Just an update....

So this was my scrap booking weekend that I had to not go to because I needed to get my Dad to Dale's (the most influential male in my Dad's life) Birthday.  I mentioned Dale a lot in my last post and my life seems to be full of "life end" experiences.  So, let's start with Friday......Nolan made Mason and I breakfast......as I walked into the kitchen with it smelling of natural gas, Mason asking who farted and me realizing that I have to train them on this. We lived, but with the windows and fan going.  Nolan made a beautiful breakfast with scrambled eggs in toast and strawberries all around.  I am so lucky.  Yes, the kitchen is "done".  There are little things to do but my contractor will do that.  Saturday, well, that was going to Dale's birthday.  I mentioned him in the post before.  My parents and my family got in the Expedition at 9am and traveled to Grand Coulee Medical Center for a 90th birthday party.  We could not be more welcome.  Dale is good, but old.  His has trouble with his words, but I am used to that.  I saw the family - amazing how they love us and welcome us.  We are so lucky.  I told my family to fan out and get your info - we can discuss on the way home.  We only had about an hour.  My Dad can't handle much more than that.  I love the Bly's and the Etters, and the Bly's and all that are associated.  I love hearing about their adventures and loves and passions and sports.  Dale even had Canadian connections which I knew about but Grant did not.  I introducted them and said, "You are Candadian, he is Canadian...discuss!"  Grant loves that, but oddly he get a lot of information!!!!! I can talk about that stuff forever.  I guess I am a true Eastern Washington girl.  I love them.  I had some time with Dale by myself and he was struggling to speak to me.  Luckily, I have a fair amount of experience in the, "I can't talk anymore" stage.  He kept saying, "Keith, you, family...."  I finally said, 'Are you saying that Dad and I are family?"  He said, "Yes."  I looked at him in the eyes and said, "I know that, you showed me that.  You are my Grandfather and I love you.  We may not be related, but we are family.  Period."  He cried.  I cried.  He would not let go of my hand.  "Do you need to say Goodbye to the boys?"  "Yes."  The boys didn't understand, but they did what I asked.  Dale cried again.  His daughters asked how I "really" was.  I answered and I am well, but I needed to be strong for Dale.  I kept telling him that I got Dad, it is okay.  I will take care of him.  You do what you need to do.  His wife came in and said, "Dale, we will see you on the flip side."  I practically fell over.  Flip side?  That is what I say - she is like 80!  So, I said the same thing.  Pat, Dale.....I have a lot to look forward to on the flip side.....pretty cool actually.  We had to leave.  Dad was tired.  I could have stayed for a week.  Everyone in the truck and gone.  Grand Coulee will never be the same for me - especially if Dale passes there.  As I have said before, he changed our lives.  His family loves us.  All of them.  How lucky are we to have such a good family love us....?!??!  Wow.  My Dad says to the "truck" or "family", thank you for coming.  What else would we do?!??!?! We were invited to the hottest birthday in Washington!  Who does not go to that!?!?!?!  Back we come, late that night.  Sunday is Nolan's soccer, Mason at church with Ethan and Nolan's Birthday at Virtual Sports.  Exhausted.  Monday am I get a call about a Gas Inspection at 9am.  I will be here.  I cleaned the garage, do my PTA stuff, send emails that actually are important, have a teacher stop me and say, "OMG, I had no idea how much you did!!!!" (she went to a PTA meeting at her son's school) and move on.  Oh, and I was at school early to do students hair for Crazy Hair day.  Mason loved it because people would comment on someone's hair and they would said, "Mason's Mom did it!"   I should have had girls.  One comment - Bly's or those related DO NOT READ!!!!  So, I was CONVINCED that there would be food - like real food - at this party, so we did not eat until we got there.  To our dismay, there was only cake and punch.  When starving, that works.  I had NO idea.  So, when we left we were looking for anything and most things in that area are closed or, quite frankly scary unless you know where you are going.  Mason, my car sick boy, ended up puking in Soap Lake right in front of a cafe that I had looked for two years ago.  It is the crazy cool Russian place that my friend, Shannan (with an "a") told me about.  I cleaned him and the car up and we went in.  The woman in there was AMAZING.  We ate lunch - sandwiches, borscht, and dumplings, bought Pergories, Russian candy, etc  and had the best time.  Go there - Mom's Cafe!!!  To a great weekend....

Happy Monday,
Ang