hallelujah

We have just wrapped up a lovely visit with my "folks." The Gibsons came from Sandy, Utah to enjoy some of our balmy Seattle weather. We had so many reasons to celebrate, so many calls for hallelujah. Their first trip together to the Northwest. My dad's first vacation in eleven years. My mom is still here. Being together for the first time since Christmas. We had so much fun touring some sights and spending time together. Jane couldn't get enough reading with Grandma or "hard pillow" with Grandpa. Grey showed off his dance moves for my mom and cheerfully called "campa!" every time my dad came into view.
I realized a while back that I never wrote an update here about my mom. I have been grateful for the prayers and support--I know our family has been buoyed up by loving family and friends. As of now, and for the past several months, her cancer is in remission. She is enjoying good health most days. Though it's not perfect health, I can tell you this: she has met her grandson, and she held him again this trip--he even climbed onto her lap and asked her to read to him ("Book," he said). She read to Jane, everyday, several times and every night before bed. And we ate Indian food together (and French and Russian and Vietnamese and the best cheesecake ever).
And so much more. We filled these last nine days. We could have gone on that way, exploring Seward Park and Magnolia and spotting the Space Needle from various points around the Sound and washing dishes together and talking about books and movies and food and making things yourself and my mom's childhood adventures in India and my dad's early life in general. And the children. They loved having Grandma and Grandpa here more than they loved saying "I am a robot" and "i bot" and face planting on the air mattress. Too bad we can't make runs to Pike Place everyday solely for piroshkis and cheesecake. Maybe in the next life though . . .
Brad and I are blessed to have such wonderful parents and families. We can call on either set of our parents for help and advice and love and they answer every time. And we have so much fun together. Hallelujah.