Monday, July 07, 2008

Home again

The Fourth of July in Moses Lake was nice, meeting the newest baby, P, age 6 months, and getting better acquainted with E, almost 3, a foster child being adopted by my niece and her husband. P is a mostly toothless darling with a huge grin, bright eyes, and personality. E has morphed from being a fearful and withdrawn child to being outgoing and funny, with the focused therapy and attention of my niece and her husband. It's such a delight to see children grow into themselves---wait, that sounds like toenails. Both these little ones are doing what they're supposed to do as human beings---develop relationships with the other folks around them and learn to manage the challenges of their world.

I'd started out Thursday morning in a blinding rainstorm with thunder and lightning making driving a bit scary and dangerous. It poured and flashed all the way to the top of Snoqualmie Pass, at which point the clouds broke open and the blue skies of eastern Washington shone through. It was almost 100 in Moses Lake by the time I got there about 10 a.m.

My sister and her husband treated me to a nice dinner that evening at Pillar Rock Grill, an elegant eatery (who woulda thunk it--in Moses Lake?) on a golf course, and we brought home leftovers for later (mine were sirloin steak with bleu cheese and creme brulee). Watched a movie, "The Freshman", and conked out early.

The Fourth dawned not-so-hot, temperature wise, with a breeze and rains squalls, and the evening barbecue with the whole fam damily was pleasant, once the skies cleared again. Joel the Neff and his family numbered eight, his sis and her family were another four, and my sister and husband and I brought the total to 15. It was a wild time, with the smallest ones constantly being no-noed away from dirt-throwing activities (what is it about dirt and kids?) by all of us too lacking in energy to do much more than that! But it was fun to see the kids, all of whom seem to get along pretty well. My sister and I reminisced about our early days with our cousins and how much we enjoyed spending time together.

The evening got late and part of the group went to the park for fireworks while the rest of us went to my niece's home which looks out on the lake and has a great view of the fireworks. It was late when they finally started and we weren't home till eleven or so.

Next morning, we were up early and I was on the road home by 7 ish, getting back here around noon after making a couple of stops and waiting awhile for the ferry.

Sunday morning, up early again, and back to Seattle to preach at the Westside UU Congregation where my friend Peg Morgan is the minister. We had a successful service together and I came away about noonish with a little extra cash for my efforts. Costco and Trader Joe's on the way home topped off the trip and I was back home by 3.

A nice way to spend the Fourth of July weekend---family, friends, and fundraising.

1 comment:

Mile High Pixie said...

Wonderful! Glad you had a peaceful and enjoyable holiday.