THE LOWE FAMILY NEWSLETTER: VOLUME 132
DECEMBER 2019
MERRY
CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Dear
Readers,
Shortly
after returning from my Los Angeles trip I flew to Orlando to help
Leslee-Ann with Ray and Callie whilst Craig was away working. Direct
flights from Kansas City on Southwest are down to only two a day and
since other airlines didn't offer any more reasonable times of the
day I flew out at seven on a Thursday night to be met in Orlando by
Craig at 10:30 that night. Of course everyone was in bed by the time
we made it back to their home and I adjusted myself to my new
sleeping arrangements : a Murphy bed in their home office. Their
former guestroom so conveniently situated next to a bathroom was now
Callie's nursery! Thus I found myself creeping down the hallway to
the bathroom in the dark and dead of night praying that I wouldn't
trip over the dog or bang into a wall. It took all my courage to turn
the faucet on to wash my face and brush my teeth – terrified that I
would wake my grandchildren and have Leslee-Ann flying down the hall
to attack me for daring to wake her children. I knew better than to
even think of flushing the toilet. The sense of relief when I made it
back to my room in perfect silence. However the next morning
Leslee-Ann asked me what had caused the two loud bumps she had heard
in the night. I assured her that the only thing I had done was close
- ever so gently- my door and maybe rolled over in bed!
Although
it was only a few weeks since I had seen Callie I was amazed by how
much she had grown! She was clearly bigger than her cousin now
despite being eight months younger. How little Leslee-Ann birthed
this plus sized baby is still incomprehensible to me. But she is a
beautiful, happy and content baby sleeping through the night and
napping a lot during the day.
Ray
was full of energy and once again we played in the pool where I
quickly morphed into Cat Woman and stuffed the blue pool noodle down
the back of my swimsuit as we teamed up against his Mommy to chase
her around the pool. Mayhem. I observed that the neighbors must dread
the noise when Ray came out to play!
On
Saturday morning I babysat Callie while Leslee-Ann ran errands with
Ray, anxious to give him a change of scene as we had spent the
previous day at home. While holding Callie in my lap she suddenly sat
up! I was amazed that she had the strength and co-ordination at her
age to do so such a thing! Equally amazing was her ability to stand
and play in her jumper! She could also pull down the toys on her
hanging mobiles!
Shortly
after Leslee and Ray returned, her former neighbor and family friend
Eileen, arrived to have lunch with us. She is about my age and lives
a fast paced life, constantly driving between her Condo in Orlando,
her beautiful lakeside home in North Carolina and her family in New
York! She always seems to be busy, thoroughly enjoying life and like
me very involved with her grandchildren. Ray and Callie are so
fortunate to have her in their lives! Eileen came back the next day
to stay with the children while Leslee-Ann took me to the airport and
she was on call the following weekend to watch the children while
Craig and Leslee went to a Bebe Rexha and Jonas Brothers concert.
Amazingly while babysitting them that night she discovered something
about Ray that his parents had not realized. She was scrolling
through the television guide looking for a show that Ray might enjoy
when he started reading the titles out to her. Eileen asked his
parents when they returned if they knew that Ray could read. They
explained that he had memorized several books because they read to
him so often but Eileen insisted that there was no way he could have
memorized the TV guide so the next day Leslee picked a book out and
asked him if he could read it – which he did! Then Craig took him
to a restaurant and asked him if he could read the sign on the table
and he could! Well that was easy! Forget phonics and hours of
sounding out and remembering sight words!
On
Thursday November 21st. Sarah, Sean, and Emmy Lou arrived
at my house about eight in the morning so that we could make an early
start on our first road trip in my new car. We were headed to the
Indy Lowe's house to celebrate Ming Lee's 50th birthday.
My cargo hold was stuffed with a Pac N play, stroller, diapers and a
lot of back packs and bags. We were only spending three nights but
you would think we were setting out on a month long excursion
somewhere. The inside of the car was filled with snacks, bottles,
more diapers and Sarah's laptop as she was working remotely and had
about three conference calls scheduled that day. I drove the first
leg of our journey and knew that we were going to have to make
multiple stops along the way for diaper changes and to give Emmy Lou
a break from being confined in her car seat.
Fortunately
for me Sean volunteered to drive after our lunch stop so he had the
difficult task of driving through a traffic jam caused by a terrible
accident that involved bringing in a crane to haul somebody's car up
after falling over an overpass. Traffic was backed up for miles, it
was pouring with rain and there was nowhere to exit Interstate 70
that would be of any help for miles! This hour plus delay meant that
we hit Indianapolis during rush hour which caused yet another delay
so it took us over ten hours to get there! But we made it in time to
celebrate Ming's 50th birthday! Like his dad he loves
meatloaf so that was the birthday's meal of his choice and Emmy Lou
loved it so much that she ate an entire slice and then devoured the
mini potatoes – she sucked the potato out, ate it and then spit out
the skin! Amazingly she even had room for a piece of the chocolate
birthday cake Lori had made from a Keto recipe! It was one of the
best Keto recipes I have tried.
The
next day we bundled up and went over to their nearby State Park for a
short hike. After lunch it was time for family games. Kay and
Richard had sent a new one. Ming Lee and Claudia were reading the
rules and trying to explain it to the rest of us. I was lost after
the first instruction and said I would pick it up as we played –
hopefully. Lori and I teemed up as we had both given up listening to
all the rules and regulations but amazingly we proved a formidable
team and recorded a few victories despite having little understanding
of the nuances of the game!
On
Friday evening Lori and I went to see Claudia in her starring role in
the play Radiation Girls and as always like every one of the
productions I have attended at their school system the standard was
very high. She gave a great dramatic performance!
 |
| Ming-Lee working out with a skate board with Emmy Lou |
While
Lori and I were watching the play Ming Lee was with Sean, Sarah and
Emmy Lou at a Christmas light festival. The next night Sarah and Sean
went to the play with Lori while Ming Lee and I played with Emmy Lou,
bathed her, popped her into her sleeper and gave her a bottle by
which time she was fast asleep and we were able to enjoy a long
conversation together – can you imagine that Josh?
Sunday
morning we packed all our stuff into the car and I drove the first
leg of the trip again and this time we didn't encounter any travel
issues ! And best of all I didn't miss my Chiefs game as it was their
bye week! Ming-Lee went with Lori that afternoon to see the final
performance of Claudia's play.
Shortly
after our return came the exciting news that Emmy Lou was going to
have a little brother! Here is an interesting family fact children –
everyone of the Lowe offspring who has had two children has had one
of each sex! Quite a coincidence!
Here
is a quick roundup of family news: Kay and Richard are leaving on
their honeymoon today, Saturday December 21st, flying to Singapore
for about a week and then onto a few days in Paris, France and ending
in Barcelona, Spain. I hope they have the time of their lives as once
they start their family travel becomes way less attractive!
Ming-Jon
just celebrated his 53rd Birthday! I can remember when I
thought that was old!
Emmy
-Lou turned one on December 18th and her parents have a
birthday lunch planned for her tomorrow – her other grandparents
and her aunt and uncle on Sarah's side of the family are here to
celebrate that and and the holidays too!
Marc
is joining a new law firm in January, the offer came out of the blue
and he decided to make the change as the new office is within walking
distance of his Condo. He will still have to brave the LA traffic
for trials and hearings etc but is looking forward to far less
driving time in bumper to bumper traffic.
Josh
is back in Orlando with the Remsburgs for the holidays, Bryn will be
with Marc, I will be with Sarah, Sean and family and Coryn will be
with Jeremy's family this year. I will be seeing them on Christmas
Eve as Coryn is hosting her Kansas City family that night-I look
forward to getting my one Christmas present from Owen.
I
was at his school Christmas program last week, and afterwards he went
through the line to see Santa. barely getting close to him even. Then
we went for cookies and punch and on our way out Santa was still
sitting there talking to some of the teacher's. Owen let go of my
hand and said he needed to tell Santa something as he boldly walked
right up to him and loudly announced that his Grandma had been a
very, very naughty girl! Everyone laughed of course and I admonished
them all for thinking him so cute and sweet. As we left I said I
probably wouldn't get any presents now but Owen told me not to worry
– I would get one from him and it was really cute!
Laughter
is truly the best medicine and thankfully Ming-Lee has a great sense
of humor which is going to be a positive in the next few weeks. Once
again I was totally unprepared to learn of the latest set back that
Ming-Lee has had to endure. He looked so good and seemed to be full
of energy and eating with great appetite when I saw him just a few
weeks ago so I was unprepared to learn that another tumor had
already grown near the site of the one removed just last month. He
also has some brain swelling than needs to be addressed. He is
currently undergoing radiation and chemotherapy and has an
appointment in Boston for further consultation next month. I know
that everyone reading this newsletter is pulling for Ming Lee and I
thank all of you who believe in the power of prayer for your ongoing
prays for Ming-Lee and his family, they feel uplifted and supported
by them. Christmas is a time for miracles, and I hope Ming-Lee is
blessed with one. My thoughts are very much with him, Lori, Blake and
Claudia and I hope to visit as often as I can to be with them all. I
am so proud of my son, the grace and stoicism with which he has
handled this terrible diagnosis and my heart is full of love for him
and his beloved family.
I
hope for health and happiness for all of you in 2020 and especially
for Ming to move his cancerous mountain out of his path. Love Mother
