April showers bring May flowers

Easter was fun, spent it with family, of course. Loved on Baby Garrett as much as he could stand. We had also bought some baby chicks. Mom enjoyed watching the chicks and also enjoyed holding them. We had these birds so tame, we could pick one up and it would chirp and then cuddle and sleep. 

Mom also continued to work on quilts. She and Ann got Amber's and David's quilt ready to put the back on. They were quite the team. It was fun to watch them work together. They made it all look so easy. Now if I could just figure out how to do it!

They made a Day and Night quilt for David. 

Mom loved springtime and all the blooming trees! So many beautiful colors in the area where we lived in Oregon. Mom and Dad started planning their trip and would be leaving soon. She was  so excited to be able to see old friends and family again. It had been 20 plus years since she and Dad had seem some of these people. Mom was making phone calls and texting and emailing. We went shopping for new outfits that we could pack for Dad to dress her with, color coordinated so that when they did laundry, it was easy for him to put them back together. Everything matched and we packed only what they needed. Mom even got a "smart phone" so that she could navigate for Dad. When they took trips in the past, she held all the maps and he did the driving. This would be just like old times. 

We bought a porta-potty for her to use if there wasn't a handicap restroom available. And we packed an extra shower chair. Dad had everything she could possible need on this trip. I was a worried "mama" letting "my beautiful" go off into the world.... I lectured Dad on what Mom needed, he just laughed at me. I told her to call me if she needed anything!!!! But I knew they would be just fine. Dad actually enjoyed doing everything for his bride. She was his everything and he was hers. 

The trip was nothing short than amazing. Weather was great, no tornadoes when they went to Illinois, Missouri, nor Minnesota. They hit Montana, Idaho and Wyoming too. Those states were the scheduled stops, they had more in between. Some nights they would stay with family and friends, other nights they had a motel. Dad would let Mom rest and sleep as much as she needed, as not to get her too tired. They took their time and a ton of pictures. They laughed and cried at each visit. So many special people in their lives, she just had to see them one more time. She was happy. She was doing what she loved to do, traveling with Dad, and seeing the people she had loved for a lifetime. 

Mom driving up in to the Van.

Dad saying goodbye to Bella, and closing Mom in the Van. 

Their trip ended with them meeting me in La Grande, my youngest son was graduating from High School. It was hard to believe that I missed his entire senior year. Sure we skyped and chatted all the time, but I wasn't there, home that is. I have no regrets for moving in with Mom, I wouldn't of changed that for the world. But it didn't change the fact that I was feeling the loss of being there for my son. My family always came first. So I was torn, and it hurt. My husband was there, okay, but I was Mom and next to my husband, my kids were my life. Family, it was all about family. 

Three generations.... My parents, my brother's family and my family. 

Laughing at how Garret loved to play with David's hair. 

Mom looked good and she was happy.

June turned out to be a great month! After graduation we took a quick trip to California to be there for my cousin's son's wedding. The weather was beautiful and Mom did great! She and Dad couldn't stop talking about how wonderful their "bucket list" trip went. Dad was an excellent nurse to Mom and other than a few down days, everything went off like clockwork. 

The end of June was our vacation time. My husband and I took a nationwide trip to see his family back East. Dad and Mom were recuperating from their trips and all was well in the world.