It’s been a long time since I’ve posted to this blog. I thought I’d start posting a bit more of some special things that happen in my life.

My mom, who is 90, is living in a retirement complex in their Assisted Living section. I’m fortunate that she’s only 15 minutes away so I get to see several times a week. On Sundays my son and I have dinner with her in the “fancy” dinning room.

But tonight was a special night. There was a special dinner in the Assisted Living dinning room (they have their own) and the families were invited to help celebrated Assisted Living Week. It was nice to see the place that mom eats each day. I had seen it when we toured the placed, but this was the first time I got to share a meal with her there. Interestingly, the lady who sits at the table with her everyday is also named Sandra. I said, “Well that makes it easy to remember.”

After we had a nice dinner we went across to the living room for AL and were treated to a sing-along with the SONflower group. The ladies had come together through their love of singing and joining in with the weekly sing-alongs. We say things such as “My Country Tis of Thee,” “Jesus Love Me,” “Amazing Grace,” and others. It had been ages since I’d experienced something like that and I had a tear in my eye as I could hear my mom singing along loud and clear.

I can’t help but feel that my dad, who passed away in June, just before they were to move into the new place, was up there watching us. One of the last things he said to me, as he pointed a finger at my mom, was, “You take care of her.” I promised my dad I would.

Everything, no matter how small, that I do with my mom to create a cherished memory is precious.

This past weekend was a very special day for my son and two of his closest friends. Erik and Jen celebrated the christening of their daughter, Natalia, in the church that Erik’s dad used to be the pastor. For my son, it was a special day because he was asked to be Natalia’s Godfather.

The Friday night before the baptism, he was over for dinner and I asked, “Did you get her a gift?” To which my son gave me a look like “huh?” lol So, I proceeded to tell him that it was appropriate to give the baby a gift. I suggested something like a silver rattle or maybe an engraved silver cup (two things I had received many, many years ago when I was christened.)

Well, Dave did better than I suggested. Dave got the baby a simple gold cross with an adjustable chain so that when she’s old enough to start wearing it the necklace will grow with her. He said there were a few fancy crosses that he looked at, but he liked the idea of the very simple cross. I guess I did pretty good raising him. Oh, and if you’re familiar with their commercials, “He went to Jareds!”

I got a call from him on Sunday. He’d gotten to the restaurant for the lunch before the rest of the party. He had a few questions. He asked, “So, who do I give the present to?” LOL I told him to give it to Jen. Then he asked, “I’ve got the cross wrapped, but it’s in a bag, do I just give her the bag?” By now I was grinning at the questions my son was asking. He may be in his 30s, but he still asks me for advice. So I told him, “Take the present into the restaurant, then take the package out of the bag and hand it to Jen.”

Needless to say Jen and Erik were thrilled – though in the picture I have below of Natalia and the cross it appears she’s kinda tuckered out from all the excitement. Isn’t she just adorable?

Here’s a picture of her in her christening gown.

And here’s a picture of my son, Dave, with the God Mother (sorry I don’t know her name. Will ask Dave and add it later.) And I also need to get a picture of Natalia wide awake.

It’s my son’s birthday today. Just wanted to say “Happy Birthday” to him. It seems like just a few years ago he was my “little boy.” Now he’s in his early 30s. He’s down in Florida visiting my parents for about five days. I get to stay home and “puppy” sit Bootsy.

My son is in his early thirties, lives not too far from me, though is here nearly every day to have dinner – and of course pick up Bootsy to take him to his place. Dave works in IT, loves to play video games, is a gadget geek, and if he could be anything in the world he’d be a film director – but right now IT pays better.

I was divorced when he was six so since then it’s been the two of us, though for years my parents lived close to us so Dave always had a great male role model (my dad.) Now Dave goes down to Florida to see my parents every few months.

Below is what has to be one of my most favorite photos I’ve ever taken. It was a very cold afternoon and we had a fire going in the fireplace at the house we lived in at the time. Dave had been playing and then decided a nap would be a good idea.

And now almost 30 years later:

Yep, I’m a proud mom.