Bahrman Bulletin

While visiting with my siblings this weekend in the San Juans, we were reminded of the children’s riddle, “To market, to market to buy a fat pig. Home again, home again jittity jig.” While Ryan insisted that the ending should have been “jog,” we Bahrmans knew better. Chiara has been getting lots of practice with the riddle (and is apparently a better rhymer than her uncle). We’ve been out and about more than we’ve been home lately.

After dropping Becca off at UP, we returned to Bend for one day and then boarded a plane for Vegas. It was the first trip for all three of us to the glittery city. While Tom worked, Chiara and I played. On Tuesday night the three of us went to see Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere. We wondered how Chiara would do sitting still for so long, but she loved it! Although too small to sit in her own seat (it kept folding up on her!), she sat quietly on my lap, giggling and laughing throughout. For the next several days, she reminded us of the stunts that the acrobats did. “They were swinging and bouncing…” she would retell with streams of giggles.

After a relaxing Labor Day weekend at home, we headed back to Portland for my 20-year high school reunion. Although the crowd was small, it was still interesting to attend. We had time to catch up with Laura and Jon, which made it more than worth the trip (and even the $170 dinner that was down-right awful).

At the park with Gra and Papa

On Monday, we went up to OHSU to meet with our doctor about Tom’s latest test results. We were frustrated to learn they went up–the opposite direction we’d like to see. However, it wasn’t a big increase. In fact, it was almost a plateau. So we keep monitoring; our doctor moved the next test up a few weeks. We did learn some good news, though. Science is amazing–there is now a Plan D available! Another new drug is just finishing the first phase of clinical trials and looks to be quite promising. We hope we won’t need to get to Plan D, but it is reassuring that it is there if necessary.

We were home just long enough to do a few loads of laundry and repack our bags. This past weekend we headed to the San Juans for cousin Zan’s and Janna’s wedding. For the first time in many years, all 11 cousins were together! It was fun to celebrate the beautiful couple in such a lush setting. And while it poured in Bend that weekend, the rain was quite cooperative on the green island. We enjoyed a rehearsal dinner, complete with s’mores, outdoors before any drops began falling. And on the day of the wedding, no rain fell until it was almost dinner time. Someone up above was looking out for the newly weds and all their guests!

And the self-timer shot of the year:

Once again, my dear friend Petie and her husband Dave hosted us for dinner, this time at their house in Seattle. Chiara had a great time playing ball with Ryan, Kiera and the Dads while Petie and I had a chance to talk. And Marie and her father stopped by for a quick pre-Italy visit. It was the perfect ending to a weekend of friends and family celebrating together.

Now we’re enjoying a week at home. I thought it would be plenty of time to get laundry done, visit with friends, get out for a few jogs, and do some cooking. I’m learning, though, that a week at home just isn’t long enough. But I’m not complaining. With Italy just a few days away, I can’t help but feel giddy.

Chiara, however, does not have another trip to look forward to. I assumed she’d appreciate being home for a while, but she apparently has the travel bug. Yesterday she asked, “Mom, what we doing Saturday?” I told her we’d be home and could play on Saturday. Her response? “That’s boring.” (I’ve never heard her say “boring” before.) I guess it’s time to start applying for her passport…

Last Thursday might have seemed like it could not come fast enough for Becca, but for the rest of us in the Bahrman household, it arrived with mixed emotions. We were excited for Becca to begin this new adventure in life. Tom and I look back on our college years with such great fondness, we knew that Becca was commencing on an endeavor that would forever impact the decisions she makes in life. And we were fortunate to have a weekend of our own college-friends’ visits, bringing those fond memories flashing into today, where new memories are created with our friends.

My dear friend Brena and Martin surprised us with a visit–finally!–to Bend. We loved seeing them and touring the High Desert Museum together. Even though Martin is a few years older than Chiara, that didn’t stop her from wanting to do everything he could do! Later in the day, Tom’s college roommate, Rae, stopped by for a visit. It was great for me to finally meet her and Tom enjoyed catching up on what she had been up to this last decade plus a few. And then Sunday, we visited our friends Tami and Dennis with their family at Cove Palisades. We missed not joining them on the boat, but the chance to visit with them–and see Chiara play with their girls–was wonderful!

With fond memories of our old college days, we packed up the Subaru and headed to UP. Becca had an army of helpers carry her things to her new home: Grandma and Grandpa Bahrman and her mother joined us on campus, making quick work of moving Becca’s belongings into her room.

After a quick lunch break, it was off to shop for the things needed to make the room a home. And then dinner with her roommate, Helena, and her father. It was great getting to meet them. When your child goes away from home, it’s good to know who she is going away with! And the fact that Helena already had her calculus book out and was studying made us feel that much better about the girls living together!

Becca was kept busy that weekend, getting in-depth tours of campus, meeting hall-mates, and learning about what professors would expect of students come Monday. And the parents were kept busy, too. Several meetings let us know what to expect from the next year or two: a lot of expensive bills, and more independence and maturity from our girl. Our part of the deal: to pay those bills and give her space.

Both, we are learning, are easier said than done. While I felt a little like a young twenty-something upon leaving Becca on Thursday evening (Grandma had Chiara so I was footloose and fancy-free!), Saturday afternoon was a different story altogether. With teary eyes, we took our leave.

So far, it seems that everyone is adjusting. It helped that we finished the weekend with another college-friend visit. Petie and Dave were in Sunriver and hosted a wonderful dinner. Thinking of those first college days and meeting Petie, I knew once again that Becca was having fun and meeting people who would be dear to her for the rest of her life.

Becca, in the meantime, had to buckle down and begin classes. So far, so good. She is enjoying them, getting to know several people, finding her way around campus, and getting situated in her room. Exciting times when the world opens up, new connections are made and new ideas explored. We can’t wait to hear more about it when we see Becca next.