Nothing But Love :: golf blogger

IT'S GO TIME

i had big plans for today. i wanted to get a lot of prep work done for our big dinner tomorrow. it's only going to be 10 people, but i'll make enough food for 30 (unless more rational heads can prevail).

we did most of the shopping yesterday at sam's and costco, so bill and i started off the day with a very short list at the grocery store. that done, we came home and made a quick lunch, settled in with some "family guy" videos, and subsequently fell fast asleep. perfect. when we woke up, bill worked on some "lawyer stuff," and i watched crap tv. perfect. then out to drop off a present for bill's mom at the fedex box and an eggnog latte. and one more little trip to the grocery store.

so NOW (8 p.m.) i've got to get started on my "work." i've got ravioli to boil (the breading and frying will wait until tomorrow). i've got a chocolate "pizza" to make -- we have to deliver it tomorrow morning to bill's cousin. bill's going to start on the egg nog and ANOTHER cheesecake. i've got beets to roast for the salad. i've got a marshmallow rice krispie "wreath" to make. this one's just plain going to be silly.

**************

i haven't been posting much, cuz i've been busy. and a slacker. friday night mark came home, and we headed to pennsylvania to have lunch with matt and mel to celebrate matt's graduation. he wound up graduating with honors, with a 4.0 in his major. he's the man! we had a nice lunch -- the company was nice, the food was crappy, the service was weird. but it was great to go up and see them and celebrate in this way with them. jax didn't even complain too much about 7 hours in one car. four of us. in the beetle. jax and mark in the back seat.

sunday morning jax invited us to come to a meeting where he was giving a "lead." he's led a half-dozen times before; but he was finally ok with us coming. so bill, mark, and i headed up to starbucks for fortification. jax had left much earlier as he drives anybody who needs a ride to meetings, and so he had to have his OWN car.

as soon as jax was introduced, bill, mark, and i each started quietly weeping. he was nervous, you could tell, yet more comfortable in the role than i could ever have imagined. amazing. and then the comments. whoa. the love and respect these people have for my son is overwhelming. all ages. all kinds of people. an 80 year-old-man in a wheelchair couldn't even speak he was so moved by his feelings for jax that all he could do to express his love for him was to blow him a kiss. too, too sweet.

what jax has found in those "rooms" has been the greatest gift of his life. he found himself. the jax we (his family) knew was there; but he needed these people to help him accept and embrace that person. i'm more thankful than i can ever express.

wow. a graduation and a lead. what a weekend. and it's not christmas yet!

Posted by Stacey at December 23, 2003 08:19 PM