world cup

We're cheering for Ghana in the World Cup. Cheering. Cheering.

End of regulation. Tied.

End of extra time, and it's still tied. Oh, and it's breaking our hearts, every second that ticks off the clock, the failed strikes, so close.

Final shootout. Ghana misses the third.

Uruguay misses the fourth.

Ghana misses.

In Ghana, they've shut down all business. Closed the shops and markets. Diverted electricity to accommodate every single television in the country. They're all watching.

I almost look away during Uruguay's fifth penalty, invested in the outcome for the state of an entire people, the hope of a continent, collective held breath, hearts laid open on the line.

Both teams are in agony, hands to their faces or held out in an entreaty of prayer.

Ah.

Ah.

Papa is in Ghana on this day. We are here, so far away. Bound for a few short hours to the hope of an entire nation.

The Momgoose - fan of World Cup

world's biggest pizza

To celebrate my birthday, mom ordered a bit of pizza from The Pie, my favorite pizza place back in the day when I was a starving student. It was the biggest pizza ever. The 3' square pizza box took up the entire kitchen counter.

Amy Hale made birthday cake. I think darling Suzanna helped with the frosting, or at least the tasting of the frosting.

I flew home that night to have Missy pick me up at the airport and be home with Becca and Miss for the last of another great birthday.

Sherri

there and back again

So my darling husband was home for a week to attend Becca's graduation, mow the lawn (twice), catch up on his sleep and BBQ duties. He's back in Indiana now, heading for Ohio, Georgia, and then California before he comes home at the end of July. Of course, he has some amazing stories of places he's been - Churchill Downs, Louisville Slugger Museum, Annapolis waterfront. I'm sure you all get tired of my sleepless-night postings when he is gone from home, but dang it all, I'm tired, too.

Becca and Kristen were both darling graduates. Ryan, Megan and Trey joined us at the ceremony as well as Missy, Chantz and Lindsay. I am thrilled to have all my little ducklings through the public school system. On to the next phase.

But before the actual graduation, I dropped over to SLC for a bit. Mom had another surgery on her knee, and Grandma Farrell was staying there at the house. Seemed like a good time to head over, walk the dog a few times, play chauffeur, pick up a few groceries and some late-night Häagen-Dazs for the household. Bonus points: got to see Brad and Susan and their darling Hale-mob as well as Lor and Jer and their own little Wangsgard-mob. Scott and Amy even showed up, Amy with the kids first and then Scott from his interview in Washington D.C.

I also had the opportunity to spend much of my birthday with Grandma Farrell. We took her little dog to the groomer and then went by her house to pick up a few more of her things and some clothes. She took me to lunch at Sandy's for my birthday, and everywhere we went, she would introduce me and tell people it was my birthday. She told me all kinds of stories about her and Grandpa, about her friends and people she knew, about living in Ohio and traveling in the military. She is truly an amazing woman, and I enjoyed every minute.

I love my family. When we were all little, family was sometimes all we had. Sibs. Cousins. Grandparents. Maybe that's what made our bond that much stronger. I think it comes from the combination of our nomadic moving, and Papa and Grandma's clear and often exuberant dedication to the family structure. Oh sure, we've always scrapped with each other, hurt each other's feelings, drifted. But faced with a challenge, we have proven to come together for each other. Time and time again.

My hope is that my own children, all of them, feel loved like that. I know that I felt very loved throughout this latest visit to Utah. And I know that I feel loved here at home. Family love crosses state lines and is also wireless. And having Rick out of town just means that we have to hang out on the phone for the entire hour of Deadliest Catch so that we still get to "watch" it together. That's what I'm talking about.

Sherri