Part 2

'reunited and it feels so good'

Before Part 2, i just want to say:
I am SO so glad we have these family photos!  I've been wanting to post this one since Ashley took it... After all, it's the follow up of those ones down at the very bottom of blog from Sept '06 when Olivia left, Sept '07 when Sean left, & Apr '09 when Calvin left... 
I wanted to put this one of us w/ willows and mtns background in the header of the blog, but couldn't get it how i wanted - and Sean was gone this eve, or here but preoccupied with getting an iPhone 4s after midnight tonight.  Hence, my header redo with Playmobil PERSONIFIED -- (Carmen put those together back when O was expecting Cohen).
OK, so back to my story...
SPRING BREAK 2006:  Gracious Tara Kim came to my rescue!  She encouraged us to come visit them in Palo Alto - making it possible for us to actually GO somewhere while kids were out of school... Our main MUST DO's were:  ( listed by importance : )

• IKEA   (a yr prior to Draper opening)   -bunk bed shopping, & just Swedish on a shoestring fun
• Monterrey Bay Aquarium   -amazing, unforgettable, all day wonder
• A classic day in 'The CITY'  -golden gate bridge & park, crab louie's and lobster on the wharf
• San Gregorio beach   -took my UT-Youngins to the ocean, by golly, even on a windy rainy April day - and i didn't even lose my Robert's of Woodside lunch on that curvy drive to get there!

We had a wonderful week!  (except for Winnemucca - it was the worst!)  Brig, Tara, & Beckstead's were the BEST!   (can't believe i didn't think to call Gret that time - hello! - so so so dumb)   

But wait - the REAL meaningful point of my story here is to share something else we did while we were there - one of those 'no brainer' kind of things, yet totally unplanned... very worthy of mentioning here in my late weeknight blog post (for which i will pay dearly tomorrow).
 As we were heading into the City we happened to stop for gas right in the heart of my childhood 'stomping grounds' - (the Shell on Sand Hill Rd in Sharon Heights).  In that moment, as I was hit over the head by a flood of memories, it finally occurred to me that my kids might want to see where i grew up - duh!  (I suddenly remembered how much I LOVED visiting Newport, Oregon the summer after my mission, and seeing my mom's house, etc).  
We stuck with our original San Francisco plan for the day, but went back to my neighborhood the following day.  We went to the 2 homes i lived in, to my schools and church, to Sharon Heights pond and downtown Menlo Park, etc... They were fascinated; it meant a lot to them!


Since that day I have felt even MORE strongly about the importance of taking them to Guatemala.  Before then i always wished we could go again* and thought it would be so fun - but since then it has been an ache inside me... knowing i MUST find a way - even against all odds!  But even when we were both working, a trip like this made little sen$e - logically or financially... Especially to 'Mr. Practical' - who has viewed the expense as unwise and irresponsible... How can anyone overcome those valid objections?

However, I've learned over and over in my life that when i set out to do something that i really WANT to do, and KNOW is right & good -- it will HAPPEN -- (in this case, a month from today) -because incredible things come together sometimes, in ways i never could have imagined...

I'll attempt to share a quick bullet list of some of them for Part 3! 


* The only other time we've gone was in July 1992 when #4 of 7 (Josie) was 6 months old - Cal was 3, Sean 4.5, & Olivia was 7.  We drove down w/ Mama Jose & Papa Moises, stayed 2 weeks, LOVED it, and have dreamed of going back ever since.