Okay, I think I have been told all the stories possible about their trip.  They’re still getting over jetlag, still trying to catch up to “feeling like home” again.  They’ve called all their friends, arranged all their get-togethers for the next couple of weeks until school starts again, have destroyed their previously Mom Busted Her Arse To Get Clean rooms.  Ah, life is back to normal!

Brett showed me the Google Earth images of where his dad and new (yup, #4) stepmom live – really quaint, really beautiful.  She’s an officer, I guess, so she has some good bucks to live off post, and it’s a gorgeous part of Germany they live in.  I really like Liz, I’m glad he found her – I think she’ll “young him up”… LOL!  Their Dad never wants to move back to the US, I guess…  After seeing the shops and castles and countryside on GE, I can understand why.  Incredible.  Like right out of a Cary Grant movie.  Yup, I wanna live in Europe somewhere beautiful like that.  London.  Venice.  Somewhere where the life is slower, the grass is greener, the people are nicer, on and on and on… I know it exists – I know people from lots of different countries, and they say it’s just so different there – PLEASANTLY different, I should add.  Oh well.  Maybe if we hit the lottery.  Or if Obama gets elected.  Whoops – did I say that out loud?

 Tonite is the test of Will the Boys Find Hidden Vegetables.  I’ve prepared my meatloaf (it’s yummy!) but have added a pureed mixture of green peppers, onions, carrots, and garlic.  I made it this morning so that they didn’t see me… Covert Cooking at it’s finest.

 

My SIL with cancer is staying at my mom’s house for the three weeks that she’s going to be receiving the radiation to reduce the tumor.  My other brother is driving in from Indianapolis tomorrow and we’re all heading over for pizza night.  I’m nervous, I just don’t know what to say to her.  I know if it were me, I’d just want everyone to get over it, laugh and love, have a good time, it is what it is.  But it doesn’t change my awkwardness or sadness at her illness, my brother’s loss of a wife of 28 years, her children’s loss of their mother, her grandchildren’s loss of a grandma that would read them stories and take them to the park.  It’s not fair.

That being said, I watched Dateline the other night about Randy Pausch, the famous professor who died of pancreatic cancer just a few days ago.  I cried for a man I don’t even know.  If you haven’t seen his lecture or read his story, please do (I’ve added it at the end of this post) – it will open your eyes to what is truly important in your world.  The man is incredible.  I need to remember his words when I hug my SIL tomorrow night.

And I also want to send prayers to all that are suffering an affliction, be it cancer, a simple cold, or a black heart.  TIme here is so short.  Live, love, and laugh – that is what is truly important.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo]