Catching up

So, I know it's been a really long time since I've posted and part of that is because I wrote an entire post early last week that errored out and had to be deleted and partly because we've just been busy and blogging takes time.

Here are some highlights of the last few weeks.

We went to see my grandparents. At my grandparents we went to two viewings and one funeral. As much as that could seem like maybe not a great way to spend a week, we actually had a pretty good time. The day we got to Michigan to surprise my grandparents, we found out their pastor of twenty years had just past away two days before and then that afternoon my grandma's best friend of 76 years died. Both deaths were sudden and unexpected and my Grandparents were very sad. However, I really believe that God brought us there to help my Grandma have a happy spot in the middle of all the sadness and to help her and my grandpa through the week. I have known Pastor Art for all of the twenty years he has preached at the church and even though I only get to see him every few years, he would always remember and know everything that was going on with me. I was very grateful to have the chance to be there and say goodbye. He was an amazing man. My Grandma's best friend I didn't really know as well.

We went with my grandpa to the old folks home on Thursday. Incidentally, I am really freaked out by nursing homes. I don't like the smell and I am very uncomfortable with the whole ambiance in general. For instance, I had to sit on pee pads because they had them spread all over the couches in case anyone had an accident. It took me several minutes to get up the courage to actually sit down. So, all that to say, I'm always so proud and humbled by the fact that my grandpa does this and I am reminded how totally selfish and spoiled I am in my comfortable life every time I go with him...which I always do because it's like this special Grandpa/Grandchild bonding time. When I was little they used to put me and my brothers up on the table and we would sing our VBS songs for everyone. Anywho...we went with my Grandpa this time as well because it was his first trip without Pastor Art and he needed a little back up. There was this lady who kept asking to sing versions of songs that don't exist or songs that weren't on the list. She asked to sing "Rock of Angels" (Rock of Ages) and You are my sunshine and a few others that I should have written down because they were so funny. And my Grandpa was so patient and just played everything he could decipher for her. Ricky gave a talk on the story of Mary and Martha and she kept asking him if he was finished talking yet so we could sing some more?

My grandma is who Clair is named after. It was fun to see them together. I got a few good photos.

From there we went to Seattle where I don't think I got any pictures. But, we had so much fun. It was nice to just relax and hang out with friends. We went to Mars Hill, Mark Driscoll's church, and we saw the fish market and sat on the piggy bank and I got a mug at the original Starbucks and we ate cream cheese hotdogs and got a ton of quality hang out time with Valor, Karen and Lauren...and then we went home...for a day.

The next day we headed to Dallas to show off the baby to Shane. We didn't get any pictures of Clair with Shane, mostly because I was passed out on his couch asleep almost the entire time we were there. But, we did get the picture below of Ricky and Shane showing off...something. :)

Next, we headed to Seminole, TX where we hung out with Ricky's Mamaw and his aunt and uncle. We got to stay with his Aunt Sherry and Uncle Rob and it was so relaxing and fun. They cooked dinner for us and we got to catch up on all the latest family stuff. Rob took us out in his new plane and I learned all about farming and how irrigation works in that part of Texas. Seminole has grown a ton since the last time I was there. Mamaw hung out with us the whole time. She was my flying buddy. I got to fly the plane and, you know, I always think of myself as being pretty tough but that was the second time I've been allowed to "fly" a small plane and it scares the heeby jeebies out of me. It's sort of like Ricky's motorcycle. I really like to ride on it but it terrifies me to ever have to be in control.

We got back from Seminole on Friday morning and Jenn and Kevin got in Friday evening to spend the weekend with us. We had a blast. While we were walking down University on Saturday we saw a Segway Club going for a stroll...check this out.

These are some photos of us all hanging out:

Brian and Kristin also came by to hang out this weekend. They introduced us to the Guadalajara Grill...so yummy. We will be going back. It was so good to see them and to top off their visit, I found this tshirt quilt that Brian's mom had written us to look for back months ago before they got married. Evidently he left it here when he moved back home but I didn't know where it was. Lo and behold I found it the morning they flew out. Just in time to have to mail it back to them instead of being able to just hand it to them in person. Oh well.

Jenn and Kevin headed out on Monday morning and then on Tuesday, Cody had his first Tennis match of the season. He made varsity at Tucson high and they played Sunnyside. Cody played his heart out but ended up getting beat right at the very end in a tie breaker match. I made Clair a little outfit to wear to his games. It was so cold I only took her out of her massive blanket for the two seconds it took to get the picture and you can tell she is none to happy about it.

We've been home for the last week and I think it has literally just flown by. Ricky went back to work for the first time today. I have one more week and then I go back. Sometime soon we need to get out to LA to see Hamilton...then our traveling days will be over.