- If you ever find yourself at the bottom of a ginormous dune that your 15 y.o. son has begun to climb, you may foolishly think, "That can't be so bad." It will be bad, trust me. But if you begin the ascent and actually make it to the top, you will feel GREAT. That how our first hike along Lake Michigan began.
- When having conversations with your 90 y.o. father, be sure to have a notepad handy. He may mention things that you never knew before, like the fact that your paternal grandmother's family changed their surname to something completely unrelated to the name you were always sure you knew as your heritage. There were other little tidbits that Dad passed along to me on Saturday afternoon, and I didn't have a notepad. Bummer. Guess I'll have to ask him about those stories again soon.
- When your 15 y.o. son decides to wander along the dunes & woods, there are two options:
- give him a cell phone or at least have a plan of action (e.g. If you don't see your brother in 20 minutes, COME BACK!) Or...
- believe Grandpa when he says that your son is having a great time & knows exactly what he's doing.
- What you shouldn't do is wander into the woods yourself, potentially getting lost and letting your mind play tricks on you, imagining that some weirdos have kidnapped your son, thus causing some loud hound dogs to bark in the distance.
- When you aren't sure where to go for dinner in Grand Rapids on Mother's Day, feel free to try the random Mexican restaurant on the corner (the name escapes me)--especially if you hear the lively sounds of a mariachi band playing from within! Good times with Amanda and Andrew.
And beyond this advice is everything I am thankful for as I recall that weekend...
- Melody & Natalie whom I could trust to leave at home while we took this short trip--and who both prettied up the house while we were gone!
- Amanda, who made a lovely card with great sentiments (and who took us to the above mentioned fun-times restaurant)
- Sarah, who came home to help Natalie get ready for her formal in my stead and who put together a very sweet photo book for my Mother's Day gift!
- Tyler, who mowed the lawn for me
- Peter, who made be a tasty breakfast and Mother's Day
- Christie, who made yummy poppy seed muffins (my fave) and who let me spend ample time with my adorable little grandson!
- My super-supportive husband, without whom I could neither have had these children nor raise them so well.
- And most of all, THANK YOU JESUS for being the glue that holds us all together.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ~Colossians 1:17
