There were two important things I was able to slip up to Utah for a couple weeks ago. One was to attend an open house at the Utah School for the Blind. The other was a celebration of my mother for her birthday.
Bridges School
Let’s start with the Utah School for the Blind. They have a special school called “Bridges” that serves to provide kids with blindness and low vision to help them transition successfully to the next step in life, post high school.
And as you can probably guess, at this stage of our life with Lucy graduating, we are gathering every bit of information we can about successful transition.
It just so happens that this school is located right down the street from my sister Saren, so I got to stay with her overnight and she came with me to the open house (she is the best). It was so good to get one-on-one time with her.
Utah Spring Blossoms
We went walking the night before the open house and I could hardly contain myself with the beauty of the Utah spring blossoms.
Oh my goodness, if you could have just stood under that tree pictured and SMELLED that beauty. It was heavenly.
We stayed up whipping up cookies in prep for our Mom’s birthday celebration the next day, and talking until late.
We got up bright and early the next morning to take a rainy hike before the open house. We explored Saren’s weekly sacred ground at Malans Peak, the moisture making the colors so rich and beautiful.
Gosh, the seasons in Utah are incredible.
The Bridges School Open House
Sar pushed off all the meetings and to-dos she had coming back in town (she had just been in Chile exploring her daughter’s mission stomping grounds with her) and came with me for the School for the Blind tour. Gosh I love that Saren!
The school is pretty incredible I have to say.
They have residential quarters where the students live Monday-Friday. I loved all the accommodations they have there and felt inspired with ways we can help Lucy as she adjusts to college life next year. I mean, how awesome is this?
I left feeling so empowered by the leaders, and the potential to have those contacts to help with our upcoming uphill journey.
My Mom’s Birthday Celebration
We had worked hard to figure out a time to gather to surprise our mom for her birthday. She’s been working on trying to gather us all for another “MFME” gathering for quite some time. And our families have all expanded so much it’s just SO TRICKY to figure out a time that works!
So we made this one little snippet of time come together and I loved surprising our mom with our “78” at the airport:
Because this woman is SO worthy of every celebration we could offer her.
Birthday Lunch
We had a sister/mom lunch with those who could make it:
A Visit to the Art Museum
We scrambled to get in a quick visit at closing at the U of U art museum, since art is one of her favorite things. This woman has taught us all to adore art.
This piece in particular spoke to me:
I could just picture my own five children in that painting. Max, the reliable big brother and Elle on the right. Grace in the middle with her long dark locks of hair. And Claire nurturing Lucy over there on the left. It’s like it was painted just for me. That’s what art can do for you:)
We drove up into the mountains for dinner, and I could not, for the life of me, stop taking photos out the window. I mean, snow in late April??
It was breathtakingly beautiful I have to say.
Birthday Dinner
We gathered with everyone else who could make it for dinner. We sure missed Anita (in Switzerland), Aja (in Hawaii) and Julie (working at the hospital). But we were joined by our friends Maureen and Amy who pretty much grew up with our family. And who call my mom their “second mom,” so that was pretty special.
Saydi brought up all the pieces of an amazing dinner and we ate and talked through all that my mom has taught us. The goodness she has brought us, as we sat for a long time at the table.
We ate cookies (of course) and talked through our “highs and lows.”
I was just SO grateful for that precious time to celebrate this woman, my biggest mentor in life.
This was all before the big birthday. On the actual day my dad planned this gathering with all the adult grandkids in Utah and I love this pic they sent:
Happy birthday dear Mama. Love you forever.
As a daughter of a mother who doesn’t speak to me, this made me cry – sad tears for me and happy tears for you and your siblings. How lucky you are to have such a wonderful mother! Cherish her!
I’m really sorry about this. It must be so hard for you. x
Oh Jessica, I’m so sorry. I’m sending you so much love as you grapple with that situation. And I’m also sending you hope that strong relationships will be forged, if not with your mom, with others around you. There are so many people in the world who need love and need to give love too.
Thank you for the reminder to cherish my mother.
XOXO
Jessica I am so sorry for you! I am sure you are a simply wonderful person that deserves much love!
Happy Birthday to your Mom! She is a remarkable woman! Definitely worth celebrating everyday but especially on her birthday! Happy Birthday Linda!
The plans for Lucy are just what I had been praying for. +++
Happy Belated Birthday to your Mum. 🎉🎈🎂🎁🥳
The school for the blind looks great.
Just curious, when you say school do you actually mean college/uni or is it an actual school where teenagers etc go to?
It’s just that I know that people in the US call often call college & uni school & I get confused.
This school we toured is a post high school “Bridges to Community Readiness” program. So not really college or university, more like training for the real world when you’re blind. There is a high school as well which looks pretty amazing. Lucy doesn’t really “fit” into either program at the moment, but it’s so good to be aware of what is available and have those contacts. Knowledge is power. And these people who run this program are pretty awesome.
Wow, your sister Saren looks like your dad!