressive, and my mom told my dad that she wanted to put a deposit down today since there was a year waiting list.  I ran a check back over this afternoon.  

The rest of the day was a busy one.  I took my dad in to have his bloodwork done at the hospital as his sodium was very low last week.  I also ran to the post office, went shopping for my parents at Walmart, and packed the rest of the items that I wanted to take back to Florida including Cal's beloved Ninja Turtles.  I was exhausted tonight and glad to sit down after dinner to watch Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy and Super Market Sweep with my parents.  

Cal and Maggie in Lincoln Park

Doug and I worked very hard at my parents yesterday to get a lot of things done for them.  Doug was the manual labor, and I was the technical support.  While he was cleaning out the closets in their home, I took my mom to Green Oaks to look at their assisted living facility and finished my dad's taxes afterward.  We were both exhausted when we left for dinner at Goshen Brewing Company and were glad for a restful night of watching basketball with my parents afterward. 

This morning, Doug and I packed a full suitcase for him to take back to Florida of items that our family still wanted to save but had been stored at my parents and then headed to Chicago to visit Cal and Maggie.  They were up and ready for us even though we were early.  Maggie had bought some macaroons for us to try and hot dog flavored chips.  All were delicious.  

After catching up at their apartment for a while, the four of us walked to the Lincoln Park Zoo.  It was a little chilly, but once the sun came out it warmed up quickly.  They had hoped to show us the brown bears that had arrived recently to the zoo.  Unfortunately, they weren't out today, but we did get to see the polar bear and a new section of the zoo that we had never been to that housed pygmy hippos, an aardvark, meerkats and giraffes.  It was really neat.

Cal had made reservations at Mon Ami Gabi, a French restaurant that was absolutely wonderful.  I tried their French toast, Doug ordered salmon and Cal and Maggie split a salad and cheeseburger.  No one went away hungry and everything was delicious.  We spent a few hours afterward watching basketball and hanging out at Cal and Maggie's apartment.  It was so much fun, and I was glad to see them both.  The time went by quickly and soon Doug and I were on our way to Midway to drop him off for his flight.  I was exhausted driving back to Syracuse but was incredibly happy for such a fantastic day.

Karens Choir Debut

I was up and out the door by 9 a.m. yesterday morning for a road trip to Southern Indiana.  My first stop was Bloomington.  I got to Assembly Hall just as Cameron was getting out of his internship.  Before heading to lunch at Mother Bear's, we unloaded everything that I had brought back from Florida into his car.  I also had several items of clothing from Grandma's that he still had in the upstairs bedroom.  He even took the ski helmets that were stored there in case he would need them next winter.

Lunch was very nice.  We both had their 8-inch pizzas which were the perfect size for a mid-day meal. Cameron had had a tough week and was glad to have someone to talk to about it.  The internship, classes, SAB, and work have physically worn him out.  I know that he will be glad when the semester is over.  Thankfully, warmer weather is just around the corner, so he will be able to get outside more which will really help.

I drove to Columbus next.  Brett and Karen had both taken the day off and were waiting for me when I arrived.  I was glad to see Karen before she left for her performance with the choir.  Brett and I had a very nice talk and were able to resolve a few things that he had going on in his life.  I was very happy to hear that work was going well.  He and Karen were really looking forward to nicer weather too.

Brett and I drove separately to Indianapolis for Karen's choir program at Robert Parks United Methodist Church.  Parking was a little challenging, and the neighborhood wasn't my favorite.  Fortunately, there was a spot right in front of the church, and it was still daylight, so Brett and I had no problem walking in safely.  St. Bartholemew's choir was performing with three other churches to sing Gioachino Rossini's Sabat Mater.  It was a beautiful piece that told the story of Mary witnessing the death of Jesus on the cross.  The solos were amazing and I was very glad to have been invited to attend.  Karen did a great job in her first performance and Brett told me afterward that he was joining the choir as well.

While we were at the concert, Doug was landing at the Indianapolis airport.  I headed straight there once we left the church.  Brett and Karen then met us at a nearby Texas Roadhouse for dinner.  The four of us had a wonderful time talking about Karen's concert, their thoughts on moving to Florida in the near future, the current state of politics, church and so much more.  It was an awesome way to end a fantastic day.

Grandpa Cutes Turns 83

Today was my dad's 83rd birthday.  He couldn't believe how old it sounded.  I was more amazed at how much had changed since he turned 82.  My mom had had a stroke.  He had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.  My mom had fallen and broken her hip.  Then my dad spent a month in the hospital and rehab facility with pneumonia.  He had been a very healthy octogenarian last March and now he was using a wheelchair, walker and on oxygen.  

Although life had hit him hard this year, there were some very positive moments as well.  Brett had gotten married over the summer.  Meg and Nick had successfully moved to Florida.  My dad had won the Big Cup this fall with Cal. IU football had been the talk of the sports world this year by winning the National Championship and my parents had gotten to see their youngest grandson on television more than any other grandparent I knew.  It's hard not to get down when life is tough, so I hope those positive memories and many more carry him through year number eighty-three.

  

A Very Busy Day

Today was extremely exhausting.  I was up early this morning to start on cleaning out the closest upstairs in the two extra bedrooms and hallway.  Our family still had a few items stored at my parents and I wanted to see what was there and let everyone decide what to do with it all.  Next on the agenda was a visit to Dr. Freeze's with both of my parents.  It was challenging to get into the office with a wheelchair, oxygen and walker, but we made it. The doctor spent a lot of time talking to my parents and going over their current ailments.  My mom had fallen last night while helping my dad and had a big cut on her leg.  The doctor was very concerned about that and strongly suggested assisted living or home health.  She also said that she would have a care manager call me as she could help with those two areas.  I was not sure that my dad had considered either before today, but after being at their home I thought they were both good ideas.  Home health would give my mom a break and assisted living would provide a safe place for them to live.  With all of the stairs in the house, the risk of falling was definitely something I worried about for both of them.  

We had just enough time to stop at my parents' home and pick up more oxygen before heading to Amanda's for haircuts.  Neither of my parents had had theirs cut since December and were ready for a trim.  Amanda did a great job, and both looked very nice once she was done.  I took my parents back to Syracuse and grabbed lunch before going to North Webster once again for my own haircut.  Mine definitely needed it and I was glad to catch up with my friend while I was there.  The rest of the night was spent at my parents.  We watched basketball after I sorted through a few more things upstairs.  The Purdue game was exciting, and we were all glad to see them win, my mom especially since she had chosen them in our March Madness pool.  She even donned the sweatshirt that Nick had sent up for her to wear.  It was a nice way to end a very busy day.

Back in the Midwest

Doug and I stayed at Meg and Nick's last night so that I could catch my morning flight today.  The four of us tired a new restaurant in downtown Orlando that we all loved.  I had not been in that area before and was impressed with how beautiful it was.  There was a large pond that surrounded the downtown area with dozens of swans swimming up to the feeders placed strategically in the water to attract them.  After dinner we walked along a path circling the lake looking at all of the birds in the park, impressed with the multitude of restaurants that we could try on a later date.

This morning, Doug dropped me off three hours early for my flight.  With the government shutdown the news was full of long lines at the TSA counters, and we wanted to make sure that I got through it in plenty of time to make my 8:30 a.m. flight. Thankfully, it was nothing like the media reports we had seen.  Someone was there to greet me when I got out of the car with my large suitcase and I was the first person in line for security.  The boarding process was so much easier than before Southwest changed to assigned seating and my flight actually arrived early.  I met the best employee ever at National and soon I was in a red Jeep Compass driving out of Midway's parking garage.

The trip to Syracuse was a lot easier than I expected.  Traffic in Chicago was lighter than expected too.  Tolls were more expensive, but thankfully, I brought cash and didn't have to wait too long to pay them.  I listened to the Big Picture podcast on the drive and stopped at McDonald's for lunch.  I arrived at my parents' home well before dark thankful to have made it safely and ready for a break from traveling.  

The Book of Isaiah

Today in Bible study, we concluded a twenty-two week course on the book of Isaiah.  It was the first time that I had ever been involved in a program that thoroughly studied one book of the Bible.  It was interesting, depressing, uplifting and enlightening.  To say that I learned a lot was an understatement.  To say that I enjoyed each lesson would be untruthful.  I was glad to say, however, that I stuck with it and completed each lesson that was given to me. 

Isaiah was a major prophet in the Old Testament.  The first thirty-nine chapters warned of God's judgement for idolatry among other sins.   Our Bible leader said that this section was called "The Book of Woe."  I could definitely understand why.  The rest of Isaiah was devoted to the prophecies that those who believed in God would be protected and the coming of the Messiah.  I preferred this half of the book of Isaiah a lot more.  It related directly to the New Testament and was full of hope and good news.  

Although the twenty-two lessons were time consuming.  I was really happy that I stay with it.  I learned a lot and felt very good about my relationship with God once we finished it today.  

Catching an Earlier Flight

Last night while we were at Crazy Cucumber eating dinner, Cameron and I started talking about changing his flight to an earlier time today.  He had had a great week with us and was glad to have celebrated Meg's birthday with her, but his flight this afternoon didn't land until after 6 and that wouldn't give him time to unpack, go grocery shopping and unwind.  Since Meg and Nick were leaving for Magic Kingdom early tomorrow, it made sense to Doug and I to find an earlier flight for him.  We started searching right away and found there was one in the morning that worked perfectly.  It didn't have any standard seats left, but there was one for a slight upcharge in the third row by the window and we booked that right away.

This morning, Doug, Cameron and I were on the road by 8:15 a.m. anticipating spring break traffic on I-75.  Thankfully, there was none and our drive was a smooth one.  We enjoyed our last few hours with Cameron talking about our spring break fun, his plans for the rest of the semester and his thoughts on his internship this summer.  Cameron arrived in plenty of time to get through TSA, find his gate and relax for a few minutes before boarding.  I was happy to see that his flight was on time during our quiet drive back to Ocala.

Meg and Nick had already left for Orlando when we arrived back home.  It was a quiet afternoon, but after a busy week, it was just what we needed.  We went grocery shopping, picked up the house, did a few things around the yard, and spent quite a bit of time relaxing.  Cameron texted to let us know that he had made it back safely to Indiana.  Meg also called to tell us about her birthday in Magic Kingdom.  They especially loved the new Pirates of the Caribbean themed restaurant "Beak N Barrell."  I was glad that everyone had enjoyed their day and that Meg had had a wonderful birthday celebration.

St. Augustine

In honor of Meg's 25th birthday and Cameron's last weekend of Spring Break, I suggested that the five of us visit St. Augustine for the day.  Nick, Cameron and Meg had never been there before, so everyone was excited about the day trip.  The weather was beautiful today which made for a great time to explore the nation's oldest city.  Finding parking was a challenge as always, but thankfully we were able to get a spot on the top floor of their visitor garage.  

Our first stop of the day was the Pirate Museum.  Doug and I had never been, and it had received very good reviews on Trip Advisor.  Plus, Nick was interested in pirates or at least talking like one, so it seemed like the perfect fit.  The museum was definitely very educational.  There was a rich history of pirating in the St. Augustine area during the 16th to the 19th century.  Blackbeard was a prominent villain in the area as were several other notable pirates.  There were also multiple shipwrecks recovered off the shores of St. Augustine and the museum held several of the key items found during their discoveries.  Overall, the five of us learned a lot about pirates this morning and we were all pleased with the visit.

From the museum we next walked down St. George's street checking out the local shops and looking for a place to eat lunch.  Meg picked a pub that had great sandwiches and a funny waiter which made the meal even more enjoyable.  We walked around The Cathedral Basilica de St. Augustine checking out the gardens.  Everything looked beautiful.  Meg and I then did some shopping while the guys went to a tasting at the distillery.  They loved all of the whiskies that they tried, and Meg and I each found a treasure to take home from our shopping trip making for a wonderful way to end our day in St. Augustine.

"Megaritaville"

Meg had been talking about having "Megaritaville" to celebrate her 25th birthday since she moved down here last May.  I was glad that tonight we were able to make that happen.  Meg did a lot of the prep work to get ready for the night by sending invitations, coming up with a specialty drink mix and picking out decorations for the night.  She also brought her own dessert, my favorite, chocolate cake.  Doug had taken a rare day off and was a lot of help with the food as well.  Nick and Cameron made it home in time from disc golf to change into their Hawaiian shirts for the night matching the one that Nick's dad, Kyle, wore in Indiana this evening in honor of the party.  Even Uncle Phil joined in the festivities by wearing the "Birthday Boy" pin that Meg got for him to honor his 53rd birthday tomorrow.  We all had a great time listening to the new vinyls we gave Meg for her birthday, including "Sunflowers" by the Beach Boys and Marvin Gayes' "What's Going On?", on the back patio while talking about birthday memories and realizing that I should never give suggestions on how much tequila it takes to make a good margarita.

Overall, tonight was a lot of fun, and I was very glad that it went so well.  It has been a joy having Meg live so close to us here in Florida and tonight was a wonderful reminder of that.  Florida has been great for her, and I am happy to see how much she has enjoyed her new life in Orlando. She has a job that she loves, friends to hang out with, a church that she appreciates and all within an hour drive of Disney World.  After such an awesome year for Meg, I can't wait to see what happens in the next one.