Who Will I Call?

Once upon a time, I had a Sunday ritual... laundry is on Sundays. Commissary trips, floor sweeping... all the stuff you put off during the week, I do it on Sunday! (who needs rest?) And it was all made possible with a phone call to my favorite aunt in the whole wide world. I'd save up a week's worth of stories and call her to share in every heart swelling moment, or every enraged complaint, etc... all while folding clothes or making beds. An hour or more would pass by as we shared in these conversations, and before I knew it my chores would be over and I'd be out of news to tell.

May 27th. That was the last conversation I'll ever have with my favorite aunt in the whole wide world. For you see, cancer is WINNING again damnit. She's lying speechless in a hospital bed, and there's nothing I can possibly do to make it better for her. She's too weak to email me... too swollen to talk to me. Too much pride to see me in person.

It's not her impending death that hurts. It's the impending void. Who will I call on Sunday now? There's no one else that was more proud of my girls than her. No one else I wanted to call first... just her! I'm so mad, and so sad... I did my chores today, but they took forever - and believe it or not I was in a bad mood when I was done because I didn't have her to share my life with.

**sigh** One more slice of cake, some milk... then bed.

Fast Forward

So much going on... no time for pictures... life in FF:

22.5 weeks pregnant... so far still a girl. Stevie graduated swimming lessons, started in level 1, graduated level 2... starting level 3 next spring. Stevie started piano lessons on Wednesday with Mrs. Hartz... loves piano, loves Mrs. Hartz. Ava finished her first 1/2 year of "preschool." She's glad it's over.

Life lessons... I had to explain to Stevie today that our favorite aunt is dying of oral cancer. It's a hard thing to tell a child that one of their favorites is dying. Meanwhile I'm flipping through emotions (pregnant ones at that) trying to arrange a last minute trip to the States in the event of the funeral... wondering how I'm going to pay for it... God is good - I checked the mail today and found a $2000 refund check from the car dealership cause I guess they decided to knock $2000 off the cost of all 2010 Honda Odysseys. Nothing like just in time lottery winnings. THANK YOU GOD!

Just so much going on... so little time... but we're still alive.

Memorial Day, Etc...

So I don't know which week what happened... but there's a few reasons it's been half a month since I've done anything with The Durgeat Diary!!

A) Stevie brought Strep Throat home from school. She had it for like a day and was fine. She gave it to daddy... daddy gave it to Ava... Ava gave it to me. Although - Ava had it the WORST... poor baby was the only one who required antibiotics... she also spent 3.5 days puking her brains out. Two trips to the doctor (one for a penicillin shot) and some anti nausea suppositories and she ended up recovering back to 100%!

B) The first day of Ava's recovery, we celebrated with a trip to Klotten... (small amusement/animal park near Cochem, Germany. Was a nice little walk in the sun... a lunch on the terrace... a HUGE water slide... honestly, a waste of money for us! We learned by going that Eifel Park (which is an hour closer to our house) is much more worth it for the money :D Below... some pics from Klotten:

Getting ready to go down the BIG WATER SLIDE!!

See, Big?

Stevie's "uncertain" face...

It's hard carrying a baby, pushing a stroller, UP a hill!!

Stevie goofing off on the terrace at lunch :)

Ava, owning her stroller

Ava wasn't too sure about the landing on the big slide...

Stevie loved it so much she went back for seconds, and thirds!

C) Stevie had an "end of school" music enrichment performance. Complete with a choir, keyboard section, violins, and a piano solo!!! Stevie was one of the keyboarders, and did a great job of (standing around.)







D) A trip to France for Memorial Day. (It was also the French Mother's Day!) So what a blessing to be able to spend it with Nico's wonderful mother, Patricia! She was happy to have her granddaughters to hang out with :) We spent time with Nico's grandparents, Lou Lou and Mamie... played ball in the yard, visited a park, saw a castle (Fountainebleu), rode a carousel, ate GREAT food... and just enjoyed each others' company. I LOVE my family!!

Ava, standing outside of Fountainebleu, waiting to go back and ride the carousel :)

Baba and Coco - SUPERSTARS!

Sharing technology with Lou Lou and Mamie!

Playing ball in the yard

The zipline swing... Catch me if you can!

The carousel... Ava rode 2x (and it wasn't enough!)