minneapolis

We arrived in Minneapolis Friday night aroung 1 a.m after driving 12 hours straight.

Golden Valley Farmers Market
On Sunday, 8/26/2012 the whole family went to the Golden Valley Farmers Market, because Greg and Chelsea worked there. Was a fun day, walking around and looking at the stands, and playing with the kids. It finally started to feel like everything would calm down a little, eventhough I'm still very tired.

Lazy Day
And so, that's the reason why today, Monday, is a lazy day. Hanging around at the house, finally having time to rest.
At some point this week I will start figuring where I will go next - I still have no idea where I'll end up going. I didn't have time to plan anything because of my preciptious departure and all the stuff that was going on.
But that's not gonna happen today. Sleeping sounds like a good idea to me for today :)

xenia and yellow springs

After 4 hours of driving we arrived in Xenia, OH. There we set up everything for the funeral.
The first night, each of us stayed at a friends place - we met again next day and then we stayed at a Bed&Breakfast in Yellow Springs. It's in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by cornfields (guess what, we're in Ohio^^) and farms. The best place for a family to be together after such a loss and time to start realizing that she's really gone (that process is still going, it just feels so surreal).

On Tuesday, 8/21/2012 Chelsea's parents and the kids arrived from Minnesota.
Nevertheless, it was a long week. The funeral took place on Thursday. As funerals always are, it was sad, but also a relief. Many things would change, especially for my sister, but after several months in the hospital my mom was finally in a better place and for us it was time to go back to Minnesota. Well, for me it wasn't going back since I've never been there before.
So, on Friday 8/25/2012 we left for Greg's and Chelsea's house in Minneapolis, MN. Jolyne will move here and go to school, and I will stay with them for a little while before leaving for the big adventure.

cleveland

I arrived at the airport Friday night and got to see my sister Jolyne, my brother Mike and met Sacha, Greg (my sister's cousin/brother) and  Chelsea (his wife) for the first time.
Surprisingly my mom was alive and talking when I got to the hospital, like she had been waiting for my brother and me to fly in.

We stayed at the Cleveland Clinic for a couple days non-stop, without leaving the hospital area.
After my hostmom passed on Sunday, we (Jolyne, Mike, Greg, Chelsea and me) stayed in Cleveland for one more night at a hotel before leaving for Xenia on Monday.

up in the air

I didn't have time to tell a lot of people what's going on, so this is the easiest way of letting everybody know.

On Thursday night i got a message from my American sister that my hostmom is about to pass away.
In absoulte craziness I booked a flight in the middle of the night, which was going to leave on Friday afternoon. I packed all night, had like 2 hours of sleep and all i knew was that i was going to Cleveland and that there will be someone to pick me up.
I didn't know where I was gonna stay, who was gonna be there and if my hostmom would even be alive when i get there.

I arrived in Cleveland 15 hours later.