Forced Togetherness

 

So grateful I followed my instincts

 

Forewarning:  This IS a travelogue.  There ARE vacation photos.  Read on at your own risk! 

 

Robby is 18.  Robby has graduated from high school.  Robby has a job that he loves.  Perhaps even adores.  For the first two weeks of summer vacation, Robby traveled with his new company, setting up lights and sound for corporate events.  First to Denver, then to San Franscisco. 

I was uncomfortable at best, having him so far removed from me.  From family.  Out of the safe nest we have so carefully crafted. 

Needless to say, when he told me he did not want to go on our family trip, I was crushed.  I have tried to be less pushy as a parent, now that he has grown up and graduated.  I thought about it for days and finally put my foot down. 

“This is the 2nd to LAST family vacation we will have before you leave home.  Work can wait and you WILL be coming with us.”  OH, “And you can drive a separate car so you can still feel some autonomy”.  See?  I gave a little! 

I am so very glad I followed my instincts to make him come with us.  Moments like this are more and more precious, as I realize they are coming to an end. 

 

 

Parenting an almost adult feels kind of like walking a tightrope.  He is old enough to be on his own, old enough to make his own decisions.  I am grateful that this time, he was still young enough to listen!!!

 

And now to bore you all with many, many vacation pictures:

 

How many kids can you pile into a hot tub? 

And on a similar note, when Grandma and Grandma say “Pizza Hut”, how many grandkids can you pile into a van? 

With Grandma and Grandpa in South Carolina most of the time, it is a real treat to have them decide to come play with us in Moab.  Especially when his chiropractic skill comes in so handy (on the kitchen table!)

Double arches where the kids played and climbed like billy goats for two full hours!!!

Kids hiking to the double arch.  Love brothers helping brothers!!!

I love this picture because it shows how massive this arch was.  Those dots down at the bottom right side are people!!!

 

Sitting WAY UP HIGH!!!!

My brave baby sister who brought her twins hiking in moab!

Bob caught some great pictures of the boys enjoying the pool.

The two houses were separated by a mean old fence, so our big boys took down a panel  for a few days.  That way, the kids could cross yards directly and not have to go down the road and around the corner! 

 

There is just no way to describe the “sand hill” as my brother in law called it.  We decided it was a “mountain/cliff/sheer drop”.  A few of us climbed it the night before and were pretty sure it was a heart attack in the making.  It was so high that I had a nasty headache by the time we got to the top. 

Uncle Jeff decided he was king of the world.  Sometimes, he is the biggest kid of all!!!!

My dad took off his shoes and started hiking.  Boy was I nervous!  If I felt like it would give ME a heart attack, I was sure that at age 71 it WOULD give him one!!!

Victorious!!!  Everyone was happy (and pretty shaky) when they reached “the rock”.

With Robby’s love of all things containing wires, batteries, and electronic parts, I sure do love seeing him outside!

After sitting in the air conditioned van for a while, Bob finally caved to family pressure, took off his shoes and started to climb with Evan.  I declined, having made the climb the night before!

My dad finally made it to the very tippy top.  He is the little speck to the left of the telephone pole. 

Bob finally made it up to the rock.  I guess we walk a lot around here, but we must not climb enough!

Jeff’s sweaty head.  Cindy and I were sure he had dumped a bottle of water on his head, but he assures us this is one downside of having no hair. 

We took a short hike up to an overlook of delicate arch.  Laila and Brent were again brave enough to hike with 2 of their big kids and two new babies!

They look very comfy, don’t they?  Especially the one packing two bottles!!

 

I am very grateful that when my big boy fell and scraped both knees, it was not on a very high spot, only on rocks. 

Have I mentioned that I love being a mom?

And a (sort of) grandma?

 

My sister, Cindy was kind (crazy) enough to get up at 3:30 am and take willing children (victims) on a sunrise hike. 

Proof that crazy people really do exist

 

Grandpa makes it to the top!!!

Camera Nuts

It is official.  I have gone nuts.  

Don't laugh!  Don't say it was not a very long trip.

We ALL knew I was a little off kilter years ago - 

This 

is a new kind of nuts

something I have found that I really enjoy

a LOT!  

So bear with me as i tell my photography tale

and tell you that I finally took my polarized 

sunglasses off of my head

and on top of my camera lens

so I could get the sunset as I was seeing it!

Without the polarized sunglasses......                                      And with the sunglasses!

Truly, it was a magnificent sight, I was just startled when, after taking a few hundred pictures, I realized that the only reason I was loving the pinks and purples - was because of my sunglasses!!!

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the pictures.  Heaven knows I am!

Time truly does fly

Yesterday

I stood in a cap and gown

walked across the stage

to gain my diploma

my right of passage

Yesterday

I married my best friend

finished college

moved into my first home

Yesterday

I was blessed to have my first child

people kindly advised me

"Enjoy it now"

"The years past swiftly"
"One day you will look back and wonder...

where did the years go"

Today

That first child donned his own cap and gown

walked across the stage

to gain his diploma

his right of passage

Today

I finally see

finally understand

that all the years in between...

the sleepless nights

endless loads of laundry

toys strewn carelessly

fingerprints on every surface...

 Have indeed passed very swiftly

I am, indeed wondering

"where have all the years gone?"

I am reminded of the words to a song

Time flies on wings of lightning.  We cannot call it back

It comes, then passes forward, along it's onward track

And if we are not mindful, the chance will fade away

For life is quick and passing, Tis as a single day.  

          

  

Baby Sick

My name is Andra.  And I'm a babyholic. 

There.  It is out.  I finally admitted it.  I bet you are all so very surprised!!!

From as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of babies. 

I am pretty sure it says that somewhere on my blog.....

You would THINK

that having had eight babies of my own, I would certainly be

CURED

Alas, no

I still adore babies.  Everything about babies. 

Sometimes, I spend time trying to think of jobs that I can do in the future

in which, I can hold babies

lots and lots of babies.

I think I may have finally figured it out,

the perfect job

where I will be able to hold lots and lots of babies.

I'll be a GRANDMA!!!!

I 'll have to start brainwashing them now

talking them into wanting BIG families

Assuring them that I will be there to help

And for now, I will practice

and practice

and practice some more

on

My sister Laila's twin boys

Did I mention that I have ALWAYS wanted twins?????

Laila certainly cannot imagine that I am like a pavlovian dog -

when she says "is there any way you could hold this baby"

or

"would you like to feed this one a bottle"

My heart beats just a little bit faster

and I can only think

it must be

a dream

come

true

I am now officially beyond amazed!

Beyond Amazement

 

Bob and I were pretty amazed - just over 18 years ago when we were introduced to this adorable squished guy.  We spent hours talking to him, looking at him, talking about him and trying to get him to interact with us.  Everything he did was cute.  Or adorable.  We were enchanted.  

 

He has spent his life amazing us with his unique set of talents

and today......

I am actually beyond amazement!

 

To understand this amazement, perhaps it is also neccessary to understand that we always thought Robby would be a "normal child".  When we put him on the bus, the first day of Kindergarten, we expected that with our help, he would sail right through school and have a bright future ahead.  

We often saw him a spark, a flicker that we tried to understand.  There was something about Robby that was very unique.  What child, at the age of four and five will bring a parent a battery and a few wires and try to show the parent what he can do with an added light bulb?

What child, at every age was content taking his toys apart, instead of playing with them?  This held true, especially if the toys had any electrical parts.  

What child begs for EVERY broken item in the household, vowing that he will

"make something out of it"?

And

Why would a child with all of that talent, with all of that creativity, would struggle so greatly in school?  

We first noticed that there was a problem in third grade.  Until that time, he was just a baby.  Of course school was hard.  But in third grade, it became very apparent that Robby would rather count the dots in the ceiling of the classroom than write out his multiplication tables.  He would rather stare blankly into space than practice his cursive.   Getting him to do his homework for the subsequent seven (yes, I did say seven) years almost took an act of congress.  Either Bob or I would sit at the table with him, coaching, encouraging, coaxing, begging, cajoling AND threatening.  And still, sometimes the work did not get done.  

We could not understand how one so bright, so intelligent simply could not function academically!  My worries turned to near panic when, in the 9th grade, having spent the previous summer working at the local junkyard, Robby announced that one day he would like to have a junkyard of his own.  Looking at his report card full of D's and F's, I began to wonder if that was, indeed what life had in store for our son.  

Until a friend mentioned to him one day that he might need to be tested for ADHD.  And with that, his life changed.  Medication was given, grades improved, attitude took a fantastic turnaround, and suddenly, the desire to create was coupled with the ability to concentrate. 

We have seen some interesting creations from him in the subsequent years, from an egg drop capsule that outlasted every other capsule in his class, to entire computers from parts and pieces,  and a mobile rocket launcher.  

We do put up with some strange habits.  Sometimes, he passes out 

while "studying" Popular Mechanics magazine.  

And the other night, when Bob went upstairs to make sure everyone was in bed.....

He found Robby in his darkened bedroom (so as to not bother his sleeping brother) hunched over on the floor with........

 A flashlight, A circuit board, AND a soldering iron

WEIRD!

When Robby was born, I never thought he would be an inventor!

 

But now he has done it.  Now he has topped them all.  

Because this old telephone handset with no cord......

ACTUALLY WORKS!!!!!

I will not attempt to go into the nitty gritty.  I was not blessed with the gifts that Robby was.   -Somehow a bluetooth headset now lives inside of the ancient handset.  If you call Robby's cell phone - he has improved the buttons on the phone so that he can take the call with the old junker.  

Ya Just Gotta Admit - 

This kid is beyond Amazing!!!!!!!