california

 Saying goodbye to my grandma was really, really hard, but the trip to California was really wonderful.  Being able to travel completely alone to a place that holds most of my childhood memories, and the place that brings back thousands of memories of my grandparents was just what my body and spirit needed.  I was able to spend and make lots of memories with my brothers and family, visit one of my best friends, and see cousins and aunts and uncles who I never see.  It was exactly what I needed and I felt more like myself than I have in a very long time.  The best part of the

 trip what I really felt my grandma.  Eric and I flew together and got in Thursday evening.  There was  big rental car fiasco that involved us going to the wrong rental company and then lugging all of our luggage around the streets of LA until we met up with Mark a few hours later.  It was hilarious, and probably a little dangerous, but I still laugh my pants off when I think about it.  Friday we went to the Getty museum with my dad and Mark.  Then Eric and I did a session at the LA temple.  Saturday was the service and a family luncheon.  Loved, loved, loved having time to catch up with my cousins.  Then I got to hang with my best friend of over 20 years and then my brother Michael, his wife Gabby, Eric, and I stayed up laughing and talking until 2:30 AM (we had to catch a shuttle at 4 am so it wasn't smartest thing, but my heart needed that laughter and I would do it again in a heart beat).  I missed Jeff and the girls like crazy and I am so grateful they let me have that time to process and heal a little.

 Another added bonus of the trip is that I think they all missed me a lot and appreciate me just a big more after not being around.  I'm so very glad I was able to make the trip.