San Diego

Eric and I have just returned home from a weekend away in San Diego. Our main purpose was to see and encourage our friend, Dan, who is incarcerated there. He is a dear friend from college that we both respect and treasure, unfortunately he made some very poor choices a few years back. Eric started writing to him after we heard about his situation (once he tracked him down), about 2 years ago. Eric has been to seen him three times now and I have been twice.

Visiting a prison is very humbling and leveling. When we left, after a wonderful time with him and his mom, I felt like my brain was too big for my head. I feel like there are all these presuppositions and assumptions that are constantly being challenged and redirected. We are in a constant state of prayer for him and hopeful that he was encouraged by our visit. I challenge anyone who has a friend or family member that is in prison, to highly consider paying them a visit. It will change your life, not to mention give them the hope they may need to get through. If a visit is not possible...write.

San Diego holds a very special place in our hearts. It's where I went to college, on Point Loma, and Eric did for three years at UCSD. We were married after our third year (out of 5) in school, so we spent a lot of time dreaming and fantasizing about our future life together while taking endless walks and drives. It is a magical city with places to go if you want lots of energy or none at all. We stayed on Harbor Island. Early in the morning our window opened up to the Harbor and awakening skyline. It is a beautiful city. I did manage to look up some housing prices, just to see. Basically, for where we want to live, we could get half the house for double the price...doesn't take a rocket scientist to know crummy economics.

Anyways, we were able to visit with my brother, his wife and little guy. Plus my sister, brother in law, their kids and my parents came down for Saturday afternoon. It was wonderful to see everyone and experience my niece and nephews. My littlest one was a dream and filled my heart with everything it needed that day...what a sweetie. I now have a small understanding of what grandparents feel like. They can give the love, the time, then give the child(ren) back to the parents for the hard stuff. It really is a wonderful thing.

Our return home was great...so good to see the kids again and be mom (although breaks are always welcome). I love my life, I love Colorado, I love my husband, I love my kids, I love my family. My life is so abundantly full and rich, that I can't help but write about it.

On a training note: one word...STABILIZER. I've taken the last two days off, so ready to hit it tomorrow....starting at the pool. Swimming is the sport of the week, so that's where I will be.