Flashback Friday - Spring Break Road Trip

Our spring break was a month ago, so I figured it's finally time to post about our trip to Mesquite.

We had a fun week spending time with my mom. She had to go to work during the daytime hours, so we stayed busy doing lots of cooking, odd jobs around the house, and yard work while she was gone.

One day while working in the yard, Katelee picked up the hose and somehow sprayed herself in the face. We didn't see it happen. (Dang!) We only knew it happened when she walked up and announced, "But I don't WANT to change my clothes." Ha ha ha! Kids are so funny!

In the evenings we had a lot of fun hanging out with my mom. One day she gave Katelee a little cash and took her shopping at the dollar store. Katelee thought it was great fun!

We also went to see a 3-D movie together. Gotta love the glasses!And we played games, including Grandma's new Wii Dance Party game. Katelee loves to boogie! I know the picture is blurry, but these girls were really getting their moves on!
One evening we drove to St. George to meet up with Melissa, JD, and their kids and Tyler and Taylor. We met at a park to let the kids play for awhile. We had only been there for a few minutes when Wyatt somehow bit through his lip. The other grown-ups took him to the urgent care while Madi stayed with us. The girls had a fun time playing, and I got a few pictures:

Luckily, Wyatt was fine and we were starting to get cold, so we went to the mall. The kids had fun playing on the little quarter rides.

We made it out to dinner, and also to visit with the Grandma Thurston and Grandma and Grandpa Klingler before the night ended.

I made this for my mom and we hung it up while I was in town. Although we really had a fabulous time with my mom, it was the first time I had ever visited home without my dad there. Inevitably, there were some sad moments.

A trip or two to the cemetery will be part of the routine now whenever we are in town. I love the Mesquite cemetery. I always have. It's a very peaceful place where I feel (literally) surrounded by family. We bought these cheerful yellow daffodils to put on dad's grave.

Katelee has her little stuffed bulldog that was grandpa's tucked into her coat.

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There are few things more beautiful in this world than an evening sky in Mesquite. When I first moved away to college I desperately missed the skies of home; it's still one of the things I miss most. Every time I return home, I find time to sit still for a bit and watch the sky. I soak it all in and wonder how I've lived without it since the last time I was in town. I really love it that much.

It's hard to describe the way I feel when I look at the view from my parent's front porch as the sun is beginning to set. It evokes thoughts of my growing up years and whisperings of my ancestors who probably enjoyed the same view. It's profoundly peaceful, and filled somehow with feelings of family, safety, home, joy and contentment.

One evening I unexpectedly found myself alone, weeding the front yard. Katelee was playing with a neighbor friend and Gerald and mom ran to the hardware store to buy a new doorbell. It was my absolute favorite time of day, that magical time before dark when the whole world seems to get heavy with the quiet peace of a day ending. There was a warm breeze and in the distance I could hear the shouts and cheers of a baseball game being played at the high school. And suddenly I missed my dad so much I could hardly breath. It was exactly the kind of evening that he would have loved. I finished weeding, curled up in dad's lawn chair, watched the sun set and cried. Oddly, this moment brought me a lot of peace, even in the midst of the sadness.

Yes, there were some sad moments. But mostly I felt blessed to have the amazing family I have; for my wonderful parents, siblings, grandparents, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and in-laws. I'm grateful for my siblings and the aunts and uncles who live nearby, and for all they've done for my mom. I love my mom more than ever. She is amazing. I love my dad, and I know that he is still close. Even though there are some days I wish I could just pick up the phone and hear his voice, I know that he is nearby and he is aware of us.

And I know that someday we'll all be together again, with no more separation.

That day will be amazing.

I imagine it will feel like sitting on the front porch watching the sky at dusk.

Only better.