Insert New Blog Title Here

Daddy's Home

I started this post way back in March of 2009. Dan had just lost his Dad, Ralph, to cancer and I had just spoken to my Dad for the first time ever on the phone. It was an amazing emotional time. Bittersweet to say the least:

Dear Dad:

Well, here we are at a turning point in our relationship.

The sound of your voice on the phone a few days ago was like a warm, soft blanket laid gently over my soul.

It continues to warm me as the days go on. I think about our next conversation, when it will come, what it will be like. The beautiful part is that I feel like I can make it happen whenever I feel the want or need to do so. You have opened the door for me, not just as a courtesy, but as a true invitation. If I were unsure of it, I would be calling you frequently. But I feel so certain that this is just the beginning, that there is no need to manufacture reasons or excuses. I just need to follow my heart and when the spirit moves me, you will be there.

And I, of course, am here whenever you next decide to reach out.

Since then, I have spoken to my Dad again. He called me as I sat in the beautiful house that Ralph and Betsy had renovated just prior to Ralph's passing. There is no coincidence, in my mind that Ralph has had a hand in bringing my Dad and I closer since his passing. He is pulling some strings, I'm sure of it.

And now, I actually call my Dad, Dad. It sounds so simple, but I have never called anyone Dad in my entire life. This Father's Day (one that was so very difficult for us because it was our first one without Ralph) in an email thanking me for something I sent to him, my Dad signed off as "Dad" and I've been beginning each email with "Dear Dad" ever since.

It will take some getting used to, but I love it!

And here is the song that plays in my head when I think of my Dad:

A note from paradise

Just a quick note from paradise! We have been in Hawaii for the last week. Headed home today. Vacations are a mixture of fun and family dynamics. Not necessarily relaxing but still good! More later!

When The Sun Goes Down

When the sun goes down
We'll be groovin
When the sun goes down
We'll be doin' alright
When the sun sinks down, over the water
Everything gets hotter when the sun goes down.

These are words from the Kenny Chesney song....and last night we heard Kenny sing this at AT&T Park in San Francisco and it indeed got hotter when the sun went down. No, litterally because if you know SF, you know that it gets windy and colc just before sunset but when it finally sets...ahhhh.

We had a great time with friends riding the train up to the stadium. It was crowded but a huge party atmosphere, everyone singing and having a great time. Sugarlad bailed AGAIN (they were a no-show 2 years ago at Shoreline also) because the lead singer lost her voice AGAIN. That was a bummer, but the show must go on and Kenny rocked the house like only he can. We shared the evening with Darren and his friend and two other couples from San Carlos. Here is a good review of the whole concert at Kreuzer's Korner.

I'm tired and achy from all of the walking and dancing. I didn't sit down once after Kenny came on stage. Resting up for a few hours before we head out to Napa to watch Payton play in the Joe Damagio world series in Napa. What a fantastic weekend!

Be As You Are

This is one of the front runners for my new blog title: Be As You Are

It is the title of a song by Kenny Chesney, who is currently one of my favorite musicians. Dan and the boys all love him as well and his musci can be heard in our house on almost every day of the week. In fact, tonight we are going to see him in concert at AT&T park.

I love the sentiment...here are some of the lyrics and a little montage of Kenny Chesney photos that someone put together with the audio track to the song:

Man, I could use a Piña Colada
Little bit of sun on my skin
A hammock, a book
Never gonna look back
Once my feet hit the sand
I've had it up to here with this rat race
Need a smile on my face

I wanna go where I can lighten up the load
Drive a little while on the wrong side of the road
Get this laying low off to a flying start
Play my guitar in the Caribbean sun
Hang with the locals at the Quiet Mon
Where you can be a tourist, a beach bum, or a star
And be as you are

Beyond the desire to check out and be a beach bum, drinking, reading and listening to music all day on a sandy beach somewhere, I also think it is an interesting frame of mind. Be as you are. Meaning, be true to who are. Don't spend so much time being something that other people want or expect you to be. Be you. As you are. That doesn't mean just sit around and not do anything with your life (at least not all the time), it just means be authentic, be real. And that is VERY much a part of what I have been thinking and feeling and examining in my life lately. So I'm thinking about this as a blog title. I hope Kenny doesn't mind!

Still struggling but getting closer

I've had some great suggestions for new blog titles and I think I'm getting close. The hard part is trying to be somewhat descriptive of what the blog is about without limiting myself too much on what I will be writing about.

13 days until we leave for Hawaii...that is where I hope to catch my breath and press the re-start button. Nothing like the islands to rejuvinate.