We flew up on Friday - the flight was pretty horrible because Raymond's teeth/ears were hurting him and all my medicine for him was in the packed bag not the carry on - because they were 4 oz. container instead of 3 oz. container..... So he was miserable - which in turn made me and the poor people squished next to us miserable. It was just so hot - those were the hottest days of the summer in New Jersey too - not just in North Carolina where we left from. It was extremely crowded on the flight which I'm not used to. Once we finally did land (it's only an hour flight thank God for that!) we waited over :40 for somebody from the Newark Airport to come and open the gate. What is WITH Newark Airport anyway!? GEESH. They are the hub for continental - so whenever it's bad weather or some air traffic control person sneezes the wrong way - there's a delay that affects every flight in the whole country. haha. But we made it!! I was soo happy to see MomMOm waiting for us!! We drove home, picked up dinner from Frank's and went back to the house to play. Man I miss that food! They have the best pizza, garlic bread, salad, ziti, everything! I haven't found a pizza place down here at all that compares to that!
on Saturday we went to breakfast at the Diner - Papa couldn't believe how much Raymond eats! haha Then we all (except Roxie & christian since he was sick) went down to Aunt Laurie & Uncle Bill's house near six flags and had a surprise 75th Birthday party for Nana. Her birthday isn't until November -- but since it's so hard to get the family together when it's cold/possible snow/when everybody's in school - summer is the best time.
Nana has 8 kids, 22 grandkids and 11 great grandkids (plus all the spouses) and although not everybody could come - there was a good crowd so I was excited for her. I saw cousins that I hadn't seen in 5 years - some I hadn't seen in 10 and some I hadn't even met!! It was great! It was soo hot - you'd think I'd be used to it being down in North Carolina but I'm not! I'm glad they had the kiddie pool set up for the babies.
You could tell we were all from the same blood - all the little ones that were there had blond hair blue eyes!
On Sunday we just played at the house. There are so many fun toys at MomMoms. Papa took Raymond for a bike ride! We went for walks down to the beach and to the elementary school down the road. We saw swans, ducks, and of course stupid geese haha and at night we went to 2nd beach where we played at the park - on the swings and slide.
I'll have to do a post on Lake Shawnee where I grew up. But basically it's just a fairy tale. It's a small lake community - I think there are 500 - 600 houses and it's a private community with only 2 entrances and 1 exit. People can't believe that such a peaceful, quiet, small town community could exit in NorthWest New Jersey. I always appreciated the lake - but I appreciate it soo much more now that I live on the coast. I LOVED seeing the mountains/hills and seeing everything so GREEN. We have a lot of sand, palm trees and flatness -- so this was a great change of scenery. I love Lake Shawnee and I loved going home. I especially love it up there in the summer and fall - and I haven't been up there just to have fun in sooo long. It was such a great trip. I loved being able to walk around the lake and recognize so many people. I LOVED seeing old friends and friends that have known me for so long and to have people be soo excited to meet Raymond. I also came across people I was trying to avoid -- but that is the catch 22 of a small community.
Hunter came and played Sunday night while Bonesy hung up shutters for MomMom and Papa. Then on Monday we went to the beach. I LOVED watching Raymond in the water of course. and I loved being in there myself. I took some great pictures of the lake, some beautiful trees, and views.... and my memory card had an error so I can't retrive the pictures! I am sooo disappointed!! So I told MomMom she just HAS to get soem pictures for me. I miss it up there so much. It's so beautiful --- so beautiful in fact that it will be on an upcoming episode of Guiding Light real soon!!
Lisa kayak-ed over while Raymond was sleeping and was even able to spend some time with him after he woke up so that was great. It was great to see her. We will always be best buddies. We can go forever not seeing each other or even talking that much - and then we're together again and it's like nothing's changed, except we both have changed a lot. We still have a great connection -- and always will. I love how I have grown since I lived in Lake Shawnee. Going back there brings so many memories up --- and I can even feel a glimpse of what I used to be like when I lived there... and it makes me proud that I have grown so much. In so many ways I'm not the same person at all. One of the things I see a difference in myself is my patience and my acceptance of others. I just appreciate people so much more -- especially people that have been a part of my life for so long. I have learned that friends and people are going to disappoint me.... but I stll need to seek out the good in everybody. I have to just accept them for who they are, appreciate the good parts pray for the bad parts of them. I can't get frustrated over tiny things about people that bother me, that I can't control. Really, that's between them and God - and I am no better than them so any time I feel critical I'm learning to bite my tongue and just put my eyes on my own faults, God knows I have so many. I'm glad to have moved on from Lake Shawnee...and I have so much peace and just feel happy about the woman I have become -- and am still becoming.
Tuesday we spent the day at Roxie's - they have such a fun home. Beautiful spacious house, lots of land, a pool, swing set, sand pit, so many fun toys! Raymond LOVED it! He even took a real long nice nap in the afternoon and we had a great day over there. Marilyn and Nicole came over and that was just awesome! Just like Lisa - they are some of our best friends and that bond won't be broken. I was so happy to see them. Bonesy grilled out steaks for us - and Raymond ate it all up along with his watermelon, pickle, and Hunter's spaghetti. He's a great eater and sleeper - I am so blessed.
Mom had done such a great job on the house. Everything was decorated so nice and smelled just the way I remember it. Man I miss living with them. Yet I love my life now.
While I was up there, I even found some special treats .....pictures of Mom, Dad, PopPop and Grandma that I hadn't seen before. Knowing how special these people are to me and knowing how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE history and memories... you can imagine how excited I was to find these:
I love how friendly Raymond is. That makes me proud. He is so funny with people. At the airport he was just waving at every single person we passed. Which is a lot of people! I love that he thinks that everybody is family. He thinks everybody is going to come and wave and smile at him and hug or pick him up or play. We were standing near this crowd of Middle Eastern men who were being really confrontational about something and causing a scene and it was pretty intimidating to me. If I didn't have to go through the door they were near, I would have left right away - but I had to wait in line right near them.... instead of being scared of the loud noises, angry tones, or men that looked a lot different... when we got right up on them... Raymond just started talking and smiling and doing his silly little wave that I've never seen any other baby do haha I don't know where he learned that wave. And the men were shocked! It actually stopped them in their argument and they turned and were talking to him and waving and being silly.
Nothing like a baby to solve the world's problems. Why can't we all be as friendly? I continue to talk to people all the time and smile at everybody so Raymond will learn that same trait - I think it's a people skill and just a healthy habit that is a lost art. I think it's so sad. I'm not going to teach Raymond to be afraid of strangers - I'm going to teach him to smile and show love and acceptance to everybody he meets.
That was a long post -- geesh! I guess I had a lot on my mind. But the bottom line is -- we had a great trip!! I miss it already - but it sure was sooo good to come back to Lennox & Brandon. I can't even describe how excited Raymond was when he saw Brandon - it was unreal haha. He had a spaz attack haha. So cute! I wish I had the camera
When we got home to our 'real' home... we went to Andy's - Raymond waved and 'made conversation' with everybody in there. Then we went to the dollar store and everybody was allowed to pick out one treat!! We had a CSX train pass on on the way home that we had to stop for....which always excites me and we even got to see a coupole of horses walking down our street! Oh how great life is! It is filled with so much beauty and interesting things!! I love seeing things like the freight trains and cargo ships coming in to port. It's just amazing to me that there are still those things in the high tech world we're in. I love things like that... I can't even describe the word for them... old, traditional? classic? primitive? what is that word... I don't know. But whatever it is - I love it!
I love that little things like a train passing us, seeing a freight train and seeing horses can make my night --- I am so easy to please.
Life is good - God is great.
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