Washington and California In February

A post documenting another adventure of sorts in the midst of major transition in our lives.  My trip to Seattle to witness a marriage of Thing 1's friend and spend some time with Pop and Nan and two of my three girls.   Thing 1 was quite consumed with wedding responsibilities for the first few days of my visit so when Thing 2 arrived on the Thursday we had a quiet night in, just the two of us.  Take away in bed and a movie.  Without shame we were fast asleep by 8:30pm.  It was a good night and kick off to our eating extravaganza we are about to embark on.  Prior to the wedding celebration Nan and Pop arrived with Laura and we spent our night being silly, arranging flowers and all that.  Thank goodness Laura was there with her master designer skills.  Flowers were prepared, Thing 1 fulfilled her maid of honor duties, hosting the bachelorette party and attending the rehearsal and dinner following and then she came home to us!  Wedding day began early with Pop being our chauffeur, a stop for coffee for the bride to be and then home with donuts and last minute flower touch ups, etc.  It was all hands on deck for delivery and instructions and then Thing 2 and I attended the wedding and reception. We toasted the happy couple with "dilly-dillies" and witnessed a most beautiful speech given by none other than Thing 1.  It was a beautiful day.  We raced to catch the sunset over the sound and then Thing 1 met us at a local pizza place for dinner, where Pop confused a customer for a waiter.  What was most memorable was the fact that said customer fetched the to go box Pop had asked for and handed it over with a smile.  Well played man, well played.   Our evenings were spent watching the Olympics and cheering on all the athletes and of course I cried at all the back stories and struggles shared.  Why?  Well because stories of fight and championing and endless hours spent realizing dreams makes me cry.  There I said it out loud.  I am my father's daughter.  With the wedding behind us there was time for celebrating.  Thing 1's 21st birthday and my 40th.  Birthday brunch and walking around Seattle was just what the birthday girl ordered.  Thing 2 asked to catch a fish in Pike's Place and was granted her request.  She found herself behind the counter and surprised us all when she caught said fish in her very own hands.  A bucket list item crossed off and a good time had by all.  I had never seen anyone do that before, outside of the guys that work there.  Little did I know it happens quite often, one simply must ask.  And if that's not a mini life lesson there I don't know what is.  Moving on.  We brunched, we bought a pink champagne birthday cake, we walked, we shopped and we got take away Mexican food and watched movies for my birthday celebration.  By choice.  It was a good day.  The next morning was airport day for Pop and Nan so we went to Totem for breakfast and walked the shoreline in Mukilteo.  A huge sea lion gave us a show, we carved our initials in a piece of giant drift wood and scoured the sand for sea glass and treasures.  The lot of us tried our hand at skimming rocks.  Pop out did us all.  From there it was coffee at Red Cup and an afternoon of relaxing after see you laters were said.

Working on the bride's bouquet!

First toast!  

Wedding day!

Sunset shennanigans.

Successful catch!

Me and Pop.

Cake time.

At the bay.

Next cover of PNW magazine?

The next day was Valentine's Day, or Galentine's in this case because it was just us girls!  Thing 2 and Laura had scheduled hair cuts in Seattle so we all spent the day wandering the streets after breakfast at Portage Bay, which quickly became my favorite.  Then off to a local book store, Buffalo Exchange and Mighty O Donuts.  Then dinner at Thing 1's favorite burger place and a dessert that was nothing short of life changing.  Thank you for making vegan desserts that taste scrumptious.  I've never had cashew ice-cream before and now it is all I ever want.  I just made myself drool.  I'll stop now.  The next day called for city exploring and an attempt at visiting the Space Needle.  Much to Thing 2 and Laura's dismay it was closed for renovations that day.  Insert sad face here.  We walked around the Museum of Pop Culture, played on the play ground, drank coffee, found the water and the sculpture park.  We snuck in to a bathroom, because 40 year old bladder, and walked some more, stumbling upon a bakery, rather infamous in it's stature apparently.  It served us well, filled our bellies and provided dessert for our last night together.  To make amends for the Space Needle let down we all went to the Columbia Center, the tallest building in Seattle, for an epic view from the Starbucks and then Thing 2 and Laura went to the observation deck.  Thing 1 and I were feeling queasy just thinking of it.  The view was astounding and city skylines just make me so happy.  They are so unique and quiet and contradictory, especially from the 73rd floor.  We had Galentine's game cards and special desserts and more snuggling on the couch waiting for us and that is just what we all did.  Another good, good night in the books and memory bank.  Then off to the airport for Thing 2 and myself.  Thing 1 and Laura had another day together.  From what I understand they went to the premier of Black Panther, drank more coffee and enjoyed the time together at a cutie little boutique hotel in Seattle.  Thing 2 and I said goodbyes, hugged necks and met in the airport for breakfast before she boarded her flight to Nashville and I boarded mine to Long Beach.  I held close to the promise that I'd be seeing her in ten short weeks in my neck of the woods.  But still, see you laters are never easy for this Mama's heart.  Soon is not soon enough.

Get in my belly.  Thanks Mighty-O donuts!  

Sculpture garden smiles.

The park.  Why yes, Thing 2 and I did climb up, cross the bridge and slide down the slide.  

City skyline.

Sisters.  

Ginormous trees.  Wow.

And here, well I have no caption.  Except I love these two.  A lot.  

I landed in Long Beach and was met with smiles by Aunt Theresa and Tristin.  First stop: coffee, duh.  Then on to Chino for family dinner.  Most of the family was able to join us with the exception of Auntie Robin, she was with Framma.  We sat around the table, as you know, its my favorite place to be, and laughed, shared about life in Vienna and caught up on the latest and greatest with everyone.  And then the phone call, Framma was being rushed to the hospital, her blood pressure had dropped during dialysis.  The prayers began and we were all unsure of what to do.  The doctors assured Auntie Robin that she would be stabilized and there was no need to rush over.  So we didn't.  In fact we went to the Stucks and did homework with Gianna, caught up with Cameron, Kayla and Mailee and Aunt Tina and then another call and Aunt Tina headed over to help Aunt Robin and give her a break from the hospital.  Nan and I decided to go to bed and first thing in the morning we would head over to visit and surprise Framma.  Then the wake up call at 1am, Nan and I raced to the hospital but about half way there we received a message letting us know that Framma was gone.  She stopped breathing and her life ended.  Peacefully, with Aunt Tina beside her.  That was it.  We walked into the room and it was all so surreal.  Not the way I had planned it.  We prayed, awkwardly, started making arrangements and then went for coffee at IHOP, as you do?  I don't know, we definitely don't fit the mold when it comes to family so pancakes at 4am seemed reasonable.  There was so much to process.  Coffee was consumed, pancakes eaten and it was back to reality.  Us going home for donut friday with the Stucks and everyone else gingerly hugging and saying goodbye, a little shaken from the finality the day held.  Despite the sadness of the morning, and the mourning, donuts and smiley nieces and my nephew brightened my world in a beautiful way.  The normal, the routine, the expected.  I was grateful for that morning.  For the peace I felt and the love that was shared.  We spent the day arranging appointments for Nan and the funeral home, celebrating Brother's fitness challenge success and picking up Gianna from school and then Olivia and Luca too.  It was Auntie LeLe heaven,  we played and read and prepared a restaurant for dinner at home and then we all fell asleep watching a movie together.  Doesn't get much better than that!  My last day with the fam was spent at Ballast Point Brewery in LB before my flight.  My people had a surprise birthday celebration for me and it was so much fun.  We scored seats overlooking the water, there was good beer, good food and good conversation.  They even sang happy birthday to me and drove me to In N Out for a goodbye burger before I returned to Seattle and my Thing 1.

Family dinner.

Reading a new book. 

Teach them in the way they should go...or something like that, right?

Donut Friday! 

The view.  Thanks Ballast Point!

The Stucks and 1 Hanson!

This girl helped me blow out my candles.

Aunt Tree and me!

Back in Seattle and my girl met me at a super fun place for dinner and drinks.  Her very first time ordering a drink at the bar with me.  A tad momentous, mostly it is one of those parenting milestones where I had to pinch myself and ask if this was really happening.  And how did it arrive so quickly, I was just sorting through her board books yesterday and the day before that I was combing through her curls when she had bubble gum stuck in them.  Time.  It can be so cruel.  And yet so beautiful too.  I am grateful.  We had dinner with her friend and headed to the hotel where we snuggled, ate Ben and Jerry's in bed and woke to snow.  I was secretly hoping that my flight would be cancelled but as we drank our coffee I savored those last few moments knowing that I would be in route to Vienna shortly.  There was no snow in the city and so the trip continued on.  Husband Jared and Things 3 and 4 waiting for my return.  Another see you later, another airport and another trip in the books.