Oregon Trip and other thoughts

Every time I start my post about my trip to Oregon over Mother's Day 2015, I have to stop.  Even though it was over 2 months ago, I can still remember as if it were yesterday.  I flew in to Portland, where Steph picked me up and we went to the best restaurant to eat before checking into our Hotel before getting ready for the Fabulous "Listen to your Mother" show in Portland.  It was a magical evening with some special friends.  Molly and her mother Fran met us.  Molly is one of Steph's best friends from Bandon.  We walked along the quaint streets of Portland before the show and found a Thai place to eat at.  I had never eaten Thai and it's now one of my favorites.  I had to eat very little because of the colitis I deal with, but the Pad Thai was excellent.
The next morning, Steph and I drove home to Bandon, where we were met by lots of loving arms.  Oh how I missed my Grands.  The next 10 days would bring lots of fun things including Ivy's dance recital and Gray's ballgames.  I tried to make every second count and prayed that time would stand still.  The day before I had to fly back home Steph, Noah, Ivy and I drove to Seattle for Noah's treatment the next day.  After his treatment, I had to be dropped off at the airport, which ripped my heart into pieces.  Saying "see ya again soon" were the hardest words to say to my precious family. 
Back to reality......
The next months would bring lots of preparation in getting my moms house sold.  Thankfully, most of her furniture had sold and the house was slowly emptying out.  We are very thankful a couple decided to buy her house and everything was falling into place.  Mike and I have worked so hard to meet the demands of the buyer in having certain things repaired and fine tuning things.  Mike has been my rock during all of this and I don't know what I would have done without him.  It's been just he and I.  The things that my mom did not want, I had a huge moving sale last Saturday and did quite well.  The leftovers were donated to a church.  The things my mom wants to keep are being driven down in a trailer next week to Louisiana to my sisters house, where mom now lives and is very content, (thank you Lord).  We still have some going thru of boxes and books to empty out the house before the closing on July 29.  It has been bittersweet for me.  This is the house I grew up in from Grade 8.  Lots of memories in that house.  But it was time.  Mike and I are in no shape to keep up 2 houses.  The young couple who bought it are meant to live there.  Life goes on....
During all of this busyness....Mike got a doxie puppy.  "Cocoa" ....at first I was very against another dog after losing Halle.  I'm thinking, at our age, we don't have the time or energy to devote to a puppy.  Needless to say, she has fit in quite well to our household and is the lap dog that Mike has missed since Halle.  I have seen Mike start to enjoy life again and that makes me happy.  I guess I can overlook the puppy piddle pads and house looking like a toddler ran thru it...Life is short...enjoy it while you can even if it means picking up puppy poop. 
Happy Summer!  Count down to my 59th Birthday.....