Seattle Time

Landed last night at 6 and walked in to baggage claim to find a very happy Dad waiting for me! We hugged and caught up on Mom and Katie (who recently pierced her eyebrow, but that's another story). Then I saw Denise, a woman I had met at the Burbank airport, and we exchanged phone nubmers because it turned out we live less than a mile from each other! Super sweet, super nice woman. I'm excited to hang out with her.

Went home and saw a very spunky, but very different mom. For those of you who don't know, she has a walker now, and the radiation made her hair fall out. She's off the steroids now, which means she's much weaker. And did you know that you can have chemo now in pill form? I had no idea. Well, she took it for a week too long so the side effect is that her face is kind of puffy, like a chipmunk. But she looks beautiful and is doing the best she can. I worry about my dad being the constant caregiver, but that's why I'm here, to help give him a little break. It means so much to my family that I'm here for so long and I am happy to help.

What's really special is that my Aunt Sharon and Uncle Terry from Nine Mile Falls (a little town outside of Spokane) are here! Today we headed over to Bainbridge Island for my cousin Zac's graduation party. That also meant I got to see Uncle Gregg and Aunt Diane and their fabulous house and studio. I used to go there a lot as a kid so it brought back so many memories. Zac's brother, my other cousin Gus, was also there and we got to catch up. The weather held out beautifully - sunny and warm (well, warm for Seattle) - everyone was in a good mood - and Mom got a nice nap. I was just so grateful to see everyone. It just wasn't long enough. I don't know what's happening to me as I get older, but family seems to be more and more important to me. And I always want to see more of those I rarely see...but distance makes the heart grow fonder!

We're home now, and Mom is asleep on the couch. Katie is on the computer upstaris, Dad's talkin on the phone to some guy from Finland, and Sharon and Terry are somewhere around here. Tomorrow Sharon and Terry leave to go back home. :( I may take out my mom's beautiful custom made bike for a ride to the locks and then Steph might stop by to say hi after her acting class. Monday I work from home, Tuesday I go into work and have a dental appointment (I just can't find one in L.A. that I like). Probably Tuesday and Wednesday I'm going to cook dinner for the fam. :) And at some point I'll head over to Northgate to visit friends who recently had twins!

I'll stay busy, but I'm really missing Matt, the cats, and the control over my life in L.A. Somehow things get planned for me here, and I just have to learn to let go. I'm not here for me, I am here for them. And that's a good feeling. :)