The Fine Game of Nil

We’ll see how this goes…. it will probably take me all day to get this post up, if at all.

It’s been another long time since we posted. Not for lack of content, in fact, probably from too much content. So much going on, and so many old posts we need to get up. Not sure if it makes more sense to abandon hope of getting caught up and just start from the present, or try to go back…

Okay, so that took over a day to post (I started on Tuesday, and now it is Wednesday). Let’s see if we can get it done!

We made three trips to St. Louis since September. September 11-16 was just a trip to visit and introduce the extended family and friends to Dor. October 15-18 was for my mom’s funeral. Then January 15-18, to visit my Grandma (great grandma to the kids) because she had made a drastic decline in health since we had seen her in October. For a bit of background, Grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer shortly before/after Liam was born (July 2007) and was told she had around 9 months to live.  She was not a surgical candidate, and she chose to have no treatment. Two and  a quarter years later, she was still going pretty strong. After my mom died, she was even able to make a trip to Seattle at the end of October to attend the Memorial Mass for my mom at her church. I believe it was very shortly after that that things really declined. She went onto 24 hour oxygen, and quite a bit of pain meds, after a hospitalization at which her primary doctor implied her time was up, so let’s just dope her up and let her go. (Not that I’m angry about that (okay, I am)). After the palliative care team came in to work with the family, Grandma rallied a few times, but each time she was never back to her full self (health wise, mentally she was still very with it). But we knew time was getting short, so we made one more trip to St. Louis to see her. Although her week prior to our arrival had been pretty bad by all accounts, she was the picture of grace for us. We visited in short stints, no more than an hour at a time. Liam and Dor got some good face time in and I got to spend a little more time with my last living grandparent. It was hard knowing that this would be the last time we would see her, but we didn’t talk about it, because what was there to say. A few days after we left, Grandma decided she didn’t want to use the oxygen anymore, and took it off. She was going to go on her on terms (like we knew she would, she was a tough broad). Grandma Eberle died on January 26, 2010, which is also my birthday. My Grandma was one of my most favorite people in the world. While her death was not unexpected, it is still very sad.

It seems weird to just go into posting pictures, but that is what I am going to do. While in St. Louis this last time, we went to the Zoo several times, as well as the Magic House, which is pretty much a Children’s Museum. When I was growing up in St. Louis, it was located in an old Victorian building. It has expanded significantly, but still has that building as well. In January they had a Curious George exhibit (which is, ironically, now in Boston). Liam doesn’t watch TV, but does have some Curious George books. At first he was scared to meet the Monkey, but he finally gave it a chance, in the safety of Dad’s arms

One of the things the Magic House is known for is their Van der Graf (spelling?) generator, which creates hair raising effects. Liam was scared of and wouldn’t give it a try.

Guess my hair was too heavy/wet?

If we lived in St. Louis, we would definitely have a membership to the Magic House.

The next few pictures are from the St. Louis Zoo, which is one of the best zoos in the country, and free

Dor and her cousin once removed, Bridget

Liam really likes Bridget, and after we got home to Boston, spent about a week asking when we could go to Bridgie’s House

Aunt Libby, Bridget, Liam, Aunt Cathy, and Dor

Uncle Tim and Dor (Tim’s birthday is also January 26, he’s my God-father)

Out to dinner at Grandma’s place. Despite being terminally ill and having hospice and 24 hour supervision, Grandma was able to stay at her apartment at Our Lady of Life, which I think was really good for her

We tried really hard to get a picture of Liam with Grandma, but at 2 1/2, it’s really hard to keep him still for any appreciable amount of time. Especially with his cousin there to run around with. This is the best we could get, our last picture of Grandma. She even smiled for the camera, and for those who know her, that’s a big deal. Why we didn’t have alex take one of me with her, I’m not sure.