The Triangle

"Mommy, my friend is on a cruise.  Where is she going?"

"The Bahamas, I think."

"Oh, I've read about that place.  Some pretty bad things have happened there."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, the triangle."

Dear Isabella,

Well, it's been a while.  I'm sorry. I've been busy raising you instead of writing about raising you.  :-)

Here's some funny stuff you said yesterday:

"Why do people get so excited on these commericals?  It's just furniture!"

As NBC Nightly News began...

"We are not watching a news channel that we don't know."

Sochi 2014

"Mommy can ice skate, you know."

"That's because you are from Wisconsin!" 

ABC Mouse

"Mommy, hand me your phone. It brings learning to life." 

Too Much Baggage

"Mommy, that suitcase is a 42, and you are just 39." 

Hard Times

Dear Isabella, 

Here we go again...another sad time for us.  I'm learning that we can't avoid sad stuff --- we can only control how we handle it.  I feel like we're doing okay, considering. 

Papa taught me a lot of things: the value of hard work, how to be funny, and how to get back up when life knocks you down.  The most important value he taught me though is how to be strong.  And if he can see me, I think he'd be really proud.  I planned a memorial service, wrote and delivered his tribute without shedding a tear, and helped Gramy tie up a lot of loose ends. It's hard. Really hard, and I think about him and how he'd be proud of me for being tough, and I can carry on. 

Papa was not only a great papa, he was the best dad. He taught us so much, but he also celebrated our differences.  I had a very happy childhood and always knew I was loved. 

I miss Papa, and I'm 99% sure we were good, but there were so many things I wish I had said or done.  I wish I had visited more often. I should have spent more time talking to him at Christmas, and I wish I had just sat and watched TV with him with my head on his shoulder.  

So here's my lesson for you: Tell people you love them. Visit often and live in the moment.  Life can change so quickly. 

I love you so, so much.  

Goodbye Papa

We are heartbroken.