An Awfully Big Adventure

An Awfully Big Adventure

So, Rider wound up in our bed again this morning, although luckily this was at least past 5:00am. One thing he really likes to do is hold hands through the dark. Usually he wears sleep sacks to bed so I’m only holding a piece of cloth that is holding his hand. Last night was probably the only night in YEARS that he didn’t wear a sleep sack because it was in the laundry. So we held hands. “Mama?” He whispered across the covers. “Can we go back to Nana’s house, and do it all again?”  And yes, we can. We will. It won’t be the same. It will be magical, I’m sure, but last weekend was an awfully big adventure. My mom was in an art show! Her life dream was to be in one with my grandfather, and he passed away in 2012 (at age 100), but it was a father/daughter show! So of course I had to pull the little ones from daycare early, so we could go to the farm.

A little bit about the show:

“Father and daughter duo Leo Kaplan and Karen Kaplan Klein share more than two lifetimes of artistic expression in one exhibit. Walking through Echoes of Eternity, viewers can pause to peruse each world and create stories that piece together this “snapshot of eternity.” The exhibit runs from March 22 to April 18, with an artist talk on Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m. in Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts.”

Isn’t that gorgeous? It was an adventure trip.

And that’s mostly because I often have rising anxiety about and in the tri-state area. Then, not to mention all of the moving parts of finagling packing for three, daycare scheduling, and of course, prepping the car and actually driving it. This requires some deep breathing and a whole lot of snacks. It was mostly uneventful, and sunny, and when we got to the farm, we saw my parents and our good friends from Albany. We all had some delicious Chinese food, and then made our way to the artist talk! It was on the gorgeous Blair Academy campus. We walked in, and instantly had our minds blown by the door. THE DOOR!

Then, it really was an awfully big adventure.

I didn’t realize how many of my mom’s friends would be there but I instantly saw loved ones from my past. There was such overwhelm with the enormous emotions about the art (which I didn’t get to see at first, because of the kids), and then the people I was seeing, and feeling my grandfather’s soul and presence there. You all know I’m prone to anxiety, but I was holding my own. I got to meet the women putting on the show, and then we all filed into the auditorium. The curator said it was the biggest showing she’d ever seen. There were well over a hundred people there. And so many people looking so rapt. I was particularly warm-fuzzy-feeling from seeing my dad up front (he’s so proud of my mom) and my little ones behaving so beautifully.

The talk.

I didn’t take any photos of videos of the talk, nor do I know if anyone did. As her daughter, I felt like I had to be present. Rider went up with her when she went to speak. He didn’t want to leave her side! Sawyer held his own too. The auditorium was different from being in the gallery. I got to hear about my mom’s childhood, and some stories her grandmother told her about her father, my grandfather. People from the audience had incredible questions about the art. Then we all went back into the gallery to talk and see the art. I waited until people mostly filed out to take in every piece from my grandfather and mom’s art. And, I saw my father in one of the pieces.

I really wish I had better photos of.. pretty much ANYTHING from that day.

It was just one of those things to experience. The big feelings were all over the place. I felt so much. Everything, everywhere, all at once. We went back to my parents’ farm and had mocktails. We watched Grey’s Anatomy. And then saw my sister and her kids the next day. We wound up staying for three nights, in which we didn’t do a whole lot. I mean, it was all a whole lot, but also perfect. We read and watched a little TV, and the kids bonded with both of my parents. We ate great food (ice cream!), got work done, and I even read a stack of magazines. I’m definitely feeling nostalgic about it all.

And also like I had to write this out before I lose any pieces of such beautiful memories. I always have complicated and big feelings about my father, uncle, and grandfather, and how I can work on being a better me, and a better life partner. And then, in turn, a more joyful and present mother. It’s nice to get away, and it hurts. It’s nice to come home, and that hurts too. I can cry thinking about it. In fact, I’m crying while I write this. So I’ll leave you with photos.

Next up (in one week or two): the little ones got incredible and much overdue haircuts!