A Plane, A Wedding And A Baseball Game

It began early on a Saturday morn.  Like before the sun was even up.  We had stayed up late the night before waiting to hear the stories from Thing 2's monumental trip, packing, actually me throwing clothes, toiletries and shoes on the bed and Husband Jared folding it nicely and arranging it in the suitcase and then the hugs and kisses that I just couldn't stop giving, had to smell their necks one more time and then a few hours of sleep.  Only for the alarm clock to ring to early and remind me that I'd be leaving these 5 for a week.  Sometimes when I have left them my heart aches so badly that I just don't know if I'll be able to board.  Other times I'm grateful for a reprieve..  Usually a combination of the both.  This time though, I found myself at a loss.  Scattered and not ready to miss any summer time with them.  Strange.  Yet still I entered the airport and was looking forward to seeing my brother and his family and meeting their newest addition, my niece.  Isn't it remarkable the connection one can feel towards their siblings?  'Tis for me.  Here's this person who shares the same history.  Who has known me the longest, next to my parents of course.  Seen the struggles, the victories.  Been a part of the fights and yes some rescues too.  And now we're all grown up, at least that's what the numbers tell us.  Significant others, children, life has happened.  Here we are celebrating a new life entering in the world and it just couldn't be any sweeter. 

So, back to the plane.  I boarded.  Stopped in Colorado and was so thankful we made it on the tarmac.  It was a bumpy ride.  Like so turbulent I closed my book and my eyes and prayed.  Trying not to let on that I was the least bit bothered by the flight attendants having to take their seats and not continue the drink and snack service.  Yep, that's me.  Despite all that I made it.  I saw my bro and his first born and all was well once again.  And then I met her, sweet Olivia.  I hugged her Mama's neck and there were tears of joy.  Love at first sight. 

 

Then there was more excitement as Framma and Aunt Tina stopped in for a quick visit.  A surprise that made me smile once again.  Love my Framma and have so many precious memories of our camping and cribbage playing days.

 

All smiles before she hit the road!

 

And then this weary traveler hit the ground running.  So to speak of course.  There was a wedding of a long time family friend's daughter where Ms. Gianna was the flower girl and this Auntie was employed to help.  We loaded one tired Gianna in the car with her friend, the ring bearer, and were off for pictures and an afternoon of celebration.  I was so looking forward to watching this union of love, I used to babysit the bride and her parents are two people whom I call Uncle and Aunt.  They are more than friends, they are family and some of my earliest memories of childhood include them. It was an amazingly beautiful day. I have no pictures of the bride and groom because I might have been too busy chasing around this cutie patootie.  That's aright though, I enjoyed every minute of it.  Hugging the necks of family and friends that I don't see very often, dancing under the stars and watching love and laughter multiply. 

 

 Waiting for the ceremony to begin, this girl had been outside for over an hour in the California sun, being ever so patient and easily entertained, needless to say she was ready to get the show on the road!  And other than refusing to carry her basket or wear the bow in her hair she walked down the aisle and made her Mama, (and her Auntie) proud!

Flower girl and Ring Bearer, stealers of the spotlight

Pops, Mom and Me at the wedding

 

Following the night of endless celebration was Father's day.  I was beyond grateful to be able to spend it with my Daddy sharing in his favorite pastime, baseball.  Jason and I gifted him and Mom with tickets to Petco Park to watch the San Diego Padres take on the AZ Diamondbacks.  The drive was scenic, winding through the California rolling hills and when I saw the ocean I took a deep breath and inhaled.  How I love the sea.  Petco park, where the Padres call home now, is quite a stadium.  More like it's own private city within a city.  I remembered watching the Padres when I was a girl at Jack Murphy and let me tell you they have made it to the bigs!  This place incorporated old warehouse buildings into the design, there are ocean views of Coronado island from some seats and even a sky way that connects to a hotel.  Wow!  Dad was wide eyed taking in all the sights.  The game flew by, we shared a Padre dog, had a craft beer and up until the 8th inning the game was tied then a Padre hit a 3 run homer and that was it.  We walked around the Gas Lamp district, found a little cantina where we ordered fish tacos and sat and people watched for an hour or so.  A fun day and a few photos.

 

Just the three of us...at the game!

Waiting in line to enter

 From our seats

Outside the stadium, that brick building is part of the park,

 notice the sign to the right of it.

 

Spending the day with my Daddy (and Mom) on Father's day was a gift.  Not to mention fun!  We grabbed some caffeine and made the drive back to Chino, or cow town, as I lovingly call it.  The Father's day party continued with the Jaques family (my sister in law's family) at Pizziaoli.  They graciously allowed us "Stucks" to share in their tradition.  I was reunited with Gianna and Olivia and the day was complete.  More pictures to document the occasion.

 

Pops and his kiddos

Jaques - Stuck Families

Stucks and Hanson

 

That my friends completes the tale of the plane, the wedding and the baseball game.  It was a sublime ending to a long yet full two days.  More to come on my Cali adventures soon.