Ashton ~ age 16 months ~ Camping in the White Mountains of Arizona
The highlight of my week was camping with my grandsons, David (7) and Carter (turns 5 today!). We drove to one of my favorite hiking spots, built a fire about 10 yards away, set up the tent about 20 yards away in a different direction. The thorny bushes were difficult for small people to negotiate past: I forget that what comes up to my knees comes up to their chest! We hiked down to the wash and they played for awhile before we hiked back up to make supper (hot dogs, root beer and smores — with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!). They enjoyed putting the ends of sticks in the fire and taking them out, pretending they were torches. I don’t think it would have been possible for them to do that for too long!
Believe it or not, I actually slept pretty well! It helped to have four layers of cushion between me and the ground! Carter woke up a couple of times and asked, “Is it morning yet?” When morning FINALLY arrived, it was chilly, so we warmed up by drinking hot chocolate and warming our hands over the flame on the Coleman stove. I warmed up some pre-cooked bacon and then fried some eggs. David didn’t want any because, “That’s not how my mom makes them!” They didn’t go hungry, though: we had plenty of left over marshmallows and peanut butter cups! David discovered several creative ways to eat peanut butter cups: with bacon, with a marshmallow, in the hot chocolate, etc. I think he determined that there probably aren’t any foods that peanut butter cups DON’T go with! Mary Poppins sings, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!” I think it helps Grandpa’s cooking go down, too! I wonder how a peanut butter cup would have been with a fried egg? Hmm… Maybe next time!
Honestly, Thanksgiving was hard for me: I MISS my son, Ashton! Faye read an article about including memories of our departed loved ones in our daily lives. That helped. We took an informal family picture, complete with Jordan holding Ashton’s UofA hat. For me, spending some time alone and some time with family helped. I received several texts wishing me Happy Thanksgiving. Being outdoors helped; for some reason, that is VERY therapeutic for me! Faye and I went to the temple yesterday. I was feeling down, but, after I attended the temple, I was lifted some. I think it’s like prayer or anything else worthwhile: the less I feel like doing it, the MORE I NEED to do it!
What have you found to be therapeutic when you are grieving or emotionally struggling?
Written by Carter
