A Special Visit

Last week was a special treat!  Not only did my parents come to visit, but also my sweet brother Jon, his beautiful wife, Debbie, and their adorable son, Evan.  The original intent for their visit was to be here to lend a hand while Paul was gone for a week of work training in Dallas.  However, due to the government shut-down, my husband's trip was cancelled, so it was an extra blessing to have ALL of us together!  The visit was way too short, but very, very sweet!  Here are some of the highlights:


Family photo shoot:
I was able to get a very sweet family shot of Jon, Debbie, and Evan!  Their little guy is often very serious, so they were delighted to get a picture of him smiling for the camera.  And I was delighted that Debbie was willing to take a family photo of our family while my brother and my parents worked hard behind the camera trying to make our boys smile.  With a family of 7, it's very rare to get everyone looking at the camera and smiling, so I was pleased (well, mostly).  But I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed with the lighting in the picture (it was too bright and sunny when we took the shot, so we all look a bit washed-out...oh well...just another great opportunity for me to let go of my perfectionism, right?)  :o)  The picture turned out way better than it would have if I had used the timer button on my camera, which is how we normally get a family photo, so I am happy.

 

 

The Fish and Wildlife Museum:

This place was a big hit for both the young and the old!  It had lots on neat wildlife to look at; plus, it was filled with hands-on stuff for the little ones to play with.  It was not quite as cool as a big zoo, but I think it gave Jon's family a genuine Montana experience.

 



 

 

 

 

 

Lots of playing around:

Jon loved challenging the older boys to a few games of soccer; our boys were delighted to have an adult around who acted like a big kid!  The 1 and 2 year olds (Evan and Nathanael) loved having playmates their own age, and they were constantly playing with cars, trains, or airplanes---genuine boys, for sure.  Dominic was in heaven with plenty of people around willing to play cards or boardgames with him, which is his favorite thing in the world to do!  And Grandma was glowing just watching all of the fun had by all and being able to hold baby Isaiah at every opportunity!

 

 

 

 

Salmon Snagging:
Our boys were delighted that Grandpa Pat arrived at the perfect time of the year for salmon snagging, which only happens once a year when the mature salmon gather to spawn.  This was the first time our boys ever experienced this event, and they are hooked for life! 

 

 

 

Just Being Together:

It was such a joy just to be together no matter what we were doing.  Meal times were very special, and it was even more special because we could fit EVERYONE around our NEW table that we had custom build by the Amish.  The table arrived at the same time our company did, so the timing was perfect.  I love the table, and I loved it even more when it was surrounded by the people I love the most.  I sure wish all my family lived a few hours closer so we could gather around this table more often!

 



 

 

The Carousel:

Of course, the carousel is always a big hit for the littlest ones.  But even the big kids had a great time eating ice cream and trying to reach the brass ring to earn a free ride!

 



 

 

 

 

Thanks, Mom, Dad, and Jon for filling our week with treasured memories!

COME BACK SOON!

:o)