It's been a sobering couple of weeks. But first, the fun news. We played host to the dynamic duo of Lily and Jackson Pannkuk, along with their parents, over the weekend. We worked with their mom, Jessica Cochran, back in Alaska... in fact, it's fair to argue that if Jessica hadn't taken time off to have Lily in 2004, opening the door for me (Ashley) to come and fill in for her at Alaska Public Radio Network, where I met an amazing radio host, one Gabriel Spitzer... there would be no Ezra today! So, thank you, Jessica and Nathan, for starting your family at just the right time!
We had high ambitions of going to the aquarium, but once we got there, the line snaked halfway to Iowa. So we jettisoned that plan and walked in the sunshine along the lake and through Millennium Park.
There we discovered that the Frank Gehry curvy bridge makes a pretty fantastic slide. And a street musician serenaded us with Tom Lehrer songs ("One day when she had nothing to do, She cut her baby brother in two, and served him up as an Irish stew, and invited the neighbors in..."). All in all, a great afternoon!
Ezra loved watching the big kids - and before we know it, he'll be one of them. He's learned to pull himself to standing, and he's getting faster and faster at getting around.
Now, for the sobering news. Grandpa John Spitzer had a mild heart attack on Friday. He had to spend five days in the hospital while they put stents in his arteries. It's been a scary time, but we're grateful beyond words that his prognosis is good, and that he's home now to celebrate Passover tonight. Maybe the toughest thing he'll have to change in his current lifestyle is switching to decaf! Rabbi, may you be back on your motor scooter in no time!
And on to even more sobering news. My family lost a great friend last Friday.
Eric Treisman worked with my dad for more than two decades - but they've known each other since the late 1960s, when they worked for a legal aid clinic on the Navajo reservation. Eric was almost part of our family - he hiked with us, ate dinner with us, and was able to explain in plain English the finer points of Indian law that my dad has a hard time making comprehensible to us. He suffered a massive heart attack and was then taken off life support. Eric was a pretty amazing guy - he traveled by biplane to the outer reaches of Siberia for National Geographic, he helped bring hundreds of Tibetan refugees to the U.S., and used his legal knowledge to benefit have-nots from Alaska to Micronesia to New Mexico. We'll feel lucky if Ezra grows up to have half of Eric's intelligence, social conscience and adventurous spirit. I'm grateful that Eric got a chance to meet Ezra when we visited Santa Fe in December.
Love,
Ash, Gabe and Ez
3 comments:
All the best to you and your families during this time...and may spring bring new experiences for Ezra galore.
Thanks for your remembrance of Eric and the sweet photograph ~ his smile shows his delight doesn't it? Hope all is getting better for Gabe's father ~ am looking forward to meeting him next month! And Ezra ~ always adorable and forever bringing new experiences into his parents lives! Sara just had her 16th and still surprises me often with her insight and wit. Love to all ~ Bev
Thanks, Ash, for the words about Eric and the fantastic photo. I am still completely beside myself. So glad that John Spitzer is recovering well...my love to all.
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