Metamorphosis of a Mother

This is a page from Bet’s journal, a nick name for Elisabet Llavador Sanchis, that she sent me to share with you from Barcelona where she lives. Bet is Sky’s girlfriend as you likely already knows if you’ve been following this blog. As beautifully and well written as it is, English is her third language. I didn’t want to correct anything so just keep that in mind and read in a voice with a hint of a Spanish accent.

There is nothing better than riding in the passenger’s seat of Sky’s car with happy guitar tunes on the speakers, the windows rolled down, my head resting on my arms out the window, feeling the warm summer sun kissing my skin and the soft breeze running through my hair.

I look at Sky through the right rearview mirror. He’s driving calmly, taking time to look around at the majestic scenery, with a slight grin on the corner of his mouth. Whoa! Look at that piece of man! Am I lucky or what?! He looks at me too and we both smile, I blush but he doesn’t notice. He gets me every time! The first summer we spent together was more romantic and dreamy than all the love movies I had seen before combined, and the best part was that it was real.

Some days we drove in the back country on bumpy dirt roads that winded through green mountains and tall grass. We took in with our eyes the burst of colors from the wildflowers peaking everywhere we looked, afraid that there wouldn’t be enough room inside of us to embrace so much beauty. We breathed the fresh smell of nature surrounding us that made us feel so alive. I ran around barefoot most of the time; I love not wearing shoes and feeling the ground that sustains me underneath my feet, it’s like another level of connection with the earth and it makes me feel so Continue reading →

This is a page from Bet’s journal, a nick name for Elisabet Llavador Sanchis, that she sent me to share with you from Barcelona where she lives. Bet is Sky’s girlfriend as you likely already knows if you’ve been following this blog. As beautifully and well written as it is, English is her third language. I didn’t want to correct anything so just keep that in mind and read in a voice with a hint of a Spanish accent.

I woke up before the alarm went off. I had the hardest time falling asleep the night before because I was just too excited. I was rolling around in my bed trying to find my comfy position that would finally knock me out but it was not there. All the girls in the bunk beds around me were peacefully sleeping the night away in our camp cabin. How could they? It was probably 4a.m. and I was completely awake with my eyes wide open, not even sleepy, and making a new movie in my head every 5 minutes about Sky and I reuniting at the airport. My imagination is endless. “When I wake up in the morning, it will be the same day that I get to see Sky!” Continue reading →

This is a page from Bet’s journal, a nick name for Elisabet Llavador Sanchis, that she sent me to share with you from Barcelona where she lives. Bet is Sky’s girlfriend as you likely already knows if you’ve been following this blog. As beautifully and well written as it is, English is her third language. I didn’t want to correct anything so just keep that in mind and read in a voice with a hint of a Spanish accent.

The last three days I spent with Sky before I left were surreal; they felt like they were not really happening. First graduation: I was done with high school, and my wonderful year in Crested Butte was about to be over. I graduated on the prettiest spring day, with clear blue skies and a bright sunshine that seemed to celebrate with all the seniors that we had finally made it. Sky and Dar came and sat in the first row, along with my mom, who had just flown in from Barcelona; and her best friend who had been my mother in the house I lived in for the past year. I have such beautiful mommies (all of them)! My graduation was such a special ceremony, especially because our class only had twenty people, which made it very personal and close. They showed pictures of us when we were little, and two of the seniors performed a song and dedicated it to the class: “Welcome to wherever you are” by Bon Jovi. Barron sang and my best friend Ricky played guitar, one in his million talents. I couldn’t help the tears piling up in the corner of my eyes literally after hearing Barron’s sweet voice start singing. See you later, makeup! It didn’t even bother me because it was so good! I was happy to graduate and Sky was happy for me, but we were both sad about what was coming. Continue reading →

This is a post by my dear friend Alex’s mother Gary, she is my friend as well.  I affectionately call Alex Princess and Gary a saint. I was in Denver yesterday filming an interview with Australians top morning show called “Weekend Sunrise” the timing was perfect that we could watch Alex brilliantly and impressively bowl in the Special Olympics State Bowling Championship with heart melting joy, talk about a reality check. I am grateful God continues to find creative ways to humble and bless me every day.

I was originally going to call this entry “what a difference a year makes”. But I have reconsidered…it wasn’t the 365 days that provided a much more successful bowling competition for Alex; it was the friends who came to support her.

Last year at the State Special Olympic Bowling Competition Alex had a three game combined score of 216. She sat in a corner and cried because she was so unhappy; not only with her score but also the recent passing of her grandfather. She would not listen to me or reason. It was tough for me too, I have difficulty working with Alex on grief, I believe she feels it so deeply she cannot get distracted until she processes and adjusts. Words of comfort and hugs do not work until she is ready and the day was sacrificed. It was a bad day all around. Flash forward to today; one year later, Alex had one of the best days in recent history. Although school has been going well, as is play practice and basketball try-outs, the Alex of old, the happy, loving and care free girl I fell in love with 17 years ago has been on hiatus. She is happy on the outside, but sad on the inside. Continue reading →