Family

Today's post is not about travel and adventure. It is about family and home, and the importance of family. I flew home to Oregon last week to celebrate mom's 90th birthday, to take time to remember Sheri's mom, Vonnie, and to celebrate Sheri's birthday.

Mom's birthday party planned by my sister, Janet, was on Saturday, October 21st. Unfortunately, mom fell on Thursday and broke her hip. Of course, we were all very worried about her, but Janet and John called the paramedics, and they took her to the hospital and the good doctors and nurses took good care of her. She had an operation on Friday. Sheri and I gathered up our boys and Jenna from the airport and we headed to Washington on Friday evening. The party did not quite turn out the way we had hoped, but to our great relief mom came throught the operation well. Although she was tired and sore, we all had a chance to visit her on Saturday and Sunday, including her brother and niece and her two kids from Rexburg, and my cousin from Salt Lake and her daughter from San Diego. And of course, all the grandkids were there except Joaquin and Mariposa, who got to visit with her via FaceTime. Despite the worry about mom, and not having her at her own party, it was very special to spend time with family. The grandkids took cake to her that evening and sang happy birthday. I am happy to report that she is getting stronger every day and is moving today to a rehab facility near Janet and John. I great big hug to my sister for her care for mom.

Last Friday we had a chance to remember Sheri's mom, Vonnie. She passed 10 years ago and on Friday we laid her ashes in the ground at a beautiful location that Sheri and her brother, Troy, found. Afterwards we had our annual lefse-making party, a Troftgruben family tradition in memory of Vonnie. We always love our lefse parties! It was so nice to take time to remember Vonnie, although plenty of tears were shed. It's important to remember that Vonnie is still with us in so many ways, in our memories and our traditions, as well as what I see in her grandchildren. I just wish Terra could have spent more time with her, and that Vonnie could have met her beautiful great-grandkid, Henry. She would have loved him so much.

And then on Sunday we got to celebrate Sheri's birthday with all of our kids! And of course, Randy and Henry, and Zach's partner, Jenna. We had a great dinner at Jake's Crawfish, an iconic Portland restaurant. So wonderful for all of us to be together. And then the next evening, Sheri's good friend, Kelly, took us out to dinner at a wonderful restaurant before dropping us off at our airport hotel for our return flight to Cancun. (Yeah! Sheri is with me now!)

And I want to mention how much fun we had taking care of Henry at home the first couple days that I was back in Oregon. We had a fun outing to the Evergreen Aviation Museum, where Henry wandered around looking at all the planes and saying "Wow. Cool!" It also gave me a chance to remember dad, particularly the Beechcraft Bonanza hanging from the ceiling.