A Sad Day in Mudville..

Well... Friday was a sad day around here. My parents went back to the states. I chose (and I am choosing) to take my mother's advice to count my blessings... and I am so grateful that they both got to come and spend so much time with us. We did a lot of fun things... and we saw a lot of beautiful things... but in the end here are the things that I enjoyed the most:

- Quiet mornings and coffee with my parents

- Afternoon walks with my dad

- A picnic lunch by a mountain lake

- Climbing hills with my dad

- Watching my mom enjoy the wildflowers

- Seeing Ireland through my dad's eyes

- Feeding swans and seagulls with my dad

- Looking through photo albums with my mom

- Hugs

- Having help driving

- Hearing my parents laugh




We had a lot to laugh about while my parents were here... but here are just a couple of funny things that happened:

- Before my parents came I sent out an email to my co-workers to remind them that they would be here with us. I made mention that this was my dad's first overseas trip... the only problem is that instead of saying that this was his first time out of the "country" I said that it was his first time out of the "county". Sorry dad.... but we are still laughing about that one!

- I always enjoy people's reaction to driving on the left side of the road. I always get a laugh out of people trying to get on the driver's side of the car here by accident. My father, however, did a first. I was not sure if he was kidding with me or if he did it on purpose... but when he got into the car for the first time (on the front left side) he automatically adjusted the rear view mirror as if he was going to drive. He did it out of habit.