How Life Unfolds

My Dearest Friends,

My heart is heavy. My darling husband, my best friend and partner, my love and father of my children, passed away suddenly this past Saturday. Nona, Emma and I love him and miss him so very deeply.

We are days away from returning to the States, preparing ourselves to start a new journey with the knowledge that we are short one very important member of our family. This summer will be a busy one, with new starts in ways we did not imagine. But we will get through this. We are survivors.

I may be away for a few months, getting my girls settled into their new life, but I did not want you to wonder where I went. I hope I will feel the urge to pick up my pencil again soon.

Thank you for all your good wishes. Please know that your friendship brings me great comfort and joy.

With love,
bella

My Little Music Maker

A few weeks ago, my older daughter Nona had a violin recital. She played Concerto No. 2, 3rd Movement, by F. Seitz. For weeks, I had listened and tapped loudly in rhythm as she tried to master a particularly difficult part of the music and the dog ran neurotically in circles. I'd watch, heartbroken, as she would grimace in frustration and whip her bow angrily through the air, threatening to break it in two. But on the big night, she held her composure and aced it, every single note. I was so proud and so happy and so relieved. As luck would have it, though, my camera ran out of juice, so I have no pictures, no video, nothing but the vision in my head. So this is my tribute to my daughter Nona, my little violinist.

Thank you all for your visits and wonderfully uplifting comments. I appreciate them all. We're busy preparing for our trans-pacific move and making the rounds at sayonara events, so I haven't had time to visit all your blogs. Please forgive me. I will hopefully return to normal in a few weeks. Thank you, thank you!

Bryce Canyon, Utah

And thank you, Yoon See, for the adorable Hello Kitty figurines! Can you believe it? She made and painted them herself! She is talented in so many ways and always, always generous. We love them, and I couldn't wait to climb them!

A Very Special Day

*From my moleskine. Tree and birds by Ces.

Today, I celebrate the birth of an amazing human being. Her crackerjack wit makes me laugh until my sides feel like splitting. I will find myself giggling at inappropriate locations and inappropriate times, just remembering our sometimes-ribald conversations. She makes my brain light up like Christmas lights and undergo contortionistic feats, like a cerebral Cirque du Soleil. Her incredible art makes my eyes dance and my jaws succumb to gravity, and I have to reach for a paperbag to keep from hyperventilating. Sounds like quite a painful friendship, but I assure you, it is not. She elevates me and holds me up when I feel like crumbling and inspires me to reach new heights. Happy birthday, my dearest Ces and her Gemini twin sister. I celebrate you.

Ces, her Viking who loves to fish,
Epsilon 1 who caught a ginormous catfish,
and Epsilon 2 who starred in a musical production of Don't Rock the Boat.