Back to regularly scheduled posting. Didn't realize posting was delayed? Ha—neither did I.
Busy summer days have grabbed us by the hand and have been dragging us along faster than we can manage to keep up with. The posts might come fast and furious the next little while as I catch up with all we've been up to.
I'll commence this reunion with my blog by sharing a few memories of a reunion with the Benjamins that we just returned from this weekend. I let my camera rest most of the short time we were there and didn't capture very many photos. But these are a few things I want to remember:
A long line of campers in my cousin's spacious backyard in beautiful Lewistown, Montana.
Breakfasts in their red barn.
Uncle Dale sharing spiritual wisdom and memories of Great Grandpas and Grandmas.
Going on a 2-mile walk with Mom along the Spring Creek and enjoying the sunshine. Perhaps regretting taking the stroller as we drug it through the gravel on the trail that was flood damaged last month.
Lots and lots of second cousins to play with.
Our ever-gracious hosts.
Rides on the lawn-mower train. (Usually there were kids piled high in the cars—I missed the moment.)
Cooking lasagna for 80 people (or so). Having so much leftover that we wouldn't have to cook for a week.
Having my cousin Lori stay with me for a couple of days before-hand and having her awesome help in the kitchen prepping that lasagna.
My kids navigating the challenge of getting acquainted with cousins they don't know at all and making new friendships.
Cousin Kaitlyn giving Sarah a lesson in astronomy.
My awesome new sister-in-law Annie braving the task of meeting an overwhelmingly large family and handling it with grace.
Seeing first cousins we rarely get to see from Texas, Arizona, North Dakota, Idaho, Nebraska, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon—and how impossibly grown up their kids have become. (Missing a couple from California too!)
Swimming in the Lewistown pool and watching the faces of the kids as they pummelled down the water slides over and over again.
Running into my friend Jolene at the pool and catching up.
The guys' favorite activity of flying remote-control aircraft over our heads.
Watching Grandpa's face as we all piled into the garage to say grace for lunch and thinking it could easily be the last time he gets to see that. Wondering how he feels about the legacy he and Grandma created together.