Quick Snapshots of a Family Trip

For years I’ve made snapshots with words for special memories.

Last Tuesday, my husband Murray, our son Ping-Hwei, and I took a trip to Missouri to visit my mother, then to Iowa to visit our daughter Rebecca. Here are a few snapshots.

Murray, Ping-Hwei, and I spent about thirty-three hours in the car together. We listened to books by two of our favorite authors: John Grisham and Harper Lee.

My mother lives by herself. She has her days and her house settled into a routine she is comfortable with. So we three barge in, to shake things up and trash her house. She was gracious enough to say, “I’m always glad when you come.”

My brother Rodney came to Mom’s to have dinner with us on Thursday night. He said to me, “You still have those orange shoes. Aren’t you ever going to wear those out?”

Murray cooked his Filipino family recipe of green bean chop-sui for my Mom and Rodney, and they both had seconds.

When Rodney left, he put his hand on my shoulder. “Well, Kathy, I’m glad you got to see me.”

Rebecca has a beautiful, fun cat named Millie; Rebecca calls her a cat model. Millie was not happy when we invaded her territory. She spent much of the time we were there hiding in a corner in a closet. When I held out my hand to try to pat her, she sat back on her hind legs, batted furiously at my hand, and spat.

We had our Easter worship service with Rebecca’s church on Saturday night. Murray gave one of his highest compliments to the minister there: “He sure is excited.”

Rebecca volunteers at a local dog shelter. Sage is an American bulldog who suffers a large degree of stress. Whenever the volunteers come to walk the dogs and clean everything up, Sage gets to wait in the car.

Sunday morning, we went with Rebecca for her normal job at the shelter. Murray and Ping-Hwei helped Rebecca walk the dogs and clean up. My job was the best. I sat in the car and kept Sage company.

When Sage is just around people, she is a lovely, sweet, fun girl. She snuggled up against me or laid in my lap, gave me more kisses than I can count, and showed a happy smile in her voice.

Murray, Ping-Hwei, and Rebecca went bowling. Ping-Hwei won both games.

I have never enjoyed shopping, until Rebecca was old enough to take me. The two of us went shopping Monday morning, mostly for gifts which I can’t talk about yet.

Rebecca is an excellent teacher. She showed me how to use dry shampoo.

I brought many fun snapshots home from this trip. These are just a few.