We slept together, me and my two younger sisters, on a pallet laid out on the floor in the living room. We only had one bedroom in our little wooden house, and that was for Mama, Daddy, and my baby brother, Joey. My sisters, Jenny and Molly, were three and five, and I, May Ann,…

Walking through the orange grove this afternoonI feel the cool breeze wafting in from the ocean As the sun beats down and warms the earthA nearby shrub jay repeatedly sings his high-pitched songWeep-weep, waa. Weep-weep, waa My life feels lately like that incessant song Filled with good things and a few not-so-goodSo much happening that…

Hi all, Thank you for your kind words and support during my little grandson Ethan’s recovery from burns received from a sand-covered campfire at the beach. I am happy to report that his hands are almost completely healed, and his little feet are coming along. He is doing some walking, but his feet are clearly…

Lyla had her ballet recital today. Liz, Ethan, Ray and I joined the Pacheco-Beaty family along with their babysitter, Melissa for the festivities. Lyla was adorable in her dance costume. She also was head and showers taller than her other five-year-old dancer partners. The most entertained person in our group was Lyla’s baby cousin Ethan,…

I wrote this while Ethan was in the USC Hospital burn unit. He is back home, the bandages are off his hands, and his feet are healing, as evidenced by his standing on them several times a day. He is not walking yet, but I suspect the crawling is getting old for this energetic 18-month-old….

After the storm, the air was cool and cleanFallen limbs cluttered the streets and yardsBut the thick dust of summer had been washed awayLeaving shiny surfaces and opportunities for new beginnings After the storm, you and I walked outsideBreathed the fresh new airMarveled at the different shades of green all around usRan our fingers on…

Today, while visiting Grandma and Grandpa, Ethan stood on his burn-damaged feet for the first time since the accident and then took two steps forward. That doesn’t sound like much, but the fact that he pulled himself into the standing position and actually stepped down twice was monumental. Even better, he didn’t require pain medication…

Ethan seemed so happy to be back home today. He played outside much of the day and went on at least two walks with Grandma and a third with Grandma and Mama. (Walks being defined as riding in his dragon car while being pulled or being carried.) According to Liz, he didn’t need as much…

The two photos below pretty much say it all regarding Grandma and Grandpa’s reaction to Ethan returning to the orange grove. Hallelujah is the only word that comes to mind. Ethan will return for outpatient treatment on Monday. He will also have bandages and thick socks on his feet for several months as his second…

This past week, our granddaughter Luna graduated from Monterrey Hills Elementary School, where she has been involved in the Spanish-English Immersion program since kindergarten. Luna is now fluent in Spanish, and she and her dual immersion classmates will get college credit in middle school when they delve into Spanish literature. Go, Luna! Also, our younger…