Bubbles, babies and brunch

This was an interesting weekend and, indeed, too chock full to discuss in only one post. It was a blur of margaritas, manual labor and baby chasing for the most part.

Today Mike and I got up early (oh man did we get up early) to go and support our friend Sarah when she performed at the Wicker Park Children's festival today. She is a music and art teacher at Bubbles Academy here in Chicago and does children's parties on the side. Sarah asked me Friday-ish if I'd mind keeping an eye on her daughter, Lyric while she worked at the Bubbles Academy booth and performed at the pavillion. I did not hesitate to agree to spend time with, arguably, the cutest baby on the face of the planet. She's 21 months now and is really getting the hang of this talking thing. Sooooo, Mike and I - along with our friend, Eric - spent the day chasing and being chased by Lyric around the park. We also painted, colored, danced, played with blocks and blew more bubbles than should ever be allowed by law.

Afterward, Mike went to be an umpire for the kickball league (his team didn't have to play today) and I went to brunch with Sarah, Lyric, Julie and Taylor. We finished eating and chatting in just enough time for me to swing back and pick Mike up after the game.

Sarah, newly separated from her husband and on her own with the baby, is going to take a night to go out and relax with Julie and so it looks like Lyric may be spending the night at our house one night in a week or two. I'm very excited but the cats...not so much. She's very good with animals but, not being around kids much, our cats are a bit unnerved when she waddles after them saying, "Meow! Meow! Meow!"

I did get some really bad news this weekend. My friend Okima's dad has been really, really sick. His cancer had returned and he's had a couple of strokes. He doesn't recognize her anymore and the strokes have made him violent, so he's not able to stay at home. Instead, he's had to be hospitalized and sedated. Okima's dad is in his late 80's and her mother in her early 90's. (Okima's young - she was adopted by her parents when they were in their late 40's/early 50's.) Anyways, her father isn't expected to live through the summer. Okima's been flying back and forth to New York once a month to check in and help her mom. She's been making arrangements to move to New York to take care of her mom when her father died. This weekend, Okima's mom died. The stress of everything was just too much - her heart gave out. Every time I think about it, I tear up. It was so hard when my mom died but I still have my dad and he's healthy. How awful would it be to lose your mom and know your dad's going to die very soon?

Please pray for Okima. I haven't been able to talk to her yet (she left right away for New York) but I know she needs it.