Things have settled down on the medical front for me. Thank god/buddha/mother nature... Dan said, "I can't believe you blogged about that". Just keepin' it real, folks...
Dan arrived safely from Pittsburgh with tales of tough golf courses and old school money. He likes my new car, by the way. He's trying to talk me into letting him drive it home from the cabin on Friday. No chance.
The first part of our week here has been filled with beach time, lake time, and trips to Nisswa for Rafferty's Pizza and ice cream at the Chocolate Ox.
Miss Erin had quite a day yesterday: waterskiing for the first time, a round of golf at the Pines (where she broke 100 - her new goal each time she plays) and then a sleepover with her friends Hallie, Anna, & Megan at their cabin just a few miles away.
Getting Erin up on waterskis yesterday was fun for all of us. She was so determined. We all remembered back to the day when Shannon felt the same way. The summer of 2011, post diagnosis, Shannon wanted to get up on waterskis in the worst way. With help from our friends the Gustafsons down the beach, she did it. And once she was up, she wasn't satisfied, trying to go out of the wake, pushing herself.
Check out this post I wrote on August 22, 2011, almost three years ago now. Shannon's skiing video is there. Yesterday, I shot this video of Erin. Eerily similar:
Same boat, same friends, same determination. Same attempt to push the envelope and go outside the wake. On the same side even. Same scream from mom. Wow.
I can't be up here without thinking about Shannon. She loved this place. Erin does, too. Doing my best to remember the past, but enjoy the present. And the present is full of laughter and joy.
On today's docket, a round of golf at The Classic. It might be the prettiest course up here in the Brainerd area, and they definitely will be the biggest greens Erin has ever seen. Should be fun.
Life is good at the lake...
