Home at Last!

I had to move the pictures that were previously on this post to katie's pics so my blog can be viewed more easily. Go to katie's pics to see them.

It seems like FOREVER since I've blogged, when in all reality it's just been a week and a half! But, during my week in WI I didn't have access to the internet at my parents house, which wasn't all too bad, actually. It's probably good for me to have some isolation from constant connection to the outside world. :) I had a WONDERFUL time with my precious family, minus the sad fact that I didn't get to see my brothers Daniel and Matthew. I really missed them. We still had a full house though. I had such a great time kissing on my adorable nephew Elijah. The only other time I had seen him was when he was just born. He is a cute 5 month old now and a perfect baby! Buddy (Paul) and Luke had a grand time playing together. I called them DOUBLE TROUBLE. 2 two-year-old boys running around together, up to no good! Buddy is hilarious; I love his precious monotone voice (that is slowly gaining expression). He is quite the talker and immediately began calling Luke "Cousin Luke." "Cousin Luke, where are you?" he would shout through the house. SO CUTE. And of course, Grace - she was Luke's language teacher last week. He learned quite a few new words! Luke and Grace instantly bonded the first night we were there. They had fun sitting on the fireplace for pictures and singing "Holy, Holy, Holy" (or Howee, Howee, Howee) together. Miss Personality is quite a ham and as smart as her Auntie Naner (that would be me, of course).

Besides enjoying the cousins, Luke loved playing with his uncles, who taught him some sweet soccer moves. Then there where Pappy's bunnies (Thankfully Luke didn't sqeeze one to death.), and forced rides on the lawn mower and fourwheeler. As evidenced by the picture (which also represents his reaction to the fourwheeler), Luke didn't really "enjoy the ride." This trip was a good bonding time for Luke with his Nony & Pappy and aunts too - he LOVED his Aunties Janelle, April and Molly and gave them many tackling bear hugs. We got to see my Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Mary too - always a special treat!

On my last day there, I took the fourwheeler out for a drive across my dad's property. This is always something that makes me VERY nostolgic and sniffly. There are so many different spots on the property that trigger specific memories. There's the place that I rolled down the ditch on the fourwheeler (VERY traumatic evening which climaxed with a stray dog eating my kitten). Then there's the spot where I was whisked (choice word) off of the fourwheeler by a maniac driver. ("Hold on" he said. Huh!) There's the snowmobile trails that I traveled with many friends and the spot where Christina got the snowmobile stuck and ran into a small tree (LOL!). And the dear old green deck that Michayla and I laid on many times (Bird! Foot!), attempting to get a tan in Wisconsin. I'll never forget the time I stood up to shake my beach towel out and a book, fork and box of crackers flew out into the water. Oops! I drove way out into the field and got a good look at Michayla's old farmhouse too. This is where things got especially sniffly.

The next morning I gathered my little man out of bed and drove back to his daddy, my sweet Chris. We were glad to come home to Melvindale, Michigan. I guess it just goes to show you that home IS where the heart is.