Blah Blah Blah Part III-- Awesome Surprise!

This week has been a good one. Gavin has been hard at work with his new calling, and although we were all hit pretty hard with a nasty cold, we're getting over it quickly and keeping very busy.

Honestly, I did a lot of lounging around this week, trying to get better... so we'll talk about something else. Zoey has been doing better in preschool lately, practicing her "good attitude" when she doesn't get her way. We're very proud of her in this.

Calvin is walking more and more, gaining confidence all the time. He is also speaking more. Recently, he picked up saying "hold me", as well as "pumpkin".

We've been enjoying a bit of Indian Summer this week and it has been unseasonably warm. ('Cause like, that's what that means....) Anyway, I took the kids outside when I could and let them soak up the sun. We played with sidewalk chalk a bit and one time Zoey just lay down, spread-eagle on the concrete because the warmth felt so nice.

I was able to break my quarantine by Friday and go to play group and that was really nice. I love the moms in my neighborhood. The kids play together very nicely, too. Saturday I got together with my best friend and we went to Melty Way, which is very yummy.

For the past 3 weeks my dad has been saying that he had an announcement he wanted to make and that we should all be there if possible. He had to move it back once and we all anxiously anticipated what it might be. I interrogated my mom and even she didn't know, which is super weird. Well, Sunday finally rolled around and we all got together for a really nice dinner. My dad threw down some amazing steak, and just before we were about to say the blessing, the front door opened...

and in came my little brother and his wife and two kids. From Germany. Whom we haven't seen for 2 1/2 years. We yelled, we hugged, we cried a little and hugged a lot more. My dad said a prayer of thanksgiving that was touching and we had an amazing evening together.

The kids all ran around like crazy, playing tag and pretend. It was loud, funny and sweet. I loved it all. It felt like Christmas. We were all together again. I had one small, joyous glimpse into the eternities, seeing how our family had evolved. I love my family. I am so grateful to know that we are forever. I wouldn't have it any other way.