There and Back Again

To Arizona. Back home, and some places in between - mostly this place called Life, really. That's where I've been. Somewhere along the road I lost my way. I once wondered how I would ever find enough material to supply a blog that's not a complete yawn fest. Then a transformation occurred and I began to see life as a series of potential blog posts. Well, that I saw the possibilities of blog posts in every day life is more accurate.

That's where I lost my way. Enough time passed between posts and I went from noticing a barrage of potential blog fodder to forgetting to even look for those things. Thus, the lapse in time. Worry aside - I have returned. The prodigal attempted blogger. Not that anyone but the nagging at the back of my conscious has even noticed the absence. At this point I wasn't planning to document our adventures. But then I was sifting through pictures remembering how much fun we had. I can't just pass by as if it never happened. I figure a glimpse will do. You can see pictures on my other blog.

• Arizona was wonderful albeit not as warm as I had hoped it would be
• I will admit to wishing we lived there on more than one occasion
• All of my siblings made it, though we were all together for just hours rather than days. At least we got family pictures.
• Ragnar was spectacular
• My parent's lemon tree was prolific. As in lemons the size of grapefruit. Seriously. I came home with 35lbs. Don't be jealous.
• Sweet Cheeks went to school at her Auntie Kenna's preschool
• And we visited Auntie LaNae's family in Yuma - what I've always called the armpit of Arizona. It's really not that bad. Once you get passed the smell of the lettuce plants. Plants, as in factories.

I had said I was going to visit Arizona to run Ragnar, but of course the real reason was so my girls could make actual memories of their family. Addie Cakes was an infant the last time we were there, so she was essentially meeting her cousins and some Aunties for the first time.

Before we left she had a hard time grasping the idea that she had cousins other than her "Virginia cousins", whom we see regularly. That is one of the hardest things about living far from family, which is actually why we are in Northern VA. Otter and I both wanted to make sure we were close to at least some family after we graduated from college in Utah. Virginia won. This was before we had children and the difficulty of ensuring meaningful relationships with my side of the family hadn't registered. Of course had we moved to Arizona instead the situation would just be reversed.

But now both of the girls have memories of their family. They see pictures and know names, and make associations that in all reality are probably just a vague recognition of a memory - for Addie Cakes, at least. But the associations are there. And for now that's all that matters. So while I miss my family every day, at least now I know it's not impossible. My girls love and miss my family - their family - more than the space that divides us.

At Long Last

They say "Home is Where the Heart is". I've considered Virginia my home for years, but part of my heart is still in Arizona where I grew up. It's been two years since I've been back to visit, but the dry spell is about to come to an end. Yippee!

It's kind of funny because at this point in my life I've lived away from Arizona quite a bit longer than I ever lived there - 9 years, to be exact. That's how long I lived there. And while I was there I wanted nothing more than to move away. Yet even while I was gone I craved to go home to Arizona. To this day when asked where I'm from it's Arizona I claim.

One might wonder why we're making the trek out there now. We being the girls and I. After all, it's not the holidays and school is in session. I've kind of boycotted traveling for Christmas. And summers in Arizona don't agree with me. Yes, it's a dry heat which isn't as oppressive as the 90 degrees with 80% humidity we see here, but 115 degrees and more is just miserable. I'm just saying.

Back to my point - this is the last year before Sweet Cheeks is in school. Next year when she goes to Kindergarten life will never be the same. So I'm taking full advantage. Even if she will miss 2 weeks of preschool.

Truth be told, that is only half the reason. The real reason for going when we're going is RAGNAR: 12 people racing 200 miles in 24-ish hours. The reason we're staying two weeks is because we found a really (I mean R-E-A-L-L-Y) good deal on tickets that just happened to go up significantly if I chose different dates. It's meant to be.

So, Ragnar: My sister Rebecca works for an oral surgeon who is sponsoring a team for the race. Never ones to be left out of a fun race, Lester and I campaigned for a spot on the team. Really they were short a few people, so we were accepted as two warm bodies to complete the required 12 team members.

The oh-so fun part - other than the endorphin kick from the pain of running the equivalent of 3 10Ks and not sleeping in 24 hours - is the three of us will be together in a van that two of our other sisters will be driving. Five of the 7 of us together! In one van! It's going to be so much fun! I kind of feel bad for the other runners in our van.

And this trip gets even better. The last time the seven sisters were together was the last time I was in Arizona. It's looking very hopeful that we'll be together again while I'm in town. Everyone has crazy schedules, so we may have only one day with everyone in Arizona at the same time. But if all goes as planned we'll be together. And that's all that matters.

In mind of keeping things real - it's not all going to be fun and games. It will be for me, but not so much for Otterpop. He will be left at home - alone and abandoned to fend for himself while forced to bankroll our expedition. Well, maybe it will be fun for him too. Alone time is rare, so this just might be good for him. Except...

The really unfortunate part is that he's traveling for work the first two weeks of February, and we're traveling the last two. Anyone for a month without really seeing their spouse and family? Poor Otter. Luckily he'll be in the care of his sister and grandma who will make sure he doesn't go hungry. Sweet Cheeks said "Daddy's going to be spending a lot of time at our cousins house when we're gone." She knows him well. He is and will be sorely missed.

p.s. I cut bangs. Really short bangs. Think something along the lines of this:

Maybe a little shorter. Otter thinks I look like my mom, and one of my friends said I look like a little girl. I'll let you decide for yourself, but I like it. I don't have a good picture right now, but I'll post later.

Toodles.