Back from our trip

Banana and I are back! We are so glad to be home and with Mr. A again. I'm so thankful that home is a place I long to be, because I know for many people, that's not the case.

We had a nice time with my sister and extended family (our trip was to go meet up with everyone). Here are some pics:



My grandpa, unfortunately, is steadily declining, and it's just hard to hear that he's in pain. He tries to avoid taking his painki.llers because sometimes they make him feel woozy, but then if he takes them too late, his pain is unmanageable. So, he's resigning himself to taking them on a more regular schedule. Like I said, it's difficult to hear that he's hurting. I just pray that God will protect him from any bizzare pain that can't be controlled. My dad thinks he might not be with us more than another couple of months. Please pray for our family, as I think this next year will hold alot of changes for us!

It was nice to hang out with my cousins and aunts and uncles, though. Now that we're all grown-up's, it's kind of neat to see how we all relate and interact with each other. We're lucky in that we all have a pretty rockin' time together!

I also got to talk with our family friends who, along with their extended families, go on vacation in the same place the same week every year as my family. Their son is my age, and he and I were definitely summer sweethearts because of our families' vacation schedules! We didn't go to the same college, but we definitely kept in touch and during our senior year, there was talk about us trying to date after college. He felt it would be too difficult because he was going to law school a little ways away from where I was moving, and although I was admittedly disappointed at the time, there wasn't much I could do. However, he ended up meeting and marrying a girl who forbids him to have any contact with his family. Like, any. Like, not even his parents were invited to their wedding (I think it was 5-6 years ago.). Yah. As awesome as his parents are (I guess they had their reservations about this girl, and that was her way of dealing with it), I cannot believe that he chose her over them. Cannot believe it. I haven't been on vacation with my family for 6 years, but his parents and I got to talk several times while I was there last week and we even exchanged emails so we could keep in touch. It just breaks my heart of what they've been through, basically losing their son. Their whole family does not even talk about him in any way- my brother asked them how he was doing, and his cousin cut my brother off the minute he mentioned his name. I really hope we can start to email back and forth because they are such fun, amazing people!

And after a great time with everyone, Banana and I had a really smooth drive home yesterday. I am lucky she is such a good car-rider! We are so glad to be back :) Mr. A surprised me and ordered us a new kitchen table set while we were gone! He's going to pick it up soon, and I can't wait! The kitchen table we have now is seriously old- my mentor at work gave it to me 8 years ago after she and her family replaced it in their house! It has kind of retro rolly-chairs and the upholstery (and one of the whole chairs) is in need of repair/replacement. The new set Mr. A ordered is Amis.h-built, and it is beautiful solid wood. So in love with him that he can pick out furniture I like, without me! Ha!!

I had no cell service at the campsite, but I've tried to read and catch up with you guys in the last couple days. Will return to commenting soon! I've been praying for everyone, though. My prayer list is portable and not dependent on cell service!

One thing that I did want to mention is that I've read some blogs lately that characterize IVF as the easy way out. It just burns my heart to read that. While I think it's simple for someone who hasn't been through it to say that IVF is easy, I'd love to hear from someone who did IVF and considered it easy in any way. We made God-honoring decisions during our IVF journey, and it was anything but easy. It was probably one of the hardest things we've ever had to do. I think that from the outside, it seems easy (the successes, that is- it is also easy to forget that God doesn't always choose to bless a couple with a child that way). But I caution people who haven't been through it against labelling those who prayerfully choose IVF as taking the easy way out. God remains the sole Creator of life no matter how you slice it.

I hope everyone has a fun long weekend! Banana is scared of the fireworks, so we will probably spend the next few evenings trying to keep her from hypeventilating. We're considering getting one of these shirts- have you ever used/heard of them?

God bless the USA :)