I've been neglecting these little pages lately while our family focused first on supporting Glen's dad in his last days, then grieving Kenneth's death.
It's not that I was too busy to write, necessarily; Glen and his siblings did most of the work caring for Kenneth in the hospital, planning the absolutely beautiful visitation and funeral, dealing with estate issues, and of course the emotional work of grieving the loss of their dad.
If it had been an illness and death in my own family, I probably would have used my blog as part of my grieving process, but it would have felt like a betrayal of confidence to write much about my husband's private grief. Since writing about anything else felt out of place in the midst of things, I stayed quiet for a while instead.
The day after the funeral, Glen and I left for a previously-scheduled long weekend in Kansas City. We had considered canceling the trip, but I'm so glad we went. It wasn't exactly the trip we had initially planned, but it gave Glen a chance to decompress after an emotionally draining past few weeks, and we managed to squeeze in some low-key fun, too.
A few things I'm grateful for after our little weekend away:
- Street performers - While enjoying a glass of wine from a rooftop bar one night, a dad and daughter duo with their karaoke machine crooned sweet 70's soul tunes from the sidewalk below. Glen and I have encountered some great performances this way, including a memorable comedy routine in NYC's Washington Square Park during our first time away together. I love a trip that includes plenty of time for aimless wandering; some of our best vacation moments have happened by chance.
- Sushi and gelato - The whole experience of eating sushi is so much fun with the presentation and chopsticks and little dishes for dipping. Even after I've eaten as much as I want, I never feel full. What could be better than wandering down the street after a great meal for a sweet treat in a miniature flower-shaped dish with a teeny-tiny spoon. Best vacation meal combo ever.
- BBQ, blues, and beer. Did I just annoint sushi and gelato my favorite vacation meal? Depends on the mood I guess; this combo is pretty tough to beat: incredible live music in a divey kind of place, delicious melt-in-your-mouth beef burnt ends, hot and sticky night, cold beer from the bottle. Especially after the more sterile atmosphere of staying at the Country Club Plaza, this night was just what we needed.
- A late-night swim with my sweetie
- Being missed - As we loaded Jack and Jo in the car for a few days with my parents, Jack serenaded me with a new song: "I wuv Mommy, yes I do! I wuv Mommy, yes I do!" Then a few days later when we picked them up, our little guy joyously yelled "Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!" while doing the happiest dance I've ever seen. Man, it's almost worth going away just to be loved up that much when you get home.
We've been home just a couple days, and we're already getting ready to leave again. Tonight we head to Des Moines en route to Denver where we'll spread my Grandma Jo's ashes with my mom's extended family. JoEllen has been a great help getting ready; she is so excited for her first time seeing the mountains and she's happy to do extra chores to make money for the trip.
Last night we cooked a real dinner at home for the first night in a while; since Jo was helping me cook, Jack had to get in on the action, too. He added ingredients to the bowl after Jo chopped them, and was a surprisingly good helper! (The background of this pic also showcases my inspiration for a dream bathroom remodel.)
Early tomorrow morning we'll cram seven people in my parents' van for a ten-plus-hour drive. Wish us luck!
I am sorry to hear of your family's loss, but glad you and your husband found a way to escape and enjoy yourselves. Hugs!
Posted by: Yogamum | July 23, 2008 at 11:00 PM