Visiting Michigan
About six days after we returned from London, I ventured off to visit my family in Michigan. My mom (my family, really) has been through a lot since I last saw her in March, so it was good to see her and walk through part of this journey with her. I got to see the rest of my family, too. This trip brought joy to my soul. :)
We celebrated Faith's 7th birthday (a few days after her actual birthday so I could celebrate in person, too - it was a real treat!). :) I can't believe how BIG she is getting and how old she is acting!!! It seems she was the little chunky baby I snuggled with just yesterday.... Not so chunky...not so baby anymore....
The next day, I met my dad at my grandparent's place. I haven't seen them in ages. It was good to sit there and listen to them talk, smell the same smells I remember from my childhood, and catch up with them.
That weekend, we went up to the H's cottage for some 4th of July fun (in the 65 degree, cloudy weather). It was still fun, though! Around 6pm, the weather suddenly got sunnier and a bit more pleasant, so we all went outside and the girls (and some of the adults) had fun with sparklers, mini rockets and pop rocks.
Bella Bo :)
Faith Ellen :)
Bella hitting the pop rocks against the cement wall with gusto.
Faith with her cousin Levi.
Watching the rockets shoot off into the sky.
Later that week, I got to take the girls out for ice cream. I think all that sugar started getting to them (us)...see pictures below:
I love my sister. :) The night before I left...I hate preparing to say good-bye.
At the airport. Heart sad to say good-bye until Christmas. I was thankful, though, that my mom, sister and nieces were all there to see me off.
Home. It's good to be in my husband's arms again. :)
It was a good trip. I'm thankful I had that time to spend with everyone. I love all the moments that collectively make memories to last a life-time:
...Seeing the boys...seeing Jared's eyes light up as he told me about the "big buck!" he saw the other day...
...hearing Faith, Bella and Jared giggle at the movie theater as they, my mom, sister and I all watched the movie "Up"...
...sitting in the camper as the girls colored or traced pictures in coloring books...
...petting my not-so-puppy Shadow as she slowly ages, yet loves me the same as she did when I saw her for the first time at the Humane Society...
...watching "So You Think You Can Dance" in the living room with my mom as she crochets, together commenting on how moving one dance was or how the other could've been stronger...
...sitting at the cancer center with Sonny and my mom, watching the nurse poke my precious mom's vanes with a needle to hook her up to an IV as she administered the awful drugs of chemotherapy into her body...feeling sick to my stomach and helpless that I can't do anything to make my mom healthier - to prevent her from having to go through such wretched things when she's already had her fair share of crud in her life...
...seeing the strength and beauty that is my mom and hoping that I can be a fraction of the kind of mom she has been to me, Sonny and Chad...
...taking in the hugs from my big brother...
...admiring Sonny and Mike and their parenting...
...missing my husband and his interaction with my family...
...soaking up every moment with my precious family, wishing Michigan and Washington weren't so far apart.
We celebrated Faith's 7th birthday (a few days after her actual birthday so I could celebrate in person, too - it was a real treat!). :) I can't believe how BIG she is getting and how old she is acting!!! It seems she was the little chunky baby I snuggled with just yesterday.... Not so chunky...not so baby anymore....
The next day, I met my dad at my grandparent's place. I haven't seen them in ages. It was good to sit there and listen to them talk, smell the same smells I remember from my childhood, and catch up with them.
That weekend, we went up to the H's cottage for some 4th of July fun (in the 65 degree, cloudy weather). It was still fun, though! Around 6pm, the weather suddenly got sunnier and a bit more pleasant, so we all went outside and the girls (and some of the adults) had fun with sparklers, mini rockets and pop rocks.
Bella Bo :)
Faith Ellen :)
Bella hitting the pop rocks against the cement wall with gusto.
Faith with her cousin Levi.
Watching the rockets shoot off into the sky.Later that week, I got to take the girls out for ice cream. I think all that sugar started getting to them (us)...see pictures below:
I love my sister. :) The night before I left...I hate preparing to say good-bye.
At the airport. Heart sad to say good-bye until Christmas. I was thankful, though, that my mom, sister and nieces were all there to see me off.
Home. It's good to be in my husband's arms again. :)
It was a good trip. I'm thankful I had that time to spend with everyone. I love all the moments that collectively make memories to last a life-time:
...Seeing the boys...seeing Jared's eyes light up as he told me about the "big buck!" he saw the other day...
...hearing Faith, Bella and Jared giggle at the movie theater as they, my mom, sister and I all watched the movie "Up"...
...sitting in the camper as the girls colored or traced pictures in coloring books...
...petting my not-so-puppy Shadow as she slowly ages, yet loves me the same as she did when I saw her for the first time at the Humane Society...
...watching "So You Think You Can Dance" in the living room with my mom as she crochets, together commenting on how moving one dance was or how the other could've been stronger...
...sitting at the cancer center with Sonny and my mom, watching the nurse poke my precious mom's vanes with a needle to hook her up to an IV as she administered the awful drugs of chemotherapy into her body...feeling sick to my stomach and helpless that I can't do anything to make my mom healthier - to prevent her from having to go through such wretched things when she's already had her fair share of crud in her life...
...seeing the strength and beauty that is my mom and hoping that I can be a fraction of the kind of mom she has been to me, Sonny and Chad...
...taking in the hugs from my big brother...
...admiring Sonny and Mike and their parenting...
...missing my husband and his interaction with my family...
...soaking up every moment with my precious family, wishing Michigan and Washington weren't so far apart.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 12:17 PM.
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So sorry we didn't connect when you were here!
I love the pics, and all the posts.
Good to talk on the phone anyway... and to hear your mom's voice was amazing.
Blessings. Jen
Yeah - me, too. I meant to meet up with about 3 people and none of them happened. Maybe the next time I'm there...
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