|
|
December 2002
Changes, changes, changes. We’ve got a new address, new telephone number, and new e-mail addresses. Update your address book, PDA, or tear off the top portion of this page and throw it in the drawer with the rest of those updates! Mommy hasn’t been feeling up to putting her “voice” to paper this year (more about that later). Gretchen, our mini-dachshund, penned last year’s epistle. Now that I’ve reached the wise old age of 23 months (I just had 9 toddler friends over to celebrate the big 2nd birthday coming up on December 23rd!), I’m more than qualified to relate the happenings of the past 12 months. If you ask me about the computer, I’ll tell you, “Dada say no touch”. But, hey, when they’re not looking (or Grandma’s here), anything goes! Life revolves around me - that’s what Mommy says, anyway. On Tuesday’s, we go to Gymboree class. I love to run around, slide down, and climb over, under, and through everything. We sing songs, blow bubbles, and take parachute rides. Wednesday is more academic. I meet friends at the library. On Saturday, my Tiny Tots class is the best thing going at church. In addition, my friends and I hang out once a week. Until we get our drivers’ licenses, we allow our Moms to come along to the mall, the zoo, the park, music class, the pumpkin patch, lunch at Peanut Butter and Ellie’s (a dining establishment “catering to the under 6 crowd”) and each others’ homes to check out the new toys (any toy other than our own is super cool). In February, we flew down to Palm Springs so Daddy could earn some Continuing Education credits. Afterwards, we spent a few days in Redlands visiting family and friends. In April, Daddy took a week off, and we went to Scottsdale for Mommy’s birthday. Celebrating Mommy-style is shopping, eating, and doing things that make me happy. They took me to the Rainforest Café, the train park, to ride the carrousel, and we spent time at the pool each day. Our hotel had a great water park - water slide, pool, toddler wading pool (Daddy called it the pee pool and said he knows why it was warmer than the rest), and current pool (we sat on inner tubes and drifted around). At the end of July, we met Mommy’s family in Whistler, Canada. Playing with the cousins (Age 5 and twins six months younger than me) is a blast! We went out on boats, picnicked, and “strollered” around Whistler Village - great food and favorable exchange rates translate into good bargains. Daddy & Uncle Eric went white water rafting and took an ATV trip while Mom and Aunt Shelly went to the Spa. Daddy disappeared for 10 days in September. Mommy and I got on an airplane and went to visit family and friends in California. Uncle Kelly King flew up to Portland, and they road tripped to Montana where they met Daddy’s brothers, Uncles Ed and Rodney. They lived in tents and rode horses everyday hunting for Elk. Daddy said they got “skunked”, but I didn’t smell anything yucky..... Daddy said it was beautiful country. Mom was upset that they were so remote that his cell phone didn’t work. They haven’t gone that long without talking in over 14 years! In October, we canceled our plans to go to Hawaii in celebration of Mom and Dad’s 10th wedding anniversary since we sold our house and had to move out. Since Mommy got a new sparkly for her finger, she was happy anyway. Dad’s still waiting for a gift. You see, back in March, Mom and Dad had finally caught on that we needed more space and put the house up for sale. The house was fine for the two of them, but a girl like me needs a place to put all her things, a yard to run around in, a safe place to learn to ride a bike, and lots of room to entertain. For six months, Mom was a wreck. Beds always made, laundry immediately folded or hung, dishes promptly washed and stored, mail dealt with on the spot, and so on. She just didn’t seem to understand that it was easier for me to have all my things spread out so I could find them easily. Each time we left the house, she’d tuck me under one arm (so I wouldn’t take out what she just put away, she said) and tidy up. Countless times, nap time or not, she packed me, Gretchen and Hunter (our mini-doxies) into the car and drove around so strangers could walk through our home. Finally, after six very long months, the house sold. We could have held out for a better price, but Mom said she was going to have a nervous breakdown if she had to keep the house “pristine and show-able at a moment’s notice” just one day longer. She really stressed out when Realtors called and said they’d like to drop by in 10 minutes. Once the house sold, we had a little over a month to find a new place before we became homeless. Now, it was our turn to push other people out of their homes to check things out. We flew through a lot of territory in search of the perfect nest. Mom and Dad claim they’re never leaving this new place. I’m not sure if it’s because they like the property so much or if it’s because they can’t handle the trauma of moving again. We’ve got a lot of wide open spaces - ‘cause we need tons of new furniture. You’re welcome to visit if you bring your own bean bag, card table, and folding chair. Mommy’s begun working with a decorator (Daddy says he’s now not just working for the IRS but for Ernesto, too), but it’s going to be a long time before we can afford all the necessary furniture. The beautiful country road from the house to the freeway, along with a few extra miles along I-205, increased Daddy’s commute from 10 minutes to 25. It’s worth it. With only one real neighbor, rural living is very quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. I get to see deer on my front lawn and Mt. Hood/Adams/St. Helens from my backyard. When we moved in, from every window, I could see fabulous fall colored leaves on the trees around the house and in the valley below. We even have a fire pit for my friends and I to roast hot dogs and build s’mores. Living outside a housing development is different. Daddy got tired of the 13 minute round trip to drag the trash down to the end of the driveway. Uncle Kent suggested that this year’s Christmas photo picture Daddy doing the alternative - sitting between the recycling bins in the back of Mom’s SUV, holding the trash can while she slowly towed it down the driveway. We’re now paying the garbage folk a little more to come up to the garage. We had to build a 60 foot fence along the side of the house to protect Gretchen and Hunter from becoming Coyote hors d’oeuvres. Last month, I overheard (nowadays, I hear everything and repeat most) Mom and Dad say that there was going to be a new baby coming to live at our house next summer. But, for some reason, they never seemed to get very excited about it. For almost three weeks, with hope and prayers, Mom kept running down to the hospital for blood tests and ultrasounds. She talked about low, slow rising hormone levels and what appeared to be a hollow gestational sack. Finally, Mommy told me that it had been blighted ovum (a “bad egg” she explained to me) and that there would be no baby sister or brother for me. While it’s still painful and disappointing, she assures me that it’s hundreds of times easier this time since she has me. I’m glad I’m here to wrap my arms around her tightly and tell her, “It’s okay, Mama. It’s okay.” when water drips from her eyes. During this holiday season and in the new year, I wish you all the things that make my life so full - family to love, protect & encourage you, regular playtime with close friends filled with giggles as well as a few challenges, a long revitalizing nap every so often, and knowledge that there’s a bigger being and a greater power out there who’s in charge and who will ultimately make all things good and right. Merry Christmas and Love to All, Lauren (Richard, Charlene, Gretchen, and Hunter, too) |
|
Updated 2005/02/09 12.30a |
