Saturday, April 5, 2008

A Good Week Off School

I've had a good week. Our dear friends from Palo Alto came. He is a brilliant engineer and entertained us with stories about replacing the plumbing pipes under his house in spaces only two feet high. To get enough light in this cramped, smelly, space he strung Christmas lights. Lol. She is now an associate professor at SFSU and it was fun celebrating her new tenure track.

Then my friends whom I stayed with in Tokyo were here. His dad died, and B. played the violin as his sister accompanied him on the cello at his father's funeral. Their boys had not seen us since last summer, but the 2 year old warmed Jim's heart by walking up to him and saying "Hi, Jim!". So cute! Jim also got to read The Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear to the almost five year old. The wife gave me a great massage and did acupressure to relieve my ulcer symptoms. I loved talking to them, and want to get back to Tokyo.

Then my dear friend from England came. We have been friends for 30 years, and her husband was in our wedding. A friends of hers came, too. The friend told us stories of growing up in Thailand and Saigon while her dad was working for the CIA during the Vietnam war. My friend shared some of her struggles that she had hinted at in letters. I'm glad I could be there to listen to her.

Jim and I spent two days in Oceanside using a friend's condominium on the beach. I'm so grateful to this friend for loaning me her home, because the time was restful and healing. Jim worked. I read, napped, surfed the Internet, walked on the beach and fed the koi on their lovely grounds. I also got to see my friend who is a mom to me. I liked how she told a new friend of hers that she had ten children. (Meaning I am her tenth.) She is the only mother I have now, and I treasure this relationship. We prayed in Starbucks for each other, and had great conversations.

Once a week I have coffee with my dad. (Only now that I'm off coffee b/c of the ulcer, I have Skinny Vanilla Steamers). My dad is home, and he's already planning his next trip. I'm glad he's home, but I'm also glad that he's independent enough to pursue his own adventures.

I think God is healing me from the grief by putting friends/family in my life who have time to talk things over. The talking is so healing. Sometimes as I'm talking things will remind me of my mom or Scott, and I remember that I won't see them again in this life. And I'm becoming more comfortable with that. I can see how there are good things. I see how my dad now has a relationship with one granddaughter that he didn't before. I see my own children being kinder, knowing in an even deeper way that life is uncertain.

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