A Comically Blessed Life

It was over 100 degrees again today - mother nature shows no mercy for Sacramento whatsoever. I was completely spoiled over the weekend when I went home to the bay area. I got to see Katie's super cute new house, got to watch my kid play with Connie's kids, and visited Elisa and her mom - who is seriously, for lack of a better term, a cancer patient role model. She was in such good spirits, her hope and outlook so strong - I will keep praying. God can do anything.

There are so many things I miss when I go home - the perfect weather, the cul de sac parks all over town that make it so simple to give Sam his beloved playground swing time, the city traditions like the art & wine festival, 4th of July picnic.....Santa Clara is by no means small town life, but when you spend the first 21 years of your life there - visiting your old haunts makes it feel like a small town within a big town. I love knowing where my favorites are, who enjoys them with me, and already getting the chance to wear cute sweaters at the beginning of September.

Oh but then darn it, I admit that I love coming "home" to Sacramento, too. There. I said it. Did you read that Frank? It will never happen again so bookmark this or something.

I love our reasonably spacious house that didn't cost a million dollars, the fact people are friendly in the grocery store, and that this is someday going to be where Sam considers HIS old haunts to be, and so I need to put my best foot forward and find ways to make fantastic memories for him like my mom did for me.

Fantastic memories of this past weekend included a joint family birthday party with my sister. My mother, in typical doting mom style, made us each our own cake, which is just ridiculous and bad for the waistline. But I totally binged on my favorite - devil's food cake with my mom's homemade jamocha frosting and pink icing, of course! God bless mothers - when they get on your nerves, it can be very bad...but when all is good in the hood, there is nothing quite as comforting and wonderful.

For our birthday dinner, my sister and I made the unfortunate decision to ask to go to Sushi Boat. My parents treated the Japanese restaurant like we had forced them to land on another planet. My mother picked up each piece of lettuce and practically every kernel of rice to examine it like poison, and my father managed to dump pink lemonade all over himself. They complained vehemently the entire time and we were the impressively loud table in the corner of a quiet restaurant, acting like raging drunks even though we only had soda....they just despise anything exotic, different or new, while I thrive off of it. I cannot wait for my next adventure - and they can't wait to be in their pajamas at home watching Project Runway.

In other unhealthy food news, apparently my dad has also become the dreaded customer at our favorite local donut shop. We've been going to Stan's on Sunday mornings since I was a toddler (probably before I was born!) and now apparently the employees join ranks when they see my cranky dad come in for his maple bar.

Sigh.

I. Am. Adopted.

My sister thought the whole weekend was hilarious. Our extended family is so broken and indifferent, while our immediate family - those at the sushi table - are just so strange and dysfunctional...my sister is probably right to have a good attitude, find laughs, and move on with life.

But dang, does Mama Hassinger ever make good cake. So no more complaints here.

Life has been easy peasy lately - dance is on break until October, and I am working at the church three days a week for my missions commissioning. The other days, I'm continuing to write some, and Sam and I....we play till we drop - and usually I am the first to tucker out.

I cannot believe how big he is getting.