Hi everyone! I feel like it's been a very long time since I've checked in and don't know what I've told you and what I haven't...;-) Seems like we are just so busy all the time. I found one post where I told you I'd been sick and we had to cancel our trip to MO to visit family (my brother was not doing well) and we had spent Christmas with with our dd. Didn't find anything after that, so if I am repeating myself, I'm sorry but here's an update.
After Christmas we were better so flew out to see my family as my brother was getting worse. They said he was confused off and on. I prayed that he would be mentally ok while we were there and thank God he was. His wife told him he was getting a visitor he hadn't seen in a long time and he immediately guessed it was me. We visited him several hours a day the one week we were there. We stayed with my sister and bil..they even lent their pickup to us to use going back and forth....so we got to see them a lot too. While it hurt to see him in such condition, I still have some great memories and am glad we went. I'll always remember him saying he wanted to be on his feet when we left and he was. I left knowing it was not at all likely I would see him again on this Earth but knowing one day I'll see him in Heaven. He was ready to go and his biggest concern was for His wife not himself. There was no real grief really...just some sadness at saying our goodbyes for a time and now it is hard to realize he's not back there but I feel peace because I know he's in a good place. I felt I got to know my sil much better and we have stayed in more frequent contact since. I also had a great time with my sister and it seemed we also grew closer too. I shipped back home some dishes that belonged to my mom that she had been saving for me. Still haven't unpacked them as I don't know what to do with them but I did check to make sure they arrived ok.
When we got home we only had two days to get ready for our next trip which was a 30 day trip. Since we no longer have the RV, we drove our car and stayed in our timeshare condos plus we had one night in military accomodations. We had one night at a cheap hotel on the way down, then went to Pismo Beach, CA for a week, then a couple nights in Salvang, CA. While we were there we got the call that my brother had passed away, and we made the decision not to go to the service. It bothered me a little not going but I felt I had the ending with him I wanted and it was best..I was afraid I'd regret my decision but I still don't...I really feel at peace about it so believe I made the right decision. When we left Solvang, we drove down to
Palm Springs for a week, always one of our favorite places.
After that we drove to Phoenix to visit our son and his family. We spent five nights in a hotel and drove to his house every day. We sure enjoyed the grandchildren (2 & 6 mo, plus his wife's dd, 7). We also got to have a very nice dinner with his children from his former marriage (14 & 17) and got to meet the oldest bf. We hadn't seen them for a couple years and missed them. They have grown into such beautiful and nice young ladies and we are very proud of them!
Leaving Phoenix, we were then homeward bound. We spent one night at Edwards AFB, then went to downtown San Fran for three nights. We got to see our grandson (13) on his birthday for the first time, had breakfast with him and his mom and her bf and took him shopping for his gift (video game of course!). He had to go to his dad's that night so we didn't see him anymore but we had breakfast our last day there with his mom and her bf. We enjoyed our time with them. We also spent some time with one of dh's db and sil.
On the way home, we stopped at Windsor, CA where our son and his gf had give us 3 nights. Our younger dd lived there before moving up here so we knew a few things about it and we tried to go to the places she mentioned. We also visited the Frances Copola winery and browsed his movie memorabilia there. Very interesting. There are a lot more to do in that area but it will wait until next time. We were by this time glad to be going home.
Since coming home I have been very busy just catching up with things. Still not quite there and soon I need to start our taxes. Busy, busy. I'm getting a new dishwasher delivered tomorrow and I'm excited about that.
Well, that's a long catch up...again, if some was a repeat, I'm sorry. Just so many people have asked what I've been doing. I have not been eating very well...meals usually pretty good, but snacking way too much and not always healthy. My bs haven't been any worse...sometimes better..which I don't understand but my weight is in the mid to high of my usual range, so not so good there.
I'll try and get back before long ...but dh is calling me to watch a movie with him right now and I'm tired of typing anyway.
