See you later alligators

Missing you already. Where are you guys? Why can't I see your shinning faces anymore? Why are the streets here so cold and lonely...? Where are the dogs and the innocent zucchinis?
I Heard Sashi bark yesterday morning in the early hours. One of those weird things that happen. I was sleeping, then suddenly Sashi barked! It woke me up, sat up and thought for one quick second that Sashi was downstairs, like usual when we visit my mom. Why did I hear her bark? And just once. It made me sad. I laid back down and realized how much I missed her, and how much I am dearly trying to detach myself from her only to make it easier on myself. I think just this year we became closer. In the beginning she wasn't my idea. I didn't want another dog. But there she was, and it took me a long time to accept her. Maybe cause I had Petunia for so long. Maybe cause I knew how much work it was going to be. Maybe cause it was she ate all the bread of the counter and my special quiche off the stove that one evening...and now, I miss her. I miss her very very much. I love you Sashi...I'm sorry I didn't bring you with me:(
Well, just to stay on that sad note, I've included some pictures from the morning we left. You'll notice the flowers attached to the antenna of our car. We kept them on there the whole way, and sadly, they withered away in the wind, with the sun, with the pollution. It was really sad actually to see them go from healthy and glowing to dry and brittle. They slide all the way down the antenna. It was like seeing something so beautiful die so quickly ...right in front of you..how morbid of me. Or rather, I realized along the ride how these beautiful little flowers belonged in Blacksburg, belonged only in Airport Acres, and how they did not belong anywhere else, especially Detroit. About a few hours away from my mom's house they just looked so out of place. Flowers on an antenna, in the middle of an industrial city, in the middle of pollution, and there they were ..lifeless and broken. Like all the goodness in them had been literally pulled out of them. I was going to take a picture of them just for the beauty in that story, but didn't. By the time we reached my moms house they were gone. Somewhere between that moment and my moms they got lost, fell off. Maybe that was a good thing, but we were all a bit sad they didn't make the entire trip with us. But maybe it was a good thing. We didn't arrive with dead flowers on our antena. It was a beautiful moment with the flowers though. Thank you for the thought Amy H. Anyhow, here are some pics of that morning. I miss you all very very very much. Kenji and Keo too. JM too. We are blessed to have such a wonderful community of friends. I'm sending you all my love. *g.

Family Portrait above

If you look closely you can see Michelle making her what she said is her anti-cry face. She said "When I'm about to cry I just make this noise with my mouth. Look closely and you can see exactly what she means. Ha! Amy you look so sad...look how tender that moment is. 

 l

Kotaro, Keo is going to miss you.. and Alec thank you for letting me be your godmother, I'm honored.

Oh goodness....I'll post just this one but I have to send you the other ones.  They will break your heart. I had my mom in tears. Kenji can't even look at this picture without crying...big gulp.