Oregon Trip!

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There are very few things that I love better in this world than spending time with my family. I got to go with Mom to Oregon, just for the weekend, but it seriously felt like a little piece of Heaven.

Some highlights:

- Hailey (4 months) and Allie (5 yrs) (took off my cousin Tiffany's facebook for lack of a camera this weekend). They're Tiffany's little girls. :)

- Lots of board games and licorice - learned a new one from David called "Bohnanza" - will teach you all sometime.

- saw Grandma. She's almost 89 years old but still relatively healthy. She's having trouble getting out sentences, which was hard to see, but she's still hanging on to God with all she's got and still lays awake at nights praying for all of us and the world.

- Aunt Mary Jo (my Dad's sister) prayed for me this morning at church during worship. I felt so incredibly loved. And when I watch her take care of my Grandma and my little cousins every day with so much grace and love and patience, I remember what it means to follow Jesus. She's one of my greatest heroes.

- Memories of Dad. When I'm with Dad's family, I feel like a part of Dad is back. And it's wonderful.

- Memories of Grandpa. We were telling stories of Grandpa in the car on the way to the airport today. Some I hadn't heard before. Apparently, when he was in his later days, there were a whole bunch of Russians at his church and he said "Well, someone's got to be able to speak with them." And so, in like 3 weeks, he picked up Russian.... We were also remembering how whenever he came home from the doctor and someone asked how his visit went, he'd respond "Oh, the doctor is doing just great. His wife is well and his kids are..." Haha. He'd forget to share how he was actually doing because he cared so much about others.

I think that, this weekend, God was making me more self aware of who I am and where I come from. On one hand, I've grown up in a very human family - with certain similar struggles and temptations. But on the other hand, I come from a long line of people that has been doused with God's grace, time and time again.

I come from a family that knows God's joy and knows His love and so, whenever we're together, those are the two things that I cannot help but feel. What a blessing!