Hometown, U.S.A.

This past weekend, Paul had the opportunity to fly in the Cleveland Air Show, which also featured the Blue Angels. We decided to take Sofie down so we could visit the sites, as well as take her to a Browns game and the air show.

We started off with a loooong seven hour drive down to Akron, with me as the pilot and Sofie as the co-pilot. Paul had to fly the helicopter down with his crew earlier in the day. The kids were okay, but it was by no means a relaxing 'Sunday' drive. Almost as soon as we got there, we left the kids with my mom (thanks, Toosie!) so that we could go downtown to Browns Stadium. This was my first trip to the 'new' stadium and Sofie's first time ever at an American football game and we had great seats for all the action. I think it's safe to say she liked it A LOT more than baseball. The Browns looked pretty good in the first quarter with their starters, then really stunk it up with their bench warmers for the rest of the game. Let's hope everyone stays healthy and the scrubs never have to play.

The next morning, I thought I'd show Sofie my hometown, Medina, Ohio. This was a little for Sofie and a little for me because I really haven't been back to Medina for a long time. We visited the high school, where my old high school is encased in the new one.

Next, we went to the square and took pictures at the Gazebo. This was the first full-circle moment that we had. When I was little, probably from birth, we would go up to the square for the band concerts that my dad still directs every Friday night. We used to run around the Gazebo and climb on the railings. It was very surreal to watch Kailey and Owen do the same thing.

Finally, I wanted to drive past a few of the five houses where I lived in Medina...we drove by four of them. Two have real significance for me. The first was the one that my parents first owed and it was a lot smaller than I remembered. The little picket fence is still standing that they built over 30 years ago. The next house was the house that we lived in the longest, from age four to sixteen. I wanted to take a picture, and of course, the owner was outside. We asked if it would be okay and explained who we were. He was a little reluctant at first, but then when we started sharing stories, we was much nicer. The funniest, which probably only Nancy will appreciate it, was when we asked if the neighbors to our left still lived there and he said, "The one who mows her lawn three times a week?" She was known for that. Too funny!

I did become sappy when he let me go around the side of the house to take a picture of "My tree." I gave this tree to my mom for Mother's Day, 1983. It was a sad little 6 inch stick in a milk carton, even sadder than Paul's stick in our front yard now. Look at it now! I got teary eyed because for my whole life, even until now, I have moved around so much. This was something that was permanent from my childhood that's still there, which for some weird reason, is very special to me.

Medina is still such a cute town, and maybe, if I didn't grow up there, I would probably want to live there forever. Unfortunately, I'm just not a Townie, so while my tree gets me choked up, it's really okay that I'm somewhat of free bird!

We concluded Friday night with a visit to a doting Bubbie and Poppy's house for Brisket and Cheesecake, because that's just what Bubbies do and that's just what Bubbies serve.