On February 19, 2010 my grandparents celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.  In mid April, my mom and visited them.  They have been together 64 years and most of that time they have loved each other deeply.

Most?

They are a couple.  They have had their share of arguments and fights.  I have not even made it 64 months in a relationship.  Actually I am in the third longest relationship ever.   Not that I avoided relationships, but didn’t find a lot on the market that interested me, or when I did, they had no interest in me.  So my average relationship is probably in the 2 month bracket.

I have told my boyfriend, “we’ve been single a while, used to our own ways, it’s a problem.”  Well it’s actually my problem, I am not as flexible as I should be.  I have gotten rather used to doing things on my own and in my own fashion.

My Birthday

The end of May, for my birthday I spent it with him and his brother’s family and friends at Elephant Butte in New Mexico. It’s beautiful.  Being a very white chick, I had to use a lot of sunscreen  and naturally missed an area.   Missed my left lower outside leg.  We went Jet skiing and that area got fried.  Then later we went ATV riding.  I was riding a Trail Blazer 250, keeping up with 2 different 400s.

Trying…  I am not used to gravel. It’s a 250…  and I am stubborn.  So my boyfriend riding in a jeep with friends watched me lose control in the gravel and run into a gravel embankment and a shrub… and hit guess which leg.  Yes the left lower sunburnt leg also had gravel burns and shrub in it. What a great birthday present!  (and actually it amused me more than it hurt)  My mom called that night, worried about me, but didn’t say much.

A Fuzzy Two Weeks

On June 1st I came home.  Mom told me my grandmother had a stroke May 27th.  A massive one.

Grandaddy, who is already very very fragile, is not taking it well.

Over the next two weeks it was a mad scramble.  Me trying to get ahead on work, on writing, the project that was supposed to release June 3rd was delayed until June 10th because of the scrambling.  Trying to get ahead so because when things continue to flow as final plans are made.    June 7th we were told my grandmother’s organs were shutting down.  For the next 5 days my sleep was not restful, my dreams were disruptive.

The 20 Year Reunion

Then June 11th and 12th was the 20 year High School reunion.  On June 11, 2 hours before the 1st reunion party I called my mom and said, “you are not allowed to call me for the rest of tonight.”  She understood, just seeing her number on my cell would not have been good.  Lack of sleep and waiting for a phone call put me on pins and needles during a reunion when I wanted to chat and share.

June 12th was the next day of the reunion.  But a week without sleep, finally resulted in sleeping all day.  Same on Sunday, which was also my brother’s birthday.  I emailed him a gift card.  He’s in Macedonia as a missionary.  Later that night I got a call.

no not a call…

the call…

the one.  Your grandmother died an hour ago.  Your grandaddy’s not taking it well. . .  (he’s been holding to life on for her, he’ll stop eating without her.)

My brother and sister in law were already in bed. It was early morning in Macedonia.  I was the first to catch them on the morning of the 14th.  Around lunch time there,  please skype Mom.  But Mom wasn’t on, so we talked first, then they talked to Mom later.

64 years.

there will not be a 65.

This post has been the roller coaster of the past few weeks.  Beautiful ups and dark downs.

What can I say to end this?

Life is short.  Live. Laugh. Love.

Live. Laugh. Love.

it’s the quality of life not quantity.

~ MJ Schrader