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| How happy! Sixteen of us, including the #6 baby boy in my daughter's womb, September, 2012 |
一心盼著等去弟弟家吃年終火鍋時，好好過癮和我親愛的爸媽、二哥、及小弟的一家人合拍些相片，可惜當晚話說太多，忘了照相。
只好找出三個月前、咱們夫妻倆開長途、去科羅拉多州與孩子們團聚的相片。
那回，我倆也順便度了個小小蜜月 (九月八日是我們的結婚 38 週年紀念日)。今年咱倆的蜜月方式很特別。在 22 個小時的實際開車里程中，我們除了加油、上廁所之外，完全沒下車 ( 啊，忘了，我因為必須定期發 email 給神學院學生，有一天下午曾半路找了一個 Starbucks上網 )；早餐，中餐，晚餐，外加上午點心、下午茶，一概於兩人開車時包辦 (多半是我一面自己吃、一面餵他)。
甚至晚上都睡在車上。
後座早已放平，牀被也已鋪好。我倆在「不大不小、恰容二人」的包廂裏，打開天窗，欣賞「屋頂上」亮晶晶滴水似的星星。當秋霧漸濃，我們關上所有「門戶」，任窗外一輛又一輛巨大的貨櫃車轟隆轟隆、駛進駛出；直到夜深人靜，我倆鑽進溫暖舒適的被窩，甜蜜相擁而眠，一覺睡到朝霞滿天。
當然啦，到了那兒，女兒、兒子、兒媳、女婿他們，少不了為我倆大補特補，好好地慶祝了幾番。
雖然累得扁扁，但特開心！
那回，我倆也順便度了個小小蜜月 (九月八日是我們的結婚 38 週年紀念日)。今年咱倆的蜜月方式很特別。在 22 個小時的實際開車里程中，我們除了加油、上廁所之外，完全沒下車 ( 啊，忘了，我因為必須定期發 email 給神學院學生，有一天下午曾半路找了一個 Starbucks上網 )；早餐，中餐，晚餐，外加上午點心、下午茶，一概於兩人開車時包辦 (多半是我一面自己吃、一面餵他)。
甚至晚上都睡在車上。
後座早已放平，牀被也已鋪好。我倆在「不大不小、恰容二人」的包廂裏，打開天窗，欣賞「屋頂上」亮晶晶滴水似的星星。當秋霧漸濃，我們關上所有「門戶」，任窗外一輛又一輛巨大的貨櫃車轟隆轟隆、駛進駛出；直到夜深人靜，我倆鑽進溫暖舒適的被窩，甜蜜相擁而眠，一覺睡到朝霞滿天。
當然啦，到了那兒，女兒、兒子、兒媳、女婿他們，少不了為我倆大補特補，好好地慶祝了幾番。
雖然累得扁扁，但特開心！
回程再開 22 小時，再歡度一次一模一樣的「蜜月」(只是不必再去Starbucks, 已經在兒子家上網了)。剛到家第二天，突遇母親腕傷，我當即住進父母家中，每天X光處加上不同醫師們的診所、進出不停、日夜照顧母親。好不容易把母親安妥停當之後，我的腳踝嚴重扭傷，就沒再照過相。
於是，下面這張回程路經猶他州某休息站、拗不過丈夫好意、一定要我下車拍的照片，就成了今年的最後紀念 (在我殘障之前)。
So I had to dig out the pictures we took three months ago when my husband and I drove to Colorado to see our son, daughter, and their families.
On the way, we also celebrated our 38th anniversary, it was so special and unique! During that 22 hours of driving, we never got out of the car except when the car was thirsty or when we had to go to the bathroom. For all three meals and snacks, we ate while we were driving (most the time it was me feeding him with my fingers).
We even slept in the vehicle at night.
Back seats were already flattened and prepared as a bed. In that "just right size" little room, we lay down and watched the stars through our sky window. After all the come-and-go huge semi-trucks had quiet down, my husband and I slipped into our nice and warm bedding; we slept all night through until the pink and purple clouds lightened the beautiful morning sky.
Upon our arrival, of course our wonderful children treated us with some beautiful, huge and delicious feasts to celebrate our anniversary and gathering.
Though exhausted, it was a great reunion!
On the 22 hours way of driving back, we enjoyed another exactly the same "honey moon". The next day after we arrived home, my mother injured her wrist. Immediately I moved in my parents’ home, taking my mother for X-rays and various doctors' appointments, taking care of her and being with her every day and night. A few days later, my ankle was severely injured, and we haven’t had any picture taken since.
I was so
looking forward to taking some nice pictures with my family while having the
end-of-year hot pot dinner at my youngest brother’s home. Yet it ended that we talked too much to take any picture.
So I had to dig out the pictures we took three months ago when my husband and I drove to Colorado to see our son, daughter, and their families.
On the way, we also celebrated our 38th anniversary, it was so special and unique! During that 22 hours of driving, we never got out of the car except when the car was thirsty or when we had to go to the bathroom. For all three meals and snacks, we ate while we were driving (most the time it was me feeding him with my fingers).
We even slept in the vehicle at night.
Back seats were already flattened and prepared as a bed. In that "just right size" little room, we lay down and watched the stars through our sky window. After all the come-and-go huge semi-trucks had quiet down, my husband and I slipped into our nice and warm bedding; we slept all night through until the pink and purple clouds lightened the beautiful morning sky.
Upon our arrival, of course our wonderful children treated us with some beautiful, huge and delicious feasts to celebrate our anniversary and gathering.
Though exhausted, it was a great reunion!
On the 22 hours way of driving back, we enjoyed another exactly the same "honey moon". The next day after we arrived home, my mother injured her wrist. Immediately I moved in my parents’ home, taking my mother for X-rays and various doctors' appointments, taking care of her and being with her every day and night. A few days later, my ankle was severely injured, and we haven’t had any picture taken since.
So, the
picture below that my husband nicely insisted take for me at a rest area in Utah State marked the very
last one of this year (before I was handicapped).
(By Julia Chou)
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| September 23rd, 2012 at Bonneville Salt Flats State Park, Utah |
