Go West

The Franks' family is finally back from their lampoon of a vacation.  We did the shopping, the touristy western photo with the grands, we hit every old time candy store west of the Mississippi, we played a lot of games and received a lot of hugs.  Scott got to be Cousin Eddie when we slept in a trailer for a week.  I read five novels, pretending that I was not married to Cousin Eddie.  And the girls did not get carsick as we took every possible twisty route through the Ozarks.  We attempted to do as much as humanly and financially possible in two weeks.  I am tired, but happy.

Challenging.  That is the first word I think of when we try to plan to see our family in the summer.  Two families, thousands of miles apart and away from us, makes for some complicated, logistical strategy.  Not to mention that you are trying to hook up with as many family members as possible.  Mission accomplished.

Nostalgic.  That is what it feel as I make dozens of phone calls to meet up with everyone from our previous lives.  It kind of feels like we have lived multiple lives sometimes, because everywhere we have planted our roots, for whatever length of time, feels like a former life now.  The rolodex of names we must scroll through when we attend church in MT, OK, etc. is like playing a trivia game.  What was the name of your first cousin's second child, whom you have not seen in years?  That one is tough.  But, the family reunion was so enjoyable, and we loved seeing everyone all together with their little ones in tow.

Comforting.  The comfort we feel being around people who love us without conditions is the greatest reward.  Our family, the closest of our old friends - we love and miss them all.  I do not understand why God has chosen to scatter my family so often and so far, but I do feel that appreciating every moment of our time with family is the most important part of our summer.

So, now it is back to church and the final few weeks of summer.  I hope I can revive my tan, get through Mount Laundry, and find all of the chargers for all of our electronics.  Life is sweet.