On Why I Just Can't Joke About it Yet...

I know. I had promised to blog all week. A sort of daily vacation report. I keep getting messages asking for some details. But there are 2 good reasons that I haven't. The first is the practical one. This is WAY different than the beach trips where I have the whole morning to sit on the balcony in my swimsuit and write. This morning is the first morning on the trip that we have not gotten up early and left our hotel for our next destination. In the first 2 days, we saw 3 baseball games, a museum and 2 historical sites. We literally crawled into our beds in a new hotel each night.
The second reason is more personal, but with my apologies to those who were looking for some sarcasm...here goes:
We headed into Arlington Park Tuesday night to see the Rangers play. It had been a long day, and we were all hot, tired and a little grumpy (Ok, maybe it was just me). I asked The Husband if we could eat in the Grill that overlooked the park and watch batting practice to avoid the heat. You had to have a certain level of tickets to get into the Grill, and thankfully, ours were good. As we walked in, we looked for a table by the window so we could watch. There were none available, so we sort of frustratingly walked back towards the back. Suddenly, a man sitting alone at table for 4 looked up at me and said, "Here, take this one." The Husband said " No man, keep it". But he insisted, saying he would grab one alone in the back, and he took off. We sat down gratefully, and The Husband sent a beer to his table. A few minutes later, he walked over and said thanks. He explained that he was an active duty soldier. He trains our troops before they are sent overseas. In his spare time, he coaches his local high school football team in Iowa. For Father's Day, his wife had given him one ticket so he could come to the game and enjoy his beloved baseball. He was so excited that you could just feel it.

We chatted with him for a while, and then he went back to his table. I looked at the kids...and then unfortunately, I launched into the "Mom lecture" on thankfulness and gratefulness and being a little spoiled. I was actually lecturing myself. The kids were very impressed by this man. The Boy suggested we ask him to eat with us, but The Husband pointed out that he looked very content eating his hot dog, drinking his beer, and reading his program. On his way out, He thanked Us again...

And so today, as we prepare to got to the College World Series and watch The Husband's Alma mater that has amazingly made it to the finals on the day we are here...I am determined to overlook the 95 degree heat and be thankful...

But you know, by the time I get home next week, I am sure I will be ready to discuss the realities of the trip. From waiting on a bridge for hours for bats that never came...to The Husband catching a foul ball at a game and deciding to give autographs...there will be plenty to talk about.

But for today....only a sincere sense of thankfulness for a vacation that may have been different, but terrific...

With 3 days and 4 games to go.....

The View From My Window

I'm looking out the window at golfers. I am so happy to be where I am at this minute. As I have written before in this blog, my beloved mother-in-law passed away a few years ago. Before she died, she and my father-in-law bought a house on the golf course where The Husband works. She spent a lot of time lovingly fixing it up and decorating it. Every inch of the house is still filled with her spirit.
For the first year after she died, I couldn't walk into the house without crying. It was a sad reminder of her unfinished business...a reminder that she was taken from us too soon. My father-in-law felt the same way. When he would visit from New Jersey, he would try to stay at the house, but it depressed him. He felt the loss more profoundly here than anywhere else.

But right before school let out, The Husband and I were here one day just checking on things when it occurred to me that it didn't feel sad anymore. It felt good...and it felt like where I wanted to be. So we decided to spend some time here this summer, and it is wonderful. We are literally two minutes from The Husband's office, so we get to be near him...and he gets to avoid the 45 minute drive to and from work each day. There is a terrific pool and work out room, so we get to take advantage of that too. But let me say right now with absolute certainty and selfishness that being able to sit in the little sun room off the bedroom and write while I look out the window is the best part. The view is so beautiful. The Husband tells me we are on the ninth whole, but all I know is that I could sit here and stare out the window forever. Every room in the house has a spectacular view, which means I can enjoy it while I am writing, cooking, cleaning...well,you get the idea.

The other nice thing about it is the strong feeling that my mother-in-law is near. I feel her in every room. I find little notes that she has written in drawers and it makes me cry. I find half empty bottles of perfume that I never knew she wore and it intrigues me, because as well as I thought I knew her, I am still learning about her. I find boxes of recipes that she has torn out from magazines, and I intend to try each one since she didn't get a chance to. My mother-in-law had more energy, passion and spirit than most people. I am hoping to channel some of that wonderful spirit by being here.

So I'll sit here and continue to write this morning. It's raining gently, but the golfers continue to go by. The Husband has made the 2 minute drive to the office, the Boy is still asleep, and the Little One is exploring somewhere outside. All is right with the world...

Until tomorrow, when I will continue to enjoy the peace of our summer vacation...and remember Rose....