AlohaBeth is home!

[paris]

She flew home last night.   She went to the Madonna concert in Oakland Sunday night, a friend dropped her off at the San Francisco airport in the middle of the night and she got the first flight out of there that was headed home.   After picking her up, we met part of the family at Chili's for dinner.  Two nieces and three nephews were climbing on her all night.  The other two nieces will see her in a few hours.  They all love "Aunt Bethie" and have missed her as much as I have.  She is thrilled to have cell reception and internet after being on top of mountain for 7 months!  And we get to watch the election results together!      Always good when all my family is in one place.     

[monrein]

   That's wonderful Paris.  Enjoy each other, I know you will.     Welcome home Beth.

[thegrammalady]

welcome home beth. paris, enjoy it while it lasts. where will she be off to next???

[willieandwinnie]

  paris, I am so happy for you. I spent just a couple of hours with my daughter today at lunch and it was wonderful. Enjoy. 

[kitkatz]

Welcome home sweetie! I bet you are glad to out of the back of beyond!

[Romona]

Welcome Back!

[xtrememoosetrax]

Great news for you, Paris, and Welcome home, Beth!! I'm so glad the two of you can be together again.

[okarol]

I know mama will sleep better tonight! 

[Sluff]

I bet that is a great feeling for you both.

[Chris]

Great that she is home and back with family, but what type of work does she do? I must have missed an old post

[RichardMEL]

Paris be sure to give her a SPECIAL welcome home from me with lots of hugs and kisses.... hehehe

 

[harley08]

There is nothing in the world that is better then family and friends around you (especially when there are alot of goods eats to go with it) 

[paris]

Chris, when I was first diagnosed, Beth was the last "child" living at home.   She took on everything and decided she had to fix me.  Give me a kidney, do anything to make things better.   I felt like she was putting her life on hold.  Norwegian Cruise Lines had interviews in our city.  I heard about it on the radio and said "why don't you go see what this is all about?".   They were hiring for their ships in Hawaii.   So, she worked with them for a year and loved cruising the islands.   She had wonderful experiences and loved every minute.  She came home for a couple of months and then got a call from a former shipmate who was hiring staff for a lodge in Yosemite National Park.  So, off she went.  Another adventure!  When she is home, she  works for a large design and floral shop.  She will be home until January and then will go to France for a couple of months.  She will be staying in Paris and doing lots of traveling to other places.   Her Dad wants her to "settle down", but I think there is plenty of time for that.   I wished I had been brave enough to try different things when I was young.  She learned early that tomorrow isn't promised----live today.     That was a very long answer!   Sorry!

[monrein]

A girl after my own heart.  Seeing the world is the tops!!!

[willieandwinnie]

  Oh paris, who sweet. 

[paris]

Monrein, when you first joined, I read every word about your moves and experiences.   Then, I met Meinuk, and just loved her independent, "I can do it" attitude and also, her love of travels.   And then, xtrememoosetrax joined IHD and I admired this marvelous caring, selfless woman who is also very independent.   You three became my vision for how I saw Beth living her life.  You all give me the ability to encourage Beth, to be the wind beneath her wings, and to never say "don't go".    Our love and respect for each other grows more and even though we miss each other greatly, I celebrate that she is living and doing.   I will admit that I worry she may stay in Paris longer than planned.  The man she fell in love with lives there.  They met on the Champs Elysee three years ago.  He is delightful and I like him, too.  But, there are many obsticles, so they have gone into friendship mode.  I know seeing him and spending time will open everything up again.   Before kidney disease, this would have made me push her to not go, not persure this, just stay right here.   But, now I know we will be fine even if she stays there.  She will always come home and the world is getting smaller every day.   So, thank you to three women who have helped me let Beth be the wonderful person she was meant to be.    Again, I have made this a long post and again, I am sorry!

[kitkatz]

We raise our children to hopefully one day let them go and find their own way.  It is a difficult chore that come without a manual. Paris, you are doing a wonderful job of it.

[monrein]

Thanks so much Paris for your kind words and also for putting me in a group with Meinuk and extrememoosetrax.     Go Beth go.  In the words of Edith Piaf ..."Je ne regrette rien."  (I regret nothing) and she ought not to either. 

[Chris]

Ahhhh, now I get the name

[rose1999]

Welcome back Beth  , we all know Paris is glad to have you home and we are too!

Paris you are wonderful, letting your children go is the hardest thing.  I know when Barry (my husband) died my boys (then in their late teens) tried to make sure one was always with me and whilst I appreciated their love and support, I could see it was going to affect their lives so I started to go out (even if only to the shops or for a drive round) saying something like "I don't know what you 2 are doing today but I'm off to xyz" and it gave themtheir freedom to do what they wanted.  We now have a great relationship where we all do our own thing but all love and respect one another and enjoy each others company.  I have a colleague at work whose story is sadly different as she was never able to let her childen go, she keep them at home and wanted to be with them all the time, now they are in their 20s they have nothing to do with her, it is so sad.  Sorry now I've done the long answer thing!! I'll shut up (you can see I'm feeling better and more rested now can't you  ) Love you Paris 

[paris]

Nice post, Rose.  (my husband's name is Barry!)     My friend also clings to her children.  She is in a complete panic right now because one son wants to move to NYC to work with a church. She "needs" my help to accept this.  I want to say "so no one is dying, doing drugs, stealing, going to jail - he justs wants to work with a church 9 hours away?"   Get a grip!   I think dealing with what we are all facing, helps us see things clearly.   It is sweet when our children try to protect us instead of the other way around.  You raised good sons.

Kitkatz,  you are right.  First you are the parent and if we are lucky, we can be friends when they become adults.   I have always said that Todd, my oldest. was an experiment!  Kind of like a guinea pig!   Thank goodness he turned out great!    Nice to hear other Mother's feelings - thanks for sharing.

[Mimi]

Glad you are home Bethie, for your Mother's sake. 
There is nothing like sitting down to the table when everyone is home.  Hope you have a
nice visit.

Love, Mimi

[pelagia]

welcome home Beth!

[G-Ma]

Paris...I am so impressed by you as well as monrein, meinuk and xtrememoostrax...those are the kinds of lives I always wished for...but what I actually did was the same as Rose..my sons were in 16 and 20 when their dad was murdered and yes I forced them to move on with their lives and we are still very close also complared to other mothers who have sucked the lives out of their children by keeping them at home for whatever reason.  We all just do what we have to which is another reason I decided to go back in center..NxStage was just using up too much of everyones time.  It just forced too much time from everyone when I would rather be able to spend enjoyable time with my sons and their families.

[Bajanne]

So sorry that I only just saw this post.  It was a real pleasure meeting Beth and Paris in Vegas.  Sam had a wonderful evening with Beth.  We have been blessed with beautiful daughters - Paris, grammalady and myself.  I don't just mean outwardly - they are beautiful, caring young ladies and I was glad that they got to meet each other.