Where in the World - Day Two

Wow! THANK YOU! You made Shayla feel so special as we laughed and said, "good guess" at many of your responses. TWO amazing bloggers even guessed it correctly, which really surprised us! We picked some pretty challenging pictures, we thought. Thank you so very, very much! "Holly" (some may know we like to give each other nicknames while on vacation) the actress wanna be, is throughly enjoying her trip to Southern California! She's thanked us at least 25 times! (PIC: our morning hike)

Yesterday, we flew to California and used our Cedar Point passes for complimentary access to Knott's Berry Farm. Shayla loved their incredible stage coach ride (on top - never glad to be a family of three, but I really was at that moment as only groups of three got to be seated on top of the coach). She also enjoyed Snoopy's Ice Show. Disney's High School Musical on Ice is touring out here in LA too so that was a huge bonus for Shayla.

With tremendous sadness, I learned via text from Jennifer and with an email from one of my former OSU professors this afternoon that sweet Eden Adams, from Ohio, earned her Angel wings and returned to God's great kingdom today. I'm away from my picture files right now, but I will soon share one of Christi & Eden together as I tell myself (OK, I admit Christi's death change A LOT and I continue to struggle, but always try to convince myself) that they ARE together in a MUCH BETTER place with our Lord and Savior. I hope we'll be home in time to attend her funeral.

May God grant healing to Eden's family as their lives will never again be the same. I only know how terribly difficult life has been for us, two YEARS since Christi's death, despite the fact I try to put on a happy face and totally thrust myself into being a great mom for Shayla. I know that masks the pain I feel in others' eyes, but it's still there for me. I'd never wish that on anyone and I know Eden's parents will forever struggle with what has happened to them. I hope they somehow try to put on brave faces and make good things happen for others in Eden's memory, but I know of TOO many of our dear cancer friends who have turned to very destructive ways of living, following the deaths of their children. I pray they will not go down that road. Oh, enough "negative talk" here. On to things that lift my spirits and help me forget that we just had a very tough holiday without Christi and how very much I miss her and long to be with her.

Day Two:

Shayne and I visited this wonderful (famous) Farmer's Market in 1986 on our High School class trip. What a glorious thing to bring Shayla back to it on this vacation. We tried a lot of great foods and found some interesting scrapbook stickers for her "Drama Scrapbook" project she decided to do for 4-H this year.
This stop was a complete surprise to me. Shay and Shayne wanted to go to "Pinkberry". I didn't even have a clue as to what it was. We loved it and thought they need to put one at the University of Pennsylvania because it would be a hit there too. Very cool! Very yummy!
This fountain display was the neatest one I've ever seen - amazing! (Of course it reminded me of Christi watching with great joy the jumping fountain at the Detroit airport on one of our many flights to/from Philadelphia. How I wish she could be here with us!)
When we went to pick up the rental car we were told they didn't have any we reserved so they gave us a complimentary upgrade to a convertible! Shayla got to pick out the one we wanted and we have been having a ball with it. I never thought I wanted a convertible before, but hummmmmmmmmm. (Shayla of course remembered Mr. Grant giving us a ride in Philadelphia in his convertible and that Christi really thought it was "cool" too.) (PIC: Pulling up in front of "The American Girl Store", an incredible surprise for Shayla!)

Our night ended by taking Josh and his family to dinner at Universal's Citywalk. Can you see how happy Shayne is to be with two of his four great nieces/nephews. He said all he wanted for Christmas was to see his family so we ensured that happened! It's been great to have them up from Phoenix!