Spring Break...sort of

D.I.A. - Evan and I enjoyed a pleasant drive over the mountains after an excellent meal at Charcoal Burger in Glenwood Springs, which is a tradition for us when driving to Denver.

Now we're awaiting the 1:00 AM red-eye to JFK, and a connection to Pittsburgh that will put us back in our home town (hopefully) by 8:00 tomorrow morning. This really isn't as bad as it sounds; we're usually able to sleep on the plane. I didn't decide to do this until last week, and this was the cheapest way to go that I could find.

Evan is not thrilled with going back east with me. He knows that my primary motivation is to see Leslie, and he is not thrilled with Leslie being in my life. He stays with his grandmother. I'm not going to force him to participate in stuff we do if he doesn't want to, but I feel bad for him. I pray for guidance to understand my future, and act accordingly for the benefit of him and as many of my loved ones as I can. I thought about letting Evan stay in GJ with a friend while I was gone, but recent events were a reality check about readiness and trust that couldn't be ignored.

I've not seen Leslie since last October, and while we do talk regularly, we understandably miss each other. Leslie's daughter Michaela is still receiving chemotherapy while awaiting word on the start of a clinical trial for a newer oral cancer drug that is being tried with patients with Neuroblastoma. Her chemo this week may limit what we can do together, but I hope I can lend some kindness and support to this family that has been challenged by cancer as mine has been.

We'll be back after the weekend. I received some replies from City Council candidates in response to my earlier post, which I am still compiling. I also received a response from City Manager Laurie Kadrich. The responses have ranged from a referral to the campaign website (Reford Theobold) to a thoughtful statement about how some of the issues are already being dealt with (Teresa Coons), to a request to identify who I was and who I represented (Roland Cole). I'll hopefully be able to learn more as the coming weeks arrive before the election.

In the meantime, this will hopefully be a nice time for respite with family and friends, but I do feel like I'm in the middle of a tug of war of sorts. Prayer for balance, patience, healing, and understanding will accompany me, starting with our night journey across the continent. I'm hopeful for peace and understanding, no matter how long it takes.

Hope those of you with kids on Spring Break are coping well. Have a good weekend ahead.