A Visitor

Since I last told you anything of interest (which is longer for some of you than others, depending on what you consider interesting) it was Monday and I had a busy week ahead of me. This Monday I have a busy week behind me and in front of me.

Shannon arrived last Monday afternoon and we had a great time. She was much the same and much changed all at the same time. She still laughs at me and makes me feel like I’m talented and funny because of her encouraging comments. She still observes and analyzes everything around her and takes in much more than you would think. She still amazes me by her talents and strong will to learn more, gain more, build more, and make everything work as efficiently as possible. She was constantly lifting what I needed lifted, cleaning what I needed cleaned and entertaining those I needed entertained. All of this she did as if she were my third arm and I felt that we were still, in many areas, like minded. I was thinking back to our younger years and mentioned to Kris how it used to irritate me when she would do things for me. I realize now that I interpreted this as correction, when in truth it was just service. I thought she was doing it because I wasn’t doing it and therefore she was thinking me to be lazy. I have been known to be lazy, don’t get me wrong, but I realize now that she is always looking for the best route toward clean, orderly and all done. And if cleaning my countertop will get her there, well by golly she’ll ask if she can clean it.

We went to the zoo on Tuesday morning…it was hot. Shannon got some cool pictures and I would post them but I forgot to drain them from her camera. She’s going to send them to me. We went to lunch at Baja Burrito because it’s oh so good and I called Amber as well as Kris to meet us there for lunch. It was, as always, a good lunch and we walked away stuffed. That afternoon we were pretty tired but we got ourselves around enough to make ready for dinner with Brent and Henry, Elizabeth and Pierce. It was nice catching up with the old gang and getting everyone acquainted. Pierce gets around in a wheelchair and scoots himself around on the floor because of Spina-Bifida and when he got to the house Owen, who still doesn’t understand all of that, was playing with him on the floor. At one point Owen looks at him and says…”Why don’t you walk?” Pierce didn’t get upset or anything he just looked at his mom with the question repeated in his eyes. She said…”Tell him you scoot.” So Pierce smiled and said, “I scoot.” This completely satisfied Owen and about 20 minutes later he was on the floor pulling himself around with his hands and announcing to everyone that he scoots too. Peer pressure…or is it Pierce pressure?

Wednesday, Shannon was still sleeping when Owen got up and he drug me from my slumber into the play room. As we sat and talked a bit he asked, “Where’s the other big one?” I didn’t know what he was talking about and asked if it was something in the toy box. He looked at me very strange and explained that he meant the big one in the guest room. He meant Shannon. Daddy and I are big ones evidently and Shannon was “the other big one.” We all went to Becky’s for lunch and hung out there until time to go to church. I proposed that Shannon and I drive the Miata home with the top down while Kris chauffeured the boys home. That was pleasant and we did have to make an ice cream stop on our way. Good times.

Thursday morning Tisra stopped in and it was nice to visit over homemade blueberry muffins from her kitchen with a little hot tea from mine. The kids played and we girls talked and I liked it. We made a quick trip to Providence Marketplace after that and then just sat around on the floor in the living room to chat and play with the boys until it was time for her to go. Owen loved having her here. She played guitar for him while he sang Jesus Loves Me among other tunes and played with him while mommy fed Ivan. We were all sad to see her go but we will see her again and we promise not to wait so long.

Dad arrived the next day and there is much to tell since his arrival but I must stop somewhere and this seems as good a spot as any. Sorry for the lack of pictures. I was an idiot and got too caught up in what I was doing while she was here to pause with the camera. I have already chastised myself so don’t bother telling me of my error…I’m quite aware.