Christmas Eve

We arrived in Amarillo on the 23rd. When we saw Gene first thing Christmas Eve morning, we knew we were headed to the emergency room. His left eye was swollen like a tennis ball to the point he could not open it. A call to the physician on call led us to the hospital emergency room in case complicated tests were necessary.

The hospital was quiet on Christmas Eve. I went to the coffee shop to get coffee (and hot chocolate for Henry) all around while we waited for Gene to be seen. We were fortunate that the diagnosis was either an allergic reaction or the beginning of shingles. We got in early, were seen quickly, and were ready to leave by the time everyone had drunk their coffee. Definitely a blessing to get Gene back home rather than have another hospital stay at Christmas time.

Our niece, Staci, had a wonderful Christmas party for the whole family. While we have not made a practice of going to Amarillo for Christmas, there is something very special to be surrounded by loving family and friends at Christmas. I will have some good memories from this Christmas.

Thanksgiving

I was planning to spend one of the holidays with Henry's family this year - we've always lived far enough away that getting back to Amarillo was difficult. We had the largest gathering of family in a long time, and it was a sweet day. But also bittersweet, because Henry's dad was too sick to come. We have a wonderful family photo, but we were missing two . . . . Henry and his dad. I've thought about using my photoshop skills to take a photo of Gene at the house and try to work it into the shot. And I had meant to take a photo of Henry after he got over to our niece's house - so the lighting and background would be easy. But it has been a difficult choice - do I really want to take photos of Gene at this final stage of his life? Do I really want photos to remind us of how weak and feeble he has become.

And yet, when some of us gathered at the house with Gene Thanksgiving evening, I took photos. He's had time with these grandchildren- and he's had time recently with all of his children. As photographer, I have helped document the memories of these last times with Gene. I look at him and find myself being grateful for these last minutes in his presence. I have been grateful that I've had opportunity to try to make him physically comfortable.

Today I also got to spend time with Debra and her fiance, Jonathan. After the week in the hospital and the worry over how to best care for Gene, it was a pleasure to share memories of places we shared with my mom. Thankfully, Jonathan was patient. My mom would have been especially pleased at how much he enjoyed the trip to the ranch and some of the strange plants that grow there. Because I drove, Jonathan and Debra sat in the back - leaving the front passenger seat empty. How fanciful of me to think how appropriate that was - as that is where my mom would have been sitting. Surely some part of her joined us today - as Debra relived things we did with her grandmother. Even if only in our memories.

Fourth of July

While waiting for the fireworks to start here on the beach at Malibu, I could not help but remember other sets of fourth of July fireworks. When the kids were small, we took them to the fireworks on Town Lake in Austin. The music of the 1812 Overture always signalled that the fireworks were about to begin. Sitting on the shores of the lake seeing the fireworks refected in the lake was a wonderful way to celebrate. During the years when our kids were in school, vacations were summer events. We tended to travel over the fourth of July because it gave us an extra vacation day. We've seen fireworks from a campground in Montana, from a hotel parking lot in Dillon, Colorado, and from the highway in Phoenix. We've been in France twice on Bastille Day. The first visit we ended up at a hotel overlooking the Valley of the Volcanoes. From our restaurant's picture window, we could see dozens of villages celebrating with firework displays. The most impressive firework display I've ever seen was Bastille Day at the Eiffel Tower. People filled the Champ de Mars beginning with picnics on the grass. As it got time for the fireworks, it was standing room only - and you had to stand to see because everyone was standing. They told the history of France choreographed with music and a lighting display.

This year Debra and I went to a private beach in Malibu. Before the big show from the barge, I enjoyed watching the families shoot off their fireworks. The kids would get closer and closer to where the Roman candles and rockets were being lit. It brought back the memory of our first year at our Hutto house. We now lived in the country so we were going to do our own fireworks. Thomas begged to get to hold one of the Roman candles. It backfired into his face. Our celebration turned into a trip to the emergency room. We could see Round Rock's fireworks in the distance as we drove in. The emergency room treated the worst of it. The plastic surgeon finished the job. Now you would never know it happened.

But it was fun to watch the waves coming in, the families enjoying themselves. One group of kids had dug themselves a fortress complete with mote, big enough to sit in and covered with beach umbrellas - looked like a great temporary club house. The big fireworks were set off from a barge in the ocean. This year Malibu had three barges in separate locations. I'm not sure who sponsored them this year, but in year's past you would recognize the names from the Hollywood stars who live here. The clouds have been moving in early the last few days, and the taller displays were hidden behind the low lying clouds, coloring them red and green. But we could see a lot and they were beautiful. We could even see parts of the display from one of the other barges in the distance.

Fourth of July - picnics, parades, concerts, fireworks. A fitting way each year to be greatful for the freedom we have.