On My Way

This last week I flew into Portland, Oregon to spend a couple of days with my biological Dad. He has been diagnosed with bladder cancer and prostrate cancer. I'm not at the "I'm so worried about him" stage. All the medical crap is just beginning and it will be a while before we have some informed feedback on "how to do" and "what to do". He's doing chemo, surgery, followed with more chemo. It will be a bit more time before the medical community can start giving us specifics.

But, Dad had a birthday on September 12 and a WHOLE BUNCH of family and friends (including me) gathered to celebrate him. Three words about the event. FUN, FUN and MORE FUN! More great memories to tuck away. 

Seems like the bookends of this visit were VERY significant to me.

Dad had an infusion scheduled right after I was to arrive in Portland, so my half sister, Sharron, got stuck with the "can you haul Linnette around" duties. Keep in mind that we are all still getting to know each other. I have worried about my siblings through all this "add another family member" process. I want to get to know them.  I'm selfish and I want relationships. I want them to get to know me and my family. I want to know them and their lives. I want them to like me. Heck, I want them to LOVE me. There. I said it. The cat is out of the bag.

I was SUPER nervously excited to see Sharron. I've only been to Washington 4 or 5 times since we made the adoption discovery, so I don't REALLY know many of "my people." I'm learning. But, I become chatty when I'm nervous and I'm finding that my siblings are more quiet. I think at times they look at me and wonder if maybe they should insist on DNA testing!

Sharron brought her daughter Mackenzie along for the event. We left the airport and stopped at Red Robin for lunch. We nearly stayed until dinner! We talked and talked and talked and talked. I can't describe how wonderfully, fabulous it was. I left thinking that we are so much alike. And it felt good.

Guess what? Sharron likes concerts. I LOVE concerts. So Sharron, myself, Mackenzie and Sharrons other daughter Ellie went to a vineyard nearby to see Huey Lewis and the News. OHMYGOSH what a great time we had!

Fast forward to my exit. (A little family history lesson here). I have two half brothers and one half sister. I have 2 step sisters and 1 step brother. Cheryl is my step sister. Cheryl is married to Tim and they live in Portland. Cheryl got the "can you haul Linnette around" duties passed to her and she gave me a ride back to the airport. 

When I first met Cheryl, it didn't go wonderfully. I have since found out the why to that. It had nothing to do with me. It was timing, and circumstance and events set in motion loooooong before I entered into the picture. Nonetheless, it was a rough beginning and I haven't quite known how to handle it. Cheryl had actually volunteered to haul me back to the airport. She had to get up at 3:30 am in order to get me, so I knew that she was okay with chatting with me. 

Cheryl arrived to pick me up, I said my goodbyes and headed to Portland. I wish I could find the words to describe how meaningful our conversation was. We talked and talked and talked. She offered me insight into her life and who she is and why she is and how she is. I felt a connection with her. I know I kinda, sorta freak her out. She doesn't seem to be overly emotional. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. So when we pulled up to the airport the first thought I had was "Man, I love her." And I hugged her and told her so. And I do.

I created a picture about a year ago with this saying:

"She wasn't where she was going. She wasn't where she had been. She was on her way."

Sharron, Cheryl and I aren't ever going to be little girls sharing secrets. I haven't mourned their losses nor been able to celebrate their triumphs. But I'm on my way.

Toy Surprises

I absolutely without a shadow of a doubt adore my grandparents. ALL of them. I was so blessed to have them in my life for many, many, years. Like most kids, I was devastated when they passed away. I lost a grandparent every year for four years. Aren't memories grand, though? Isn't it nice to close your eyes and remember the moments that mean the world to you?

I was driving to Springville yesterday to run some errands. I ended up on a back road that ran along a field that was being irrigated. I love irrigation. I remember irrigation day with Grandpa Pete. I remember him slipping on his waders and going outside with his shovel to toss the water into the flower beds. I remember my boys being very young and running out in their swimsuits to play in the water and Grandpa throwing water at them with that shovel.

Years later, when I came across this house, we irrigated! I loved it. Many, many, MANY memories of the dogs and kids playing in the water. Every time I see irrigation water, Grandpa comes to mind.

Grandma and Grandpa drank coffee. I was raised LDS so this fact MORTIFIED me as a child. I have since become more rational about coffee drinking. Grandpa got up every morning at 6:00 am. Let me tell you, you didn't go to Grandpa's to sleep in. He would come in and wake me up and I would help him set the table for breakfast. My job was to butter the toast. We would banter back and forth and EVERY SINGLE MORNING he would pretend to pour me a cup of coffee. He would tease me about it. I used to love the smell of coffee because I always thought about Grandpa, but when I was pregnant with Shelby, I walked down the fresh coffee aisle and someone had just ground up some coffee beans. The smell was VERY overwhelming and I vomited PROFUSELY all the way out the door. So ended my love for the smell. (Stupid Shelby)

Every single time I left my Grandma and Grandpa's house, they sent each of us off with a box of Cracker Jacks. I would savor every candy coated kernel and set the toy surprise aside for last. I would wonder and ponder that surprise and loved the anticipation of opening the little wrapper to see what I got. Still LOVE Cracker Jacks. Maybe it's something I'll keep around for my grandbabies.

Grandma taught me to crochet. She had her own "mini business" going for years. She could make ANYTHING with a crochet hook, knitting needles and a skein of yarn. I would sit by her side for hours and she would explain to me what she was doing. We would talk the whole time while she crocheted or knitted. I look back now and think that I probably did most of the talking, and she probably was thinking "I wish this girl would STOP TALKING". But she endured me with the patience of a saint.

My Grandpa Lyn was a tall, slender man. He worked at BYU and was PROUD to be a part of that school. I don't remember watching much television at their house, but when BYU football was on we were glued to the screen. It's one of the reason's that I love football. I don't watch college football, but love, love, LOVE pro football.

Grandpa loved ice cream. When you went to visit Grandpa you could count on a bowl of ice cream sometime during that visit. It was usually Maple Nut. I'm not a big fan of maple, but that didn't stop me from having a bowl with him. He was a health fanatic, but he taught me that a person should eat what they crave. He taught me portion control long before it became a fad. Oh yeah, and he drove a beige Volkswagon for years. I don't know why when I was younger that I thought it was odd, but I did. As I grew older, it was cool. Still can't see a VW without thinking of him.

Grandma Adamson taught school here in Provo. In fact, my kids attended the elementary school that she taught in. Franklin Elementary. She didn't just teach. She developed programs that were used in the school system to help teach the kids. She once wrote a children's book and asked me to illustrate it for her. I remember being terribly flattered that she thought I was capable of such a huge job. We didn't ever end up doing it, but when I sent off "My Best Friend, Ray", to be printed, I thought of how proud she would be.

My Great Grandma Coltrin taught me to paint. She taught me the love of color. I remember sitting beside her for "art lessons". Her paintings hung in many of the LDS churches in the Burley area. I was VERY proud to see her work displayed for all to see. I think that she would like that I went into the creative area. I think my "style" would kind of freak her out. That AND the fact that I do it on a computer. But she influenced me tremendously to channel creativity and make something come alive with color and form.

I sometimes wonder what my grandkids are going to say about me. Crazy is a given. Beloved would be a bonus.