Friday, April 30, 2010

The bond we share

Destination Pueblo.  We decided our final destination by hotel.  Once again we are staying at a Cambria Suites. It works out so nice having an area we can sit and talk. And talk we do.  Such colorful conversation.  It you can imagine (30) 80 something women, (1) 70 something and (2) 50 something women and what we discuss.  This trip for some reason our discussion centered around ***(sex).  If you can imagine the difference in our lives.  These women growing up during the depression and World Wars and never even talking about it.  They got married young and surprise!  Well my sister Mary and I grew up in a different time. We talk about IT. Sooooooooo we start talking, asking questions, laughing. OMG did we laugh.  Did you know that you could get pregnant by kissing a boy? Or that you sitting on your boyfriends lap would do the same? I don't think that is how I got pregnant.  I think they finally figured it out.
We talked about positions.  You should have seen them blush.  They never heard of such things.  The more questions we asked the more they blushed and we laughed.  The sissies in the next room actually banged on the wall.  It was only 9:00. What were they thinking?  It's been a while since I have laughed that hard.  A couple of the widows made the comment it felt so good to laugh. They don't have the opportunity to do that much in their lives.
We talked about how we met our husbands and a little bit of what walking them through death felt like.
Mary and I talked later about why we enjoy these trips so much.  We share one common bond.  We may be sisters, nieces, aunts, moms, daughters, friends.  But on these trips we are just women who happen to be widows.
My widows were so tickled with the surprise they got on this trip.  My daughter Jennifer made them all little leopard bags with purple flowers to match our bolos and visors, filled with goodies and little challenges for each of us.  "If you could choose a color of a crayon what color would you be?" Another "Confess:Your Moma told you not to do it but you did it anyway."  Bet there are a lot of stories there but for me I allllways did only what my Moma told me and NEVER did anything she told me not to.
The quote on this bag brought tears but it is something we all need to think about. "One day at a time - this is enough. Do not look to back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come.  Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering!"

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Eleven Kids almost as much as our family

Our fourth widow is Bina and became a widow in 2007. Her family consists of 4 boys and 7 girls.  Bina & my Mom became friends when they were younger in Kansas. My Grandpa and her Dad were the best of friends. Moma and Bina attended the same Catholic church for years. They ended up being pregnant at the same time for 9 of their kids, always having the opposite sex of each other. When we took our first trip to Kansas she was right at home.  
Bina has been a big inspiration for a lot of trips.  She had never been to Yellowstone National Park and it was a big dream of hers to see it one day. The long 9 hour trip with me driving was just not a reality.  But as always our Supreme Travel Agent arranged for a couple of chaperon's to accompany us, my sister Verna ∧ her husband Richard. I will tell you about that trip another time.
Our next trip was again inspired by her desire to see the Chapel at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.  Would you believe this was a trip we took in the 8th grade (what was that like 20 years ago?) for National Junior Honor Society.  It will be an adventure for sure.  Complete with non other than a stop to McDonald's for any widow who has not asked the unaskable question "Are we there yet?"