The past few weeks have been difficult. I hate saying goodbye, I never know what to say, but so many goodbyes have had to be said.
Goodbyes at the clinic came first. I was not long with the Maliheh clinic, but I was a valued volunteer and they were sad to see me go. Then came Primary Children's Medical Center, where I volunteered for many, many years. I loved those kids and I loved volunteering at the children's hospital. It was nearly a perfect day. I began the shift out by holing a baby in the NICU (the baby threw up on me, but most of it went into the pillow and blanket). I then played foosball with a school aged boy, and finished the day out by saying goodbye to a number of the friends I have made there. The goodbyes to my cohorts at work seemed to never end. With each shift of the week there was someone different that I wouldn't see again. The week was concluded with a farewell at the Tavernacle, a local piano bar to Salt Lake. Although I am not a drinker, most my friends are, and I wanted a place they would enjoy themselves, which I knew they would at a bar, but I wanted one with a little class. It was entertaining, but sad. A few days later I would make my way to St. George to visit with family. I hadn't expected to see very many of my siblings, as most of them are spread across the country side, but most were able to make it down for a farewell dinner (save my brother David, who is in prison, and a few of my nieces and nephews). It was suppose to be a surprise, but someone leaked information to me. The pictures below are of the family that was able to make it. I will miss my family and my friends, but thankfully I live in an age where communication it something we tend to take for granted because of its ease.
In the morning I will be leaving the place that I call home. Will I consider my new residence home or only a temporary substitute? My heart always resides far away from its abode. This past week I have been saying goodbye to the friends I have come to know so well. And in the coming week I will be saying goodbye to family, as I prepare to depart Friday morning to a new life and chapter.
One of my afternoons in the Southern country was spent at a cold misty park, watching air show aerobatics. The kids preferred the playground, but when the Blue Angels took the stage we stopped to watch.
What a great shot. Too bad I can't claim it. I was on the slide with the kids.
Photo by Bonnie Fernelius
I did take the remaining photos, thought they aren't anything special
Of the 1000+ photos I snapped off this was one of my favorites.
It was crazy windy the two days of the air show, but they said the wouldn't cancel it irrespective of rain, sleet or snow, and apparently wind too.
I can easily say that I am Sadie's favorite. At every opportunity during our trip to Saint George Sadie would ask me if I wanted to play. She loved playing "Money Game" which was really Connect Four, but to her it was like putting money in a piggy bank. A few of the afternoons we played at the park. I have come to the conclusion that the people who design playgrounds do so with some sort of sadistic intent. Those playgrounds are death traps for children. I mean really, are they trying to give me a heart attack? Do they think that a three year old child will be content to play on the kiddy slide when all of the big girls and boys are climbing, swinging, and flying down steep slides with so much glee. (I noticed at two of the newer parks that the slides were designed with bumps in them. I can't understand how that might be enjoyable, maybe its their light body mass, but those bumps didn't feel so nice on my rump.) Occasionally Sadie would get hurt, but when she did she was as happy to find comfort in my arms as she was her mama's.
Sadie's favorite activity was to play pretend. She would instruct me to lie down on her bed with her, she would cover us with her blanky, and then after two of my sleepy snores she would say, "Cockadooledoo!" We'd get up and then she would pretend to cook for me. We also played dolls one evening. You would think that with regular engagements with the kiddos at Primary Children's that I would be better at pretend play, but I'm not. It's not that often that I have the opportunity to play pretend, but occasionally I'm able to enjoy in the magical world of a child's imagination. Adults who are long removed from children soon forget how to play, with pretend being well out of their comfort zone.
I love playing with my nieces and nephews.
(Thanks to my Twin for taking photos of her children and myself playing. I don't know if she realizes what my reasoning is for giving her the camera when I want her to take the photos that are impossible for me to take, but I do so for you... that you might have them for your pleasure.)
Sadie and I playing pretend.
My Sadie-bo-badie, she is after all one-quarter me.
The last night we stayed I told Sadie a lovely story while she cuddled in my arms. Then we went into her room and I read her bedtime story after story. Just before I wished her good night she said, "Uncle Gary, can you stay forever?" I wish I could.
I so badly want a little girl of my own. I want my Gracie...
