A strange trip to SLC.

I just got back from a short, 3 day trip to Salt Lake. I feel super lucky that I got to go. I didn't have any Utah trips planned for the summer and was starting to feel really itchy to go back. The reason for the trip, was unfortunately, a sad one. As you can tell from my last post, my Grandpa died last week and I miraculously made the trip for the funeral. I did not take very many pictures, so I don't have lots to share that way. I wish I had taken more.

The spectrum of strange started with buying a single ticket for me to go. David really wanted to go, and I would have loved to have taken my girls, but last minute flights over the 4th of July weekend were just too outrageous to buy one of them, let alone 4. David was extremely generous and still urged me to buy a ticket for myself and took time off work to stay home with the kids while I went. That was strange number two (for all of us!) I have NEVER left Hattie overnight before, and the only time I've ever left Grace was when we came to Boston to look for houses and I left her with my mom for a week when she was two. I vowed that I would never travel without them until they were more grown up, but there I was with one plane ticket.

Strange number three: going into the airport alone, not checking any bags, going through security without 4 carry-ons, liquid to declare, a stroller, and 3 pairs of shoes to get off and on, sitting in the airport terminal by myself. CRAZY! I was so bored and lonely. I had no one to take potty, no one to chase, no one to beg me to buy expensive stuff in lame shops, and expensive food that wouldn't get eaten. WEIRD.

Strange number four: you can see where this is going! Being on an airplane by myself with no spilled juice, lost crayons under the seat, fighting over the movie for the DVD player, kicking each other, fighting for the window seat. Well, it was just a bit too much! I watched MTV (and Michael Jackson stuff on CNN) for hours straight thanks to the cool tv's on jetblue (not sure if that is good or not.) Haven't done that since high school.

Strange number five: staying with my sister, Melissa (and not my mom like I always do) and getting to spend quality time with my niece and nephew. I have never really gotten to know them well because I already had my own kids to chase by the time they came along and I had already moved to Boston too. I loved spending time with those little stinkers! I hope they know their Aunt Shell better now too. I was especially happy to see little Kate. She broke her leg a couple of weeks ago and I had wished I could go and hold her and help Melissa a bit. I didn't go anywhere much except Melissa's house and it felt great to just hang with her for a few days.The funeral: It was strangely good too. I haven't been to tons of funerals, but I've been to my share. It was really nice to sit and listen to stories of my Grandpa that I had never heard. (He has been my Grandpa since I was about 6 years old. My Dad's dad died when I was only 3 and I am the oldest grand-child, so no one really remembers anyone in the Grandpa spot except Grandpa Hal.) His sons and 2 of my cousins did an amazing job of speaking and singing. Luckily, I got out of speaking at the last minute and only had to say one of the prayers. Strange number five: sitting in church with my ENTIRE family. All of my sisters, my parents, most of my cousins, all of my uncles. That has probably never happened before, and may never happen again. I joked a few times that I have reached the point in my life where I am unlikely to see all my family except at weddings and funerals and since I haven't made it to the last 3 weddings, I really need to go to the funerals.

Everyone keeps asking if this was an unexpected death and if we are all doing ok. I should say that Grandpa was 92 and had cancer here and there for a couple of years. So, unexpected, really isn't the right word. He did go kind of suddenly. We thought he would last a few months longer and he was only really super sick for a couple of days. I do feel really badly for Grandma. She's not taking it well and has been left with quite a few details to take care of with his cable supply business and his sheep farm. He worked until the week he died. He lived a really healthy, productive, full life, so there isn't much tragedy to it. Except, again, Grandma, who has now buried two husbands and has quite a bit of time left alone in her life thanks to her younger age, good health, and lots of longevity in her genes. I also feel bad for my dad and his brothers who are again left without any sort of father.

Well, it isn't strange to be home, that's for sure. All the normalcy you could want is here. Plenty of chores, work, refereeing, and all the usual things were here and waiting for me. David will have to blog about what he did with the girls while I was gone. Apparently, he gets the award for super dad this week!