A Graduation and a vacation
A VACATION
Thursday, January 05, 2023
Time has a way of slipping by in a blink of an eye. We were fortunate enough to be able to watch and help Meghan grow up. I was so delighted to be an Aunt and was able to help raise her since I wasn’t able to have children of my own. We all were so lucky that Meghan came into our lives. She had and continues to bring joy to our lives. I remember when I gave a bottle to her, Tanice asked me if I wanted to try it. Of course, I said, “Yes, I’ll try”, and my sister handed me the bottle. It was one of those bottles that you put the bag into the bottle and then you fill with formula. The way the bottle was made, helped me be able to feed her by first laying it on Meghan’s chest, once it was aligned with her chin, I was able to put the bottom of the bottle in my mouth to hold so that I could rest the bottle with my chin while she was drinking her bottle.
As Meghan was growing up, reading was a significant part of her bedtime routine. Mom would read to her, but instead of just reading to her, Mom would read a page then Meghan would read a page. Mom felt that reading to children as early as possible would greatly prepare any child for life. It also helped that she had a few wonderful teachers to help her love the art of reading and comprehending the material of what she was reading. Which I believe that it had helped her throughout her school career. Later, it helped her in her career choice. Once she got older, bath time was something I could help with, and I enjoyed helping Meghan with her bath. She was old enough to take a bath on her own, but still needed help washing up, so I would help her wash her hair. Let me tell you, Meghan was a trooper, I would wash her hair, of course, with my cerebral palsy, and my hands shake, so sometimes I would pull her hair. Believe it or not, she never complained about it. There was a time when I did feel awful. We were all typing to potty train her, so when I would take Meghan to the bathroom, I would try to take her once an hour so that she could get used to the idea of going. Once we were playing and it was time to go to the bathroom, she told me no. I just tried to explain why we had to follow a schedule, but she did not. Of course, I was getting a bit frustrated will her, so I probably said and did what I shouldn’t have done. I looked at her and said, “Meghan come on, let’s go,” she looked at me and said, “No”. At this time, I was getting upset and said, “If you don’t, I’m going to paddle your bottom”. Meghan looked at me and said, “No you won’t”. Well, I took the palm of my hand and pat her bottom. Oh wow, Meghan looked at me with this look like you did that. She wasn’t hurt, just in shock that I did it. From that moment and beyond, she was good to go to the bathroom. They are so many moments that were special with Meghan that I will never forget.
When Joe was working downtown at the super attendants of schools, he was able to get Meghan into the downtown elementary. Where she had a very good teacher that taught her to read well and believed in giving homework. Which I feel helps Meghan with the foundation of her love for reading. With the understanding and comprehension of reading and how she loves it. Has opened so many doors for her. In her high school years, she was in FFA, which I believe gives kids responsibility to carry throughout their lifetime.
While Meghan was going to Bakersfield College, she took a few art courses since she loved photography. She enjoyed taking pictures, so when her instructor told the class for extra credit, they could go down to L.A. to go to Paris Photos, which happened to be on the paramount lot. So Mom, Tanice, Meghan, and I took a trip to see the artwork. Meghan was off doing what she needed to do Tanice, Mom, and I was looking around, and oftentimes Mom hangs our purses off the back of my wheelchair I felt her hand which I thought meant that she wanted to grab her purse. It was like she had been frozen, which is not like my Mom. She just saw a man that happened to be on one of my soaps it was so funny that I was bending over laughing. Tanice was saying how crazy we both were. Once Mom got her composer back, she felt bad that I didn’t see him and that she pushed me around trying to show me different TV stars, but I was too busy laughing my head off to notice.
The week before Meghan went off to a university, I was going through some health issues that led me to need surgery. I had to spend two or three nights in the hospital. Mom, Tanice, and Meghan spent all day while I was in surgery and that whole day. Of course, Mom stayed that first night. Then Meghan told her Grandma that she would come back after the hockey game and stay overnight so that she could go home to get sleep since she wasn’t able to get any sleep while she was with me in the hospital. The day I got to come home, which was a Saturday, of course, hospitals as one could imagine, the hospital admiration doesn’t move too quickly. I knew they had another that night so we were trying to get out as soon as possible so that they could go. When the doctor came to release me, they took off to get things from home and get the car close to where Tanice could get me into the car, we were off to the races. Once we got home and I was in bed with Mom at my side. They all were able to go to the hockey game.
We all knew the day would come when it was time for Meghan to go to college. It took every one of us to either support her financially and supportive to get her there, of course, that is what family does for their own. We all need to band together to help each other when needed. As a family, we all knew it would take all of us to help Meghan go to her choice of school after high school and Bakersfield College. Joe, her Grandpa, which she calls Popo, always told Meghan, he would pay for her to go to a four-year college. I’m not sure why my Brother-in-law Rob and Tanice bought a condo in Las Vegas, which was an excellent move for Meghan. Another way that she was able to go to school was the fact that Popo told her that he had a college fund for her, which made it easier for her to go. Everyone played a role in getting Meghan into college. Not to leave out Meghan herself that worked hard throughout her school career while holding down a job.
The week before Meghan went off to a university, I was going through some health issues that led me to need surgery. I had to spend two or three nights in the hospital. Mom, Tanice, and Meghan spent all day while I was in surgery and that whole day. Of course, Mom stayed that first night. Then Meghan told her Grandma that she would stay overnight so that Mom could go home to get sleep since she wasn’t able to sleep in the hospital. A Nurse tried to find a more comfortable chair for her to sit in, but she wasn’t able to find one, so she just bared with what was in the room, like my Mom the night been. Luckily for my sister Tanice, I could go home that evening. Although, my sister did help me into the car to come home. I know it was hockey season because as soon as we got home, they all went to the game except for Mom.
I’m not sure why, but I was caught off guard. That following Monday, she left for Las Vegas. I’m not sure why I was shocked by her leaving for Vegas, and I didn’t like to see her go. As my Mom said, it was time for her to go and spread her wings. I’m not sure why Meghan decided to go to Las Vegas University. She was going to be a teacher. After looking at the options, special education was the way to go since there would always be a need for teachers. It’s a career she could go wherever she likes and have a great job.
As I get older, it has become much more difficult to go places due to my body breaking down from overuse of my bones, so without help. it’s been harder for me to get around like I used to because I have overused my bones. So over the years, I have become more dependent on others. For instance, if I need to go anywhere, someone has to lift me into the car. It has been an adjustment because of how I used to be. So when we found out that Meghan was going to graduate in December, of course, we all were so excited for her knowing how hard she had worked to get a diploma while holding down jobs. My Mom commented that she didn’t know any other kid that a parent could send their kid to Las Vegas and do so well. Of course, Meghan is not the type to party, she’s responsible and that’s why she already has a teaching job at a school for the mentally disabled. She’s been teaching for some time. Meghan has a dog name Jov, she takes him to the dog park once in a while. She happened to meet a woman who taught at a special education school. Meghan got talking to her about school and other things and explained what she was going to school for. The woman said Meghan possibly be able to apply for a teaching position at the same school. Of course, Meghan had some idea of what to expect from talking to her Grandma about me and what she went through with my situation going to a special education school and all it tells. Fortunately, when she went to a job fair, with resumes in hand, and found that she had three options waiting for her, one of the three schools happened to be the same school that the woman in the park worked at.
Two weeks before Christmas, Mom and I followed Rob and Tanice to Las Vegas to see Meghan graduate from LVU. We spent almost a week there since that Meghan lives in a condo that Rob had invested in which made it nice for Meghan not to have to pay rent somewhere. We stay at a hotel since the condo has stairs which would be difficult, so Mom and I stayed at a hotel, which was very nice. I was kind of concerned about getting in and out of the car every day because I usually get sore after getting in once in a while. Thank goodness for my sister, Tanice was able to pick me up to get me into the car every day that we were there. I had a great time, Rob, my Brother-in-law, drove us everywhere. We went to the strip a few times, the newer part which has a lot of shops like the Coke store and the Hershey store and others. Was decided to try different cokes that were made in all the countries in the world. I think Rob was surprised that I tried them all, there were a few that they could tell by my face, I didn’t like we all laughed and agreed. That night, they asked me if I wanted to go somewhere else to get out. I just couldn’t do it, so Rob took us up and down the strip acting like a tour guide telling us where we were, he even showed us the restaurant Hell’s Kitchen is filmed. It was fun. The only thing I didn’t do was, I’m not sure why, but there is always next time.
On the day of the graduation, where later in the afternoon we all went to the college to watch our baby switch to a full flitch adult even though she’s been an adult for some time now, which is hard to believe.