The other night I was standing in my Dad and Karen's kitchen, making dinner for my family, listening to Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar playing on the radio and my catching snip-its of my Dad and Jack's conversation upstairs about basketball and I felt peace and happiness.
There is so much change for us right now, but so much of it is good and familiar. While there are so many reasons why couch-surfing with a family for ten weeks is difficult, I wouldn't give up this experience for a summer mansion of our own. A few weeks ago I saw my dad and Jack become real buddies. Soccer buddies, basketball buddies, reading buddies, talking buddies, Deda and Grandson. It made me remember my Deda, who although he had no real family of his own, alongside Baba, created an amazing life centered around family.
Last week we are at Baba's house. The house that I spent so many afternoons in growing up. Learning to subtract by eating french fries, watching movies and reading books, me on one sofa, Dani on the other, and Tai in the recliner in between the two of us. Everything is so familiar to me, and I love that this summer, it has the chance to become familiar...home...to Jack.
Baba has an amazing ability to patiently play whatever cockamaney game Jack can conjure up, and boy does he love her for it! One morning while sitting at breakfast, he looked up and declared that he loved it here.
Right now, Tai is playing the piano and Jack is running around like a maniac shaking maraccas. She has taught him how to find all of the Cs on the piano and to play a scale. Now Jack has found a little stool to stand on and is conducting Tai on the piano with a baton. These two make the perfect play mates!
Last night Zack told he how amazing my family is.
Other then that, we spend our days running around LA, playing, visiting, and swimming.
If our apple hadn't finally given up and died thanks to Jack falling on it during a rousing game of Super Mario Brothers on Wii with Zack and Jonathan, I'd have picture proof of our summer madness. I'm going to see if I can't find a way to upload pictures off my iphone soon...
...oh and I turned 30.
Yikes...
7 comments:
Happy birthday, Ana! I loved that sweet post. It does sound like you have an amazing and involved family.
We're heading out to CA on July 24. We need to see you.
Happy birthday yesterday! We fully recognize and accept that we are the worst friends for always forgetting to call. We love you!
ps -- you're finally catching up to me. :)
Happy Birthday, Ana. 30 is a big one. How are you handling it? It sounds like you guys have found a great temporary home for yourselves there, but then again, you seem to do that beautifully wherever you go. How is Zack liking work? We will probably be LA at some point this summer so we will for sure have to hang out.
Four generations are a blessing. Take lots of pictures for Jack to remember. I'm glad you get to spend a summer in California and with loved ones. I hope we can deliver our Birthday Wishes in person soon.
Happy Birthday Ana! I love ya! YOu look like you are twenty. How do you do that?
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