A Waiting Game - Minnesota

This page is where this site gets a little messy, a little personal. My little sister, Liza, has had cancer on and off for the last four years. The first time was two weeks before I started my freshman year of college. In late July we found out it's back, sprinkled throughout her head (and probably other places). So.... this is kind of it. I left my internship in Mississippi a month early to come home and be with her indefinitely. I know without a doubt this is where I need to be right now, but that doesn't make things any less confusing. Here are some photos and words as I try to sort all this out.

Go bananas - August 12, 2020 - Eden Prairie, MN || How do you celebrate the end of radiation treatment? You go bananas (by eating banana splits and playing Bananagrams). Dad went all out - with two flavors of ice cream, caramel AND chocolate sauce, peanuts and almonds, whipped cream and, you guessed it, real cherries on top.

Evening ritual - August 12, 2020 - Eden Prairie, MN || After banana splits, we celebrated the end of radiation with two games of Bananagrams. Even though it was a special occasion in this instance, Bananagrams has become Liza's all-time favorite game. She seriously can't get enough of it, and it's always her first choice when we ask her what fun activity she wants to do as a family after dinner. It makes sense - she loves reading and writing, so making words is a fun challenge for her, and she loves organizing, so assembling her tiles in perfectly aligned rows puts her in paradise. I love watching her play.

A good, big project

Dad's been redoing the deck. He tinkers away for hours on end, and Mom spends time ordering plants and pillows that she'll use to decorate it when it's complete. It's great timing for COVID-19, since the deck is the only place we can host people now, and I think the big project is a good distraction for them both.

Deck work - August 15, 2020 – Eden Prairie, MN || Dad works on the deck in our backyard, his latest big home improvement project.

Thankful for you, Bemidji

I spent a weekend in Bemidji, Minnesota to visit Kaylee (best friend since childhood, lifelong pal). It was filled with all the classic Minnesota Lake Town things ~ fishing at sunset, hammocking by the lake, jet skiing, and downtown strolls past the giant Paul Bunyan statue. But the best part? Spending quality time with Kaylee for the first time in well over six months, and seeing her thrive in the post-grad life she's building for herself with a new job, fiance (Zack!!), and baby (Kona... the dog!!).

Sunset over Cass Lake - August 22, 2020 - Cass Lake, MN || Kaylee, Zack, Kona and I went out for an evening of fishing and watched the sun set from on the water. This night reminded me how much I love Minnesota, and how a simple sunset can put your heart and mind at ease.

Family Action Shot - August 22, 2020 - Cass Lake, MN || "Got one!" Zack said suddenly. Without missing a beat, Kaylee grabbed a net. Kona, ears perked up, also sprung into action. They operated like a well-oiled machine, I could tell this family has fished a time or two before.

"Kona look!" - August 22, 2020 - Cass Lake, MN || I'm thinking Kona is the most beautiful dog I've ever seen? And even better, she loves boating. She only tried to eat the live bait once.

Runaway dog - August 29, 2020 - Eden Prairie, MN || Me, Joe & Z brought Griz to Lake Riley for swim lessons. Joe and I feel a senseless determination to get Grizzly acclimated to the water. We tried enticing him by throwing the frisbee. We also tried to show him it wasn’t scary by picking him up and setting him in the water. We decided that he likes being near the water, but doesn’t like where he can’t touch. We’re bringing treats and his life jacket for his next lesson. As a summary of how the day's lesson went, according to Liza: “not good.”

Liza - August 29, 2020 - Eden Prairie, MN || Liza's hair blew about her face as she watched Grizzly's swimming lessons from the shore. I'm glad I took this photo when I did - it captures her wild waves so nicely - because now her hair is falling out by the handfuls since she started a new kind of chemotherapy.

Bible Study 1 - September 1, 2020 - Eden Prairie, MN || Liza joins a zoom-bible study with her youth group. As soon as she got on the call her face lit up - you can tell that, despite being a total homebody, this kid misses her pals.

Bible Study 2 - September 1, 2020 - Eden Prairie, MN || Liza holds her hands together during a prayer with her virtual youth group. Other than the joy on her face she stayed pretty quiet during the call. Mainly listening, watching, flipping her pencil in her hands.

It's all about the water

I did my first stretch of the Superior Hiking Trail in early September and have since realized the trip was all about the water. Perhaps most obvious, it was our drinking source. Beyond that, water was the soundtrack, from gurgling streams to rushing waterfalls. It was also the sought-out prize. We’d triumphantly shout “there’s the lake!” when we could see Superior in the distance. The sections of trail with a lake view were the best parts. The water nurtured my body and mind. It gave me a cold place to soak my sore and blistered feet after a long day of walking. It gave my thoughts space to wander & my mind room to recharge. Observing water in its many roles was another reminder that it’s such a privilege to roam this planet- to drink from its streams & perch next to its waterfalls for a brief rest.

Deck work - August 15, 2020 – Eden Prairie, MN || Dad works on the deck in our backyard, his latest big home improvement project.

Deck work - August 15, 2020 – Eden Prairie, MN || Dad works on the deck in our backyard, his latest big home improvement project.

Deck work - August 15, 2020 – Eden Prairie, MN || Dad works on the deck in our backyard, his latest big home improvement project.

Deck work - August 15, 2020 – Eden Prairie, MN || Dad works on the deck in our backyard, his latest big home improvement project.

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