Generation 2-Chapter 16: Life Goes On...to Egypt

Sigh....I wish I could say that we were able to move on quickly and look at what a great life Mom had lived, but the house was pretty much in shambles for several months following Mom's death.

Dad went around like a zombie....

Juniper was a wreck...I guess it never occurred to me that he had been spending most days with Mom around the house, her cooking and watching Thyme while he tinkered away at his workbench.

For a while we all just went through the motions of living....Dew Drop and Thyme were the only ones who didn't seem to be very effected by it.

I take that back...Dew Drop has been spending a lot of time on the computer lately and when we ask her about it, it's always a fight to get to the bottom of it. She hasn't even cried but I can see a change in her. I'm a little worried that she'll have a meltdown. The other night I came into the computer/playroom and saw her sitting at the desk.

 

She wasn't really talking to anyone just clicking half-heartedly around on the screen. At closer glance I realized she was crying...

"Dewey, sweetheart?..."

In stead of answering me she ran away. I later found out once I finally caught up to her, that she had been crying in secret because she didn't want to make us "more sadder" than we already were. I hugged my little Dew Drop tight to my chest and told her that everything would be okay and that one day we would see Grandma Thistle again. I made a vow to myself after that, that we would push forward a little more because that's what Mom would have done herself for the kids.

One day in the middle of the week as I was getting ready for work, Dad came up to me.

"Thyme's hair is getting pretty out of control don't you think"

"Um...I guess so, what makes you say that?"

"Well I was thinking about going into town...just to get out of the house and I just thought maybe I could take Thyme to get her hair cut."

This surprised me a little bit but I was glad to see Dad doing something other than moping around the house. "Dad that would be great, and a big help...I've been so busy with work I haven't even given it a thought."

He smiled a little smile at me and I saw for the first time in months, a hint of the old Strawkiwi behind the veil of grief.

When I returned from work later that night, I found Dad holding Thyme but she had on a very cute new outfit and her hair was lovely. My beautiful baby was growing up.

We had a small "celebration of life" for just the family. Honey and Blood Orange came, looks like Honey might be expecting again. I think motherhood has taken her rockstar dreams out, she's even let her hair grow out a bit in a more "soccer mom" style. She tried to make conversation with Dad but he just nodded and picked at his food. I hoped he would snap out of it soon. But how do you truly deal when you've lost the love of your life?

Pepper has shaved his head, mostly because he's starting to go bald. I could tell mom's death was hitting him hard though, he mostly played with Thyme, probably to avoid talking about the whole situation.

Thyme was actually the most wonderful distraction from everyone's grief. I can fully say that she had life going almost back to normal for us. She made us laugh with all of her funny faces and quirky personality.

Once she started learning to talk she would chat Dad's poor ear off....and you know what? I don't think he minded a single bit.

Summer vacation was coming around and Dew Drop would be a full fledged teen soon and starting high school in the fall and Margarita would be beginning her senior year. Shortly after Mom's death, we had found out from Dad that Granny Thistle had left the girls a small fund to travel while they were still in high school. She had requested the funds be used for this and this alone so the girls would be able to experience the world as she had as a young adult. At first Margarita was a little reluctant to go. She was worried that something would happen to Pappi 'Kiwi while she was gone.

But a little reassurance and telling her that it would be good for the poor dear to "broaden her horizons" especially after nearly being kicked off the school paper her junior year for being "to blah" as the editor put it. I also told her it would give her something great (and cultural) to write about in her college essays that she had been diligently putting together. She finally relented.

She would be gone for most of the summer but promised to keep us updated and send pictures.

Juniper on the other hand had taken to either being with Thyme or digging with his newly-invented miner.

I was started to feel both neglected and irritated towards him. Possibly even a little resentful whilest I had to fill in many holes or risk breaking my neck when heading out to the garden.

I didn't have too much time to deal with it though honestly because both mine and Dew Drops birthdays were coming around. I'd be 35 this year and was starting to feel it. I am also questioning both my career and whether or not to extend our family. Eww I need to cut my hair.

But more on that later... on to Dew Drops celebration.

I can not believe she is a teenager now....and a very beautiful one at that. She looks SOO much like Juniper.

Shortly after the party was over, while we were cleaning up...I received a small package from the Sugar Valley Packaging Service guy.

I opened it and read it silently...then I couldn't help but chuckle. My poor Margarita was having adventures alright but she really wasn't caring for them much. :)

Apparently when she arrived in Egypt, she and the other tourists she was traveling with were confined to the base camp for the first 2 days they were there due to an awful sand storm. When they were finally allowed to go exploring, Margarita walked through the catacombs but got separated and attacked by an angry camel.

After she finally recovered from the camel-attack, she ended up with food poison.

It sounded like she was having a pretty awful time, poor dear, and that I would probably get an earful when she finally got back home. I'd have to try not to laugh though, she just has the worst luck...bless her heart.