After 6 weeks of visiting family, going TDY to San Antonio, and being on the road, we are home. It was a fantastic vacation. I loved seeing our children getting to know their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Here are some of the highlights that come to mind:
--Going to Temple Square and then grabbing some Thai food with my brother, Kevin.
--Having a "Salon Party" with cousins Sophia, Azure, and Eliza. We painted their nails, cut their hair, and gave them a fancy hair style. The girls had such a fun time together.
--Reconnecting with some good friends from Maryland who had moved to Utah. Our kids are the same age and were BFFs before we moved. We loved seeing them again.
--Attending the blessing of my beautiful new niece, Ruby.
--Going to the zoo and feeding a giraffe.
--Playing games with my brother, Matt, and his wife.
--Commiserating with Megan about stupid dating experiences. And good dating experiences. And eating the most delicious waffles on the planet. And watching MST3K. Man, I miss my sister.
--Going to the beautiful Payson Temple with Mike.
--Arriving in Oregon from San Antonio and having Mike take me on a very nice, romantic date the next day. Underground Portland tour + Voodoo Donuts + Saturday's Market + Moroccan food + Papa Haydn desserts = Best. Date. Ever.
--Spending time talking with my sister-in-law, Debi.
--Driving to the Oregon Coast with Mom Clark, my niece, Katelyn, and my nephew, Daniel. We met Mike's brother and his wife at Cape Kiwanda. While I stayed on the beach with a deeply unhappy Ryan, Mike, Sophia, and everyone else climbed up a huge dune. I was impressed that Sophia made it to the top by herself. What a trooper! The Oregon coast is stunning. Mike and I have a pie-in-the-sky dream to buy some property and build a summer vacation home there.
--Our last night in Oregon, we stayed up late with Mike's siblings and their spouses playing games and talking. We were exhausted, but we didn't quite want the day to end. My in laws are the most fun, wonderful people.
Usually, when we leave family, we have a plan in place when our next visit will be. Although I'm sure it's not too far away, we don't have a plan in place this time and it's making me miss family more. I wish we lived closer. I regret that my kids don't have consistent opportunities to play with their cousins and get to know their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. I feel bad that Mike is the one sibling that doesn't live within walking or driving distance from the others. And it's hard not to have a pity party for myself sometimes, too. It's hard not to live closer to family.
We arrived home just in time to watch General Conference. I love listening to the inspired words of our leaders. It was truly a spiritual feast this weekend. During General Conference, we were invited to "ponderize" the scriptures by picking a verse a week and contemplating it throughout each day. This is the scripture our family picked tonight at FHE:
Interestingly, when I spoke with my mom tonight, she said she picked the very same verse. What are the chances??
I'm not sure, but it was one of those non-coincidental coincidences that makes family feel closer despite the distance.
