Preferred activity: making "muck" soup.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
July
The last few weeks have been a bit of a blur. It started mid-July with an incongruous string of text messages from Josh. I got to work, I think it was Friday 7/15, and first saw a message with a picture of fancy butter from his dinner the night before (he was in California, working). This was followed immediately by a note stating that his sister in the ICU with a high fever and blood pressure problems. Their parents had been in transit to Australia for over 24 hours so far, where they were supposed to spend a month.
That night I dropped Zach off at a campground in Carver - 2 hours from our house. Just as I was arriving, Josh called to tell me they were transporting Jenn to DC because her condition was so critical and they needed a more specialized cardiac team. So, instead of instead of staying with Zach to enjoy the weekend, I left him at the campground, in the care of his buddy, Ryan. I headed back home to wait for Josh, and pack up for a 6am flight to BWI. Andy and Estee, upon arrival in Adelaide, realized they needed to turn around. They took a walk, bought some mints and waited for the next flight back to Sydney.
Mid-morning Saturday we found Tim in the basement waiting room, half asleep in an uncomfortable chair, holding Jenn's purse. Once they let us see her, Jenn was lying, sedated, in the emergency cardiac area with all the blood in her body being pumped through a heart-lung machine. Later that day, after more surgery, she was moved upstairs to the cardiac ICU. It seemed like a good sign.
But, as you probably know, things did not improve. After 11 long days - of vigilant hope and multiple trips back and forth between Boston and Maryland - she was taken off the life-supporting machines. I got word from Josh on Tuesday just after I had heated up my lunch, which I never ended up eating.
7/27 - We drove together to the hospital Wednesday morning in silence. Watching Tim prepare himself to give the final ok for this was the most heartbreaking thing I've witnessed, stating simply, that he would always want more time.
After that there was a hazy period of time that started with 3pm lunch at the Chinese restaurant across the street from the funeral home, where Estee explained to the poor waitress what had just happened. Then a funeral - where the girls talked softly to their mom in her wooden box. The traffic-halting line of cars. And the 108 degree burial. The dirt. The flood of people and food at Andy and Estee's house. The long drive home.
At this point, Josh and I have returned home and have settled back into our "normal" life. It's easier from 500 miles away to get back into our routine. The details of my life are more or less the same. Estee, Andy, Tim and the girls are having to figure out a whole new normal. Sydney is 10. Sarah is about to start kindergarten. I can't imagine starting kindergarten without my mother.
The snapshot below was taken on June 19.
That night I dropped Zach off at a campground in Carver - 2 hours from our house. Just as I was arriving, Josh called to tell me they were transporting Jenn to DC because her condition was so critical and they needed a more specialized cardiac team. So, instead of instead of staying with Zach to enjoy the weekend, I left him at the campground, in the care of his buddy, Ryan. I headed back home to wait for Josh, and pack up for a 6am flight to BWI. Andy and Estee, upon arrival in Adelaide, realized they needed to turn around. They took a walk, bought some mints and waited for the next flight back to Sydney.
Mid-morning Saturday we found Tim in the basement waiting room, half asleep in an uncomfortable chair, holding Jenn's purse. Once they let us see her, Jenn was lying, sedated, in the emergency cardiac area with all the blood in her body being pumped through a heart-lung machine. Later that day, after more surgery, she was moved upstairs to the cardiac ICU. It seemed like a good sign.
But, as you probably know, things did not improve. After 11 long days - of vigilant hope and multiple trips back and forth between Boston and Maryland - she was taken off the life-supporting machines. I got word from Josh on Tuesday just after I had heated up my lunch, which I never ended up eating.
7/27 - We drove together to the hospital Wednesday morning in silence. Watching Tim prepare himself to give the final ok for this was the most heartbreaking thing I've witnessed, stating simply, that he would always want more time.
After that there was a hazy period of time that started with 3pm lunch at the Chinese restaurant across the street from the funeral home, where Estee explained to the poor waitress what had just happened. Then a funeral - where the girls talked softly to their mom in her wooden box. The traffic-halting line of cars. And the 108 degree burial. The dirt. The flood of people and food at Andy and Estee's house. The long drive home.
At this point, Josh and I have returned home and have settled back into our "normal" life. It's easier from 500 miles away to get back into our routine. The details of my life are more or less the same. Estee, Andy, Tim and the girls are having to figure out a whole new normal. Sydney is 10. Sarah is about to start kindergarten. I can't imagine starting kindergarten without my mother.
The snapshot below was taken on June 19.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Ice cream indecision
At Carl's in Fredericksburg, VA, just before Zach demonstrates his lack the skill in getting to the bottom of a cone of soft serve in 85-degree weather.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Space Cadets
At the Udvar-Hazey Air and Space Museum. First pic: overlooking the retired space shuttle, Enterprise, with Sarah in full astronaut attire. Second pic: running/stopping, on the catwalk. If you're out by the lovely Dulles Airport near D.C., it's worth checking out. Cool stuff, even if you're only marginally interested in airplanes.
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Sunscreening at Aquia Landing
Exploring northern Virginia by car in the 90+ degree weather. If only the Potomac River were just a bit less green and smelly...
Regarding the attire - Zach did eventually put on a suit, yes. I'm not sure why as there was nobody else there. I have no explanation for my husband's hat.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Pissing Horse
My mother-in-law turned 60 this past weekend, not that anyone is counting. A horse-drawn carriage was procured to deliver her to the surprise party with her 3 grandchildren and husband. And when it parked to dismount in front of the house, it released about 6 gallons of urine.
Most impressive.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Great Brook Farm
Carlisle, MA. A couple animals (sheep, goats, etc.), good weather, some horse/walking trails, and a bunch of bugs.
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
3 kids on a hammock swing
Self-explanatory, right? Ryan, Zach and Lilia, swinging.
This leaf thing... the kids decided to pick my hostas. Whatever, I don't really like hostas anyway. Putting them in front of their faces was Sharona's idea, who then used her mad skillz to get the kids to all pose with some semblance of uniformity.
I'm getting a bit of a third wheel thing here.
Sunday, June 05, 2011
April...
Camera has been in the shop since some time in April. Found this after getting it back - probably the first blooming thing from the beginning of spring. Gee, that seems like it was a while ago.
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