Friday, November 17, 2017

Grandma Ruth and the Sorcerers Stone

Our boys are Harry Potter freaks.  Last year when I was deployed it was a tender mercy from our Lord that the two oldest became enthralled in the Harry Potter series.  They walked around for months on end with their heads buried in one gigantic book after another.  It helped her maintain control as they occasionally just needed a slight course redirection to avoid walking into a pillar at Walmart or something.

Last week we took them to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios.  It was a pretty amazing thing to see and those boys ate up every inch of it.  They each picked a wand at Olivanders, cast spells to make books in windows open and rode terrible and yet wonderfully adventurous rides through (dare I say) a magical kingdom.  Though I suppose it's technically a 'magical representative democracy'.

We stayed in this great retro hotel called the Cabana Bay Resort where everything was done up in a late 50's early 60's motif.  Right down to the V05 shampoo.  There was a lot of arguing and fighting as 6, 9 and 11 year old boys are wont to do.  There were many more baseless threats as parents of 6, 9 and 11 year old boys are also wont to do.  It was a great trip and one which we will all remember for a very long time.

Coming out of a ride with Mackay we had a conversation that went like this.
M: "Man that was so awesome I think I am going to be a vegetarian!"
I was intrigued and wondered if he knew what that word meant.
A: "So what is a vegetarian?"
M: "You know, it's like a veterinarian, but with a 'G'.  Oh ya, a veterinarian.  You know, like you Dad, someone who fights wars and rides in planes and stuff!"

For the record, he damn well knows what every one of those words means.  He was feeling really silly and started playing on the words and trolling me because he knew that I'd bite and give him a hard time.  It was some second level stuff.

Before that trip we got some crummy news.  My Grandma Ruth finally succumbed to the end of her life and passed away.  We talked about it and Michelle made it possible for me to take Brigham and go to Utah for the funeral.

It was cool experience because it was Brigs first trip on an airplane where he got his own seat and actually understood what was going on.  I got to talk him through the taxi and take off and explain to him the magic and physics of how it all happens.  I thought he wasn't terribly interested because all he kept asking for was my phone but later when we were with his cousin Max I over heard him emphatically talking about the magical feeling he had when the wheels lifted off the ground and he could feel free from earth.  As a pilot dad it was pretty cool.

I'm glad that Brigham got to be there for the funeral.  I wish they all could have been; I really wish Michelle could have as well.  It was an amazing opportunity to see what it means to be a Rasmussen.  I can't think of but a few moments in the entire weekend that were somber.  It was a Rasmussen family get together--we laughed, we joked, we poked fun at each other, we wrestled and I body slammed Felicia at least twice.  The children put together one of the most amazing celebrations of life that I could imagine and as we all met in that little chapel I attended as a child I felt at home surrounded by those people.  I always will.  Brigham did too.  He needed to feel that and know what it means.  I'm glad we could make that happen.  We will always miss our Grandma Ruth but we will never fail to have a part in this very large family that she gave us.

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