What Dreams Are Made Of.

 

We are gearing up for the lunar new year next month, the year of the ram. I am preparing a fun lesson plan for Ella's class, Ella and I are collaborating on a lunar new year card to send out to everyone since we completely dropped the ball on a Christmas card. Any time I get the paint out, she's thrilled.

 

 

We also spent a great day at our art museum celebrating Martin Luther King. Each of our kids created a patchwork square to be displayed with others. Ava's dream was to be Paw Patrol.

Roz's dream was all about her cat love.

And Ella's dream was to fly a plane one day. (We hope you do, Ella!)

The kids spent some time enjoying one of my favorite art installations ever, "Anything Can Break". You can walk, skip, dance under the hundreds of pretty boxes hung from the ceiling and sensors detect movement with a variety of ethereal sounds.

Ella got lost in her own little dream-like dance.

Roz and Ella's dreams were made real when they realized they were getting a slumber party that night due to the MLK holiday. Henry was pretty excited too.

Part of the week was spent going to work with me and completely taking over my office...

...investigating the snow dusting left on the remnants of last year's garden...

...cuddling up with a late arrival Christmas present from cousin Haley...

...and the good news of MY healed broken foot!

At the urging of Larry, I took a whirlwind trip down to see Marie, Jesse and the rest of the family. I left early Friday morning with everything in place for Ella to get to school under Larry's steering. I was happy to get the "great drop off!" text. As long as I give her a clear-cut series of events as to why I am leaving, how long I will be gone and when I will return - she consistently proves to be the Big Game Player.

And I got to do this.

And I got to talk to Marie, even though she never opened her eyes or indicated that she knew I was there. I got to rub her head and tell her stuff. And it was right where I was supposed to be.

It wasn't until late Friday night that I noticed this painting from a very young Ella during one of Marie's rounds of chemo and radiation. It has been hanging on their kitchen cabinet all this time. It kind of took my breath away.

I was able to stay the night with Aunt Kay and Uncle Pete in this little gem of a home. They live in such a beautiful neighborhood.

Jesse gave me Marie's boogie board - her sole means of communication when she could not talk.

And then I noticed this: the bird clock from my grandma's house. It immediately took me back to her home, the big picture window looking out on the backyard, the bird book close by, the funky chandelier that hung overhead. So, yes, there was a lot of, "Wow..." for me in that 24 hours.

And my two loves did just great without me. They went out to dinner together and had a slumber party while watching a movie. I made it home by Saturday afternoon anxious to wrap my arms around them both.

Sunday Snuggles with these two.

As of this writing, Marie is still hanging on in a coma with 24/7 hospice care. For whatever reasons, it isn't time yet and my heart continues to be with them all, fully, while they hold vigil.


The best for last! Ella got her first ever report card. She is doing very well in everything but the only part that really matters to us right now is this:

~H