Family & Friends

I believe I felt like some of my students today; I couldn't wait for school to end! I knew we were meeting our good friends from high school for dinner, as they're visiting back at home this weekend. I was really looking forward to finally seeing them. (It'd been nearly a year.) Shayne gave their absolutely precious boys a tour of the quarry while I took Shayla to ballet then we met up for pizza. It was great, like we'd never been separated! They are the most wonderful parents and people! We are so blessed to have great friends! (A FUNNY: Upon arriving at the restaurant I told the waitress, "It's on one check and give it to my husband." She assured me that was no problem. THen when she gave the check to Ned, I looked at her like she was crazy. She smiled and said something like we had this worked out ahead of time. I replied, "I said to give the check to my husband. This good looking guy sitting beside me is not MY husband!" Oh, the misunderstanding was funny!)

Shayla did a great job of corrupting the boys! They have WONDERFUL parents and do not have "technology" so as you can see they were really caught up in Shayla's "Gameboy" we took in to the restaurant to wait for our friends. I read while Shayla played knowing we had time to kill as we were ahead of schedule. (And the book one of my Professors on my dissertation committee is having me read is really good. She believes my dissertation research should lead into a book like I'm reading and it really hit me - it could! That is exciting! And as I continue to make very s-l-o-w progress, I needed that!)

(PHOTO: Christi LOVING the art toy Grandma Gear gave her on her birthday - May 12, 2002, 4 months before diagnosis.) I received a text from Shayne when I checked for messages at lunch. He told me his grandma wasn't doing well at all and he was going to squeeze a visit to the hospital in somehow today. (It's about an hour away.) I've not had a chance to really talk with him yet; however, from phone calls and quick comments it doesn't appear that things are fine. He said he was able to have a very nice talk with grandma and that she appeared to be really "with it". A therapist told him that was the most she'd talked to anyone all day. Grandma is 90 years old and ended up in the hospital after a recent fall. Our prayers are with grandma. (I know she's not REALLY my grandma; however, since I've only dated Shayne since I was 15 years old she's been like MY grandma for 25 years! I love her and this update is so hard to write!) The news Shayne received from his mom after talking with the doctor this morning was that it probably would not be months. It goes without saying that we are terribly sad. Grandma Gear is a sweetie! (Ironically, our friends we had dinner with tonight are going through a nearly identical situation and were on their way to check on their grandma next. Weird!)

I have no idea why "Princess Shayla" has that look upon her face, but isn't it a hoot?! It was Christi's fifth birthday and we took her to visit with both sets of her Great Grandparents that day. (I'm so glad we did as it was the last time she visited with my Grandpa at his home. He died in Feb. 2003 when we were in the Ronald House of NYC and I did not make it back for his funeral. I still feel bad and when I talked with Grandma Falter last weekend she once again told me I did the right thing becuase it was terribly cold out then.) I wonder if Shayla "borrowed" Christi's crown and why she's looking like that! Too funny! We love you Grandma Gear!