Family Recharge

I want to preface this post by saying that I love Ohio. I loving living here and being close to Michael's parents. I also love the friends we have made here and the experiences we're having here. That being said, I also miss my family. It's hard being so far away and not being part of those day to day experiences that I miss out on constantly. I miss being at those family events and am sad that every time I see my nieces and nephews they've grown significantly and don't know me as well as they know their other aunts and uncles. But the thing I miss the very most is having my mom and dad nearby. I miss seeing them and being with them and so much want my boys to have a close relationship with their grandpa and grandma. I am so grateful that my mom and dad try so hard to foster and build those relationships despite the miles that separate us.

At the end of the January, I was feeling especially home sick though and so much wanted my parents to see how big Jacob was getting. I talked to my parents about having them take a trip out here. I called and talked to my dad who has been extremely busy with work because they not only have a huge farm that they are running, but his boss has also started building a dairy that is also requiring a lot of my dad. He told me when I talked to him that with a weekend exception of Alden's baptism, that he wouldn't be able to come out for at least a year. When he told me this, my heart dropped into my stomach, and I felt very sad. My mom, being the peacemaker that she is, assured me that she would come out regularly and that it would be okay. I was thrilled that she would come, but sad that my dad couldn't.

However, several days later, my parents called me and told me that my dad needed to go to Illinois for a training, and that my mom was invited to come too. I eagerly asked if I could meet them. We made plans and arrangements to meet in Nauvoo and then follow my dad wherever he needed to go and just spend time together. I was so excited!!!!

The boys and I left Saturday morning. Michael decided not to go to save his vacation days. I was bummed that I wouldn't get to spend Valentine's day with my Valentine, and I was especially worried because Alden had a fever, Hyrum had bronchitis, an ear infection, and a sinus infection, and the medicine that they put him on made him throw up and have HORRID diarrhea, and Jacob was really stuffy. Thobe was just getting over something, so he was having a ton of accidents--ugggh. I REALLY, REALLY wanted to see my parents though, so I loaded up the van with my sicklies and drove 8 hours to Keokuk, Iowa. 

We had such a great time!!! All the hotels that we stayed in had a swimming pool, so the boys got to go swimming almost every night. We spent time in Nauvoo, at a fun John Deere Tractor Museum in East Moline, IL, and in Peoria, IL. My dad had a rental car that fit all of us in it, so we got to ride with Grandma and Grandpa wherever we went. The first night, Alden's fever went away, and once I stopped giving Hyrum the medicine, he got a lot better too. Poor Jacob got sicker though, which made a lot of sleepless nights for me in the hotel, but I got to see my mom and dad, the kids got to see Grandpa and Grandma, so we were all really happy about that and enjoyed and treasured every minute we had.

On Wednesday morning, the boys and I headed back to Ohio. We were all really sad to say goodbye, but we were grateful that we were able to spend time together. On our way home, we stopped in Toledo and celebrated Michael's grandpa's 90th birthday with his grandparents, parents, and aunt and uncle. I am so grateful that my kids get to have two of their great grandparents in their lives. What a wonderful blessing!!!!