DAY FOUR- PACIFIC GROVE

Another great day. Hung out in Monterey at the aquarium and had lunch on Cannery Row at Bubba Gump’s. The boys were great and it was fun to watch DeeDee navigate the crowds with AC. She’s become a pretty fierce advocate for him. It warmed my heart and made me chuckle as she sternly taught all the little kids how to get out of his way. Patience is always the theme whenever you go somewhere like that with a wheelchair.

I have found if you are in no hurry and have no expectations, you save yourself a ton of aggravation. It took a long time to learn this and I got it from AC. He taught me patience. As those around him get frustrated for him, he smiles and stays very calm and at ease. Once in a while he gets frustrated but he sees it as an opportunity to make all those around him laugh. He foregoes every opportunity to take some unaware person out with his 375lb chair. He waits patiently all day for others to go first through doorways and for abled people to take his turn on the elevator. As I find myself being impatient and wanting to let someone have it, I look to him for guidance. He introduces the notion that while we wait, it’s just more time to spend talking about something fun or laughing at the insanity of others pushing to get ahead. He waits for drinks, food, to go to the restroom. He waits for us to answer his annoying bell to get him needed items, join conversations and now even to roll over in bed. It’s humbling to see his grace and kept me in check today as children climbed over him to watch the sea otters get fed as their parents rudely cheer them on.

Last night had to be one of my all-time favorite nights ever. We are staying just blocks from the beach so we decided to pass on sitting in another restaurant for dinner. Instead we hit the traders Joes, and decided to have a sunset picnic on the beach. That turned out to be the wisest vacation plan ever made. WOW. I’m a writer and I couldn’t possibly find the words to describe the serenity and beauty of that sunset meal.

We had cheese, crackers, sausages, grapes, bread and chocolates. It was awesome! I got Deedee a nice bottle of Petite Syrah and watched her enjoy that. After years of sobriety (yesterday was the 6 year mark), I still can appreciate how wonderful it must have tasted during that colorful sunset all the while being totally comfortable with knowing that time has long passed for me. The boys loved the evening as much as we did and the laughter and conversation warmed our hearts as we watched the waves crash and spray over the jagged rocks. A memory I will treasure forever.