Meeting the Family

My littlest man and I have made a journey to South Dakota.  It's his first...my, what, maybe millionth?  How do you count it when you have grown up here?  I stayed with my cousins first and went to church with them on Sunday.  Their pastor was welcoming me saying that Matt's cousin Stacy was visiting all the way from Canada and was a foreigner.  Then during the shake hands time people were asking if it was my first visit here and I got to explain that no, actually this is where I grew up!  It feels weird to have people look at me as a "foreigner" in my own land, but I guess in some ways that is what I am now.

Regardless of being a foreigner, I am so glad I made this trip home for little Rocky to meet my side of the family.  We have been here since Friday and we are having a blast.  Rocky traveled like a champ!  We had a short plane ride to Seattle, a three hour layover-he slept for half of it!-and then a two hour flight to Denver.  My cousins picked us up there and then we had a six hour drive home.  Through ALL of that traveling he only cried for about 30 minutes at the VERY end when it was 11:30 at night and he was just soooo tired!  He has done great!

The first four days were spent with Matt and Vanessa and their kids.  Boy did we have a blast.  I love those kids like my own.  Matt and Vanessa had their little Peanut back in November, and she and Rocky were meeting for the FIRST time.  It was so neat to see them interact and I look forward to seeing all the ways that they connect in the future.  Matt is just six months younger than me and we were basically best friends growing up. He is more like a brother than a cousin to me and our families are tight.  Rusty LOVES their kids so much and talks about them all of the time, even though he only sees them about once or twice a year.  They are a major part of his life, and we have now added Peanut and Rocky to the mix!  They will be coming up to Canada in August and we were making plans while I was there.  We can't wait! 

Cousins with Cousins!

Rocky and Peanut-Fast Friends

Oh I LOVE her! 

Rusty loves Sunshine...it looks like Rocky is going to follow in those footsteps!

Last night they brought me down to connect with my parents and they got to meet Rocky for the first time.  It makes me so happy that we can do this trip and they get to see him at this age and stage.  He is such a little sweethart and my heart just warms as I hear my dad playing with Rocky and singing to him, and see my mom snuggle up to him and think of just one more excuse to come back into the house and kiss him before heading off to work this morning. 

This morning I took Rocky in to meet my grandparents for the first time.  As they get older, their memories fade a bit and they repeat things a bit more often but they still know ME and they LOVED meeting Jack.  My grandpa was all smiles and he even held Rocky and sang the old German nursery rhyme that he used to sing to me as a child.  It made me cry to see it, and made me so thankful to have one more opportunity to see them and for them to meet my child.  As they get older and their health declines I always say goodbye to them with trepidation, wondering if it will be the last time.  Each time that I get to see them again fills my heart with joy!  This morning was another one of those moments.  Just plain joy.  Rocky loved them and showered them with smiles the entire time we were there.  We will go back again tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it!

My Grandpa meeting his newest great grandson!

Grandma B and her new great grandson!

I am looking forward to the next few days and then heading off to see my brother and his wife for Easter.  I feel so blessed to have such a great family, as well as the ability to come and see them.  Thanks honey!