Summertime!

Summer is here and we have been busy.

It started on Fathers day weekend. Logan, my Mom and I went to San Francisco on Saturday, for the day. We took Logan to the Exploratorium and to an international dance festival that was there, at the Palace of Fine Arts. I have not been there since I was a kid and forgot how beautiful the park is and how fun the museum is. The dance festival was wonderful, they had performers from several different countries in beautiful traditional costumes. We saw Scottish, Indian, Afro-Peruvian, Flamenco, Hip Hop, Korean, Japanese, and Mexican folkloric performers. At the end of the show, they all did a Conga line out to the lobby for a big international dance party. It was so much fun. After we left the park Logan really wanted to go up and down the "big hills", which we did, along with Lombard "the crookedest" street and then a visit to Coit Tower, to the top, which didn't last too long because I am very, make that extremely afraid of heights. Logan held my hand and took good care of me though.

For Fathers day Dennis wanted to relax at a pool and have a BBQ, so we headed to my Aunt's in Felton, and went to the community pool nearby. We BBQ'd on her back porch under the redwoods. It was a really nice relaxing day. Dennis was very content.

This last weekend it started with the Relay for Life on Friday, the office I work for participates every year. This year Logan stayed with me until late and walked many laps with me until Dennis came to pick him up at 10pm, I stayed until 2:30 and finally headed home. On Saturday we went to our friends BBQ, we have not seen them for 2 years. They have three boys, one of which is only one day older than Logan. The BBQ was at the Uncle's house in Prunedale, he has horses to ride and a doon buggy to drive, a mountain of hay bales to climb, and snakes to catch. A boy's dream! Then on Sunday we went out to the quarter midget race track in Morgan Hill. It was promotional day and for ten dollars Logan could race a car around the track about 8 times and get a trophy for participating. Logan did so well and loved it so much he went for a second round. I have a feeling this is something he might get into, Dennis and I both had fun too and really loved watching Logan.

So Proud!

Logan has graduated from Kindergarten and we are so proud. He is an excellent student and has scored very well on the Stanford SAT's. Out of 28 area's of testing he scored above average on 19 and average in 9 with 5 of those on the high end of the average bar. I have to also post his poem he made up in his head a few weeks ago. He really truly did this off the top of his head and I personally was blown away and just have to share!

"The bruised hand.

The moon shines brightly,

and the grave cracks that's

not so delightly, and it's

followed by the tune of the angels.

While the daisy's sing, the flowers swing.

God sets down Jesus' ring and he rises on

his wings."

I asked him what his poem was about and he said it was about Jesus' resurrection, I also asked him what he meant about the ring and he said it was Jesus' ring of thorns and the bruised hand was where the nails had been. This was a mouth dropping to the floor moment for me and filled my heart with overwhelming love and pride.

My First Quilt!

I just completed my first quilt and gave it as a gift to Logan's kinder teacher. She is so wonderful. I wanted to help the kids in his class, give her something from all of them at the end of the school year. I decided to do an art quilt and asked all the kids to draw a picture for Mrs. Lazzeroni. She loved it and I'm proud of pulling it off with out the surprise being told, especially with eleven five year olds!

Tennessee

What is it about Tennessee? Whenever I am there I feel as if I have come home, I always have such a feeling of peace and contentment. Each time I ask myself if it's just because I'm on vacation, but it always seems much more than that. I especially feel this way in Eastern Tennessee with the Smokies nearby. I Just got back from there last week, I finally got a chance to visit my Dad, stepmother and sisters. I had such a nice trip. Even though my father was still at Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville, I had a very nice time visiting with him for 5 days. Most of the days I would spend the morning site seeing and then head over to the hospital in the afternoon to have lunch then stay till late visiting. I didn't get to see my stepmother and sisters much, I wish I could have more, but this trip was about my Dad and just being with him after all he has been through. His strength, determination and sense of humor just amazes me. He only has about one more week to stay infection free and he can be on the transplant list. Here are some pictures I took during my wanderings.

April Showers DO bring May flowers!

May is starting out better. My Sister is recovering well physically but is still struggling with the mind and spirit. My father's surgery has been successful and he is recovering well. My Uncle has come home to recover and build up his strength and my family is still dealing with the sadness of the loss, pain and suffering of loved ones but have hope and faith of it easing each day.

I will be going to visit my Father soon and can hardly wait. Being so far away has been driving me crazy. I will be relieved to see him, my stepmother and two youngest sisters.