Scenes from Seattle

 

 

Havana and I spent the last days of 2023 and the first day of 2024 in the Pacific Northwest city of Seattle. Havana, who marches to her own drum and is more of an introvert, approached me and asked if the two of us could make a trip to Seattle. I was all in. I thought that time away from the routines of home, in a new location (for her), would give us much needed 1:1 time. Life is very busy these days. Havana is very much a teenager. She started high school, is making new friends. I have new business responsibilities, on-going care taking responsibilities and work both at Kaiser and in private practice. We needed time away from all our daily activities, away from the distractions and full days where we did not have much time to check in with each other.

Havana and I spent 5 nights/6 days, walking around and exploring Seattle. We stayed near the downtown area, which was a bit rough. We did have a nice room, with a great view but the homeless population, which was all around the neighborhood was a hard to witness. I have worked with the homeless/mentally ill/chemically dependent and had to take off the hat of wanting to fix or help. But we did have many meaningful discussions about what we saw. 

During our time in Seattle, each day and each evening, we'd set out and explore the sites. We hit up the tourist spots, which were more fun than I anticipated. The Ferris wheel, Space Needle and the Pier provided entertainment and some adventure. I played Pac-Man on a giant screen, while Havana looked on embarrassed and I made cheering sounds while I scored high!

We saw the gum wall (I put gum on, she was like, 'heck no') We eat yummy food at Pikes Market and had tasty treats from a bakery. We visited a cat cafe and had NYE dinner at a higher end Thai restaurants. We got along with the exception of one or two bumpy moments. Those moments tested me and as travel always does, give me some eye opening insights of things I can do better as a parent.

Perhaps the best part of our time was when our cousins Bobby and her son Robert came and picked us up for dinner outside the city. We were so thankful they made the effort (and it was an effort). We talked and shared stories and had a wonderful dinner together. All the site seeing was great but being with family and sharing stories, that was the icing on the cake.

I surprised Havana with first class on Alaska on the way home (Southwest on the way up; great flight but no frills!) She loved sitting in the first row. We went over the highlights of our trip. For me, spending time with Havana, seeing her strengths, how she is growing into an adult, taking in her humor and just being together; that was priceless.

We are very fortunate to have luxuries like travel. I remind both girls of this often. Seattle was a trip I will cherish; the city is lovely but the company even lovelier. 

Holiday Season

 

This year the holidays came barreling through November, full speed into December and now we are at the end of 2023. And in all honesty, I am not at all disappointed by the rate of which time is flying by this holiday season. I may sound like a scrooge but I honestly don’t care.  Once the solstice and Christmas passes, the days start to get lighter and that in and of itself makes me much happier than the chaotic and archaic holidays.

I grew up celebrating Hanukah and while that was a special time in our family growing up, it has changed in meaning for me. I look at the holiday more symbolically not as much literally as I did as a child. When we get together with our cousins for Hanukah dinner, the memories we make are meaningful and it allows the girls to bond further with family. I appreciate that. To me the time together; the breaking of bread, sharing of laugher and joining in for games; that makes the holiday time most special.

Christmas is new to me, even after almost twenty years in a marriage with a family that celebrates. In all honestly, despite my frequent grumbling, I truly have come to enjoy spending time with family during Christmas. Each year Don puts up a tree, we get out the on ornaments, with their memories of different times in our family history and it bring happy thoughts. The lights make the house festive. There is an energy, a buzz that bounces around and a giddiness when Rosalee does her funny little stints in the days leading up to Christmas.

It is easy to get caught up in the material frenzy that has sadly become what most of the world thinks this holiday is about. I have worked hard to remind our family that the season is about the message of Yeshua; which is about being kind, non judgmental, giving not receiving and living ones truth, despite the pressures for the powers in charge of the masses. These messages get lost sometimes, even by myself but as the girls get older and have a better understanding of life, they are starting to realize what really matters and the importance of gift giving as an extension of love and meaning. Sometime frivolous is good too, in moderation of course.

These are the photos of our Christmas and our Hanukkah. And this year, there was a much more relaxed and calm energy, which was most welcome and enjoyable.