Photographs and Memories

Last week the woman who was key to my survival through junior high/high school sent me a birthday card. She enclosed an incredible gift: pictures from when we were girls. Some memories were clear, some were fuzzy, and some completely eluded me.

I like connecting the old to the new, the young to the old, and the past with the present. I think that's one reason I like being back in Tucson. The streets are familiar, the mountains have scarcely changed, but Tucson has also grown quite a bit and some parts are barely recognizable. So, what about me? Am I familiar -- scarcely changed -- barely recognizable?

Tomorrow I am getting my hair cut. Going to the same stylist who cut my hair 11 years ago. I'm betting he'll say I look exactly the same, but that won't be true. I look 11 years older, but am easily recognizable to anyone who's known me since high school. I wonder if I'm the same on the inside too? Couldn't I please, please be a wiser version of myself …

Getting tired of the scooter tour

Tomorrow we go back to Mark's orthopedist. I'm ready for the scooter tour to be over and am so hoping that the doctor will see bone growth and give Mark the okay to begin weight bearing. I pray that I will have the grace to accept no 'new' news.

Psalms 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope.

Old? friends

Tonight we had dinner with some dear friends. Our families spent a fair amount of time together when we lived in Tucson from 1994-1999. How is it that our children have gotten older but we seem exactly the same?

The wisdom of Katie Scarlett

Last night Gwen called Mark a little frantic about a class and how much work she had to do. Earlier in the afternoon when I'd talked to her, I'd told her that the syllabus showed assignments for the entire semester, not for the week and that she could do the work if she took it a class at a time. Mark calmly talked to Gwen about her assignments, college life in general, and closed with the advice to go to bed and think about things in the morning. I've felt a little overwhelmed myself this past week and tonight I am taking Mark's advice to heart. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. So tonight I'll go to bed knowing that "[t]omorrow I'll think of some way … after all, tomorrow is another day."

Sun Tran

Sun Tran is the name of Tucson's bus service. Today I thought I should be working for them. I drove Matthew to school, ran a couple of Matthew-related errands, and then went to my next stop. My route went north to an old (I mean high-school) friend's house. I took her to her doctor's office and then back to her house. I got her settled in and quickly got back in my bus to drive home (via the gas station, naturally) so I could -- yes, that's right -- DRIVE Mark to the University. Now I'm back at home (having picked up Matthew) with a few hours until I make my last pick up for the day.

It's quite a glamorous life I lead!

Lately I'd been appreciating the mild temps; running errands in 95º temps wasn't too bad. But I did notice when I drove home just now that the temp was up to 102º! Good thing the bus is air conditioned!