What Matters
Hi friends,
Happy Wednesday! I hope you’re having a good day, and I so appreciate you spending part of it with me!
This last week turned into an unexpected vacation. If it could be called that. We did more running around than I could keep straight, and my body is paying for it now, but it was amazing.
My grandkids’ other grandparents still live in Maryland. The boys went up with them for three weeks while our daughter Ty and her hubby Justin were overseas for her work conference in France for two weeks. The third week, they headed to Maryland, too.
With my husband’s work schedule, we’re in Baltimore every other week, so we got to see the boys the first week, some while they were in a Christian day camp, but in the third week, with us all there, it turned into vacation palooza.
We’re super close with our in-laws. Our kids have been together since they were seventeen, and they met while they were counselors at the same day camp. Pretty cool, and now they’ve been married for 14 years. All that to say, Maria (Justin’s mom) and I are very close friends, and we celebrate holidays together as a family. So get us together, and we have a blast. Our husbands worry about the trouble we’ll get in ☺
But this week, we were all there, and every day became an adventure. Tubbing down the Gunpowder River, Fourth of July parade, building forts, going to the National Aquarium, snowball treks, and the list goes on.
Family pic
Tampa Airport
Off-roading
Before
After…I can’t believe how big he’s gotten
Fireworks time. Yay, America on 250th Birthday! So proud of my ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War.
It was an absolutely amazing and exhausting week. We laughed A LOT. The boys had a blast, and all the adults did too, from getting lost in a parking garage (seriously could not find our way out) to a little more of a shopping spree than our husbands would have liked. It was a blessed week together. The kind of week that reminds you of what’s important in life. Time with family, of course, but also enjoying things like a kid for a week. Enjoying the simple and the hectic for the beauty it is. For grandkids, laughs and chasing fireflies, and just sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee on the porch (thought sitting didn’t happen often). I have writing to make up now, but it was totally worth it. Those weeks don’t happen often. We’re back in Florida and very happy to be home, but we miss our family and the joyful, crazy whirlwind of a week we had. Now comes sleep and lots of it ☺
Question for you:
What is a special time you spent with family or friends this summer or anytime?
Blessings,
Dani
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Oh, Dani, that sounds like such a great and special family time!
My daughter and her family moved from Ohio to Arizona three years ago. Since then she and her two kids come for four weeks each summer. (Her husband makes it for about a week.) It is like you said-full of activity and enjoying each other’s company. It is the most special time!!! Such wonderful memories are made. I thank God for family.
Oh, that’s wonderful. Just think of all the lovely memories you’re making each summer. I love that!
What a special time, Dani! And I love that you called them OUR in-laws and that you’re super close. We just had our first family wedding, and there’s been some discussion of whether they’re his in-laws or ours, too. (Yes, we talk about everything here!) I’ll cite you as my expert witness. 😉 Happy writing!
LOL! I love that 🙂
So much joy having more family to make memories with. Congrats on the wedding. That’s such an exciting time.
I love that you all have such a fun week together. These photos are wonderful! Your grandsons look so much like you and Ty. 🙂
Ah, thanks friend 🙂 We had the best time.
How fun! We are currently spending time with my sister and brother-in-law who live in Budapest. They are staying at our house this week, so lots of time with them, our siblings, our parents, and my nephews who are home from college. Chaos, but such special times!
Oh, wow. That’s wonderful they’ve able to travel to you and you’re all able to gather up. Hope you all have a blessed time.
That sounds like such a great time! I have something similar coming up in less than two weeks – I’m going on an Alaskan cruise with my son’s family, my daughter-in-law’s parents, her brother, and her uncle. At least the adults will outnumber the three kids! Thanks for posting the family pictures!
Outnumbering the kids is so important. LOL! And, only joking a little.. We had two girls and said no more.. We don’t want them to outnumber the adults. It’s a joke amongst the family because we the majority of us all have just two kiddos.
I hope you have an amazing time on your cruise. I’m sure it’ll be breathtaking .
What a delightful post, Dani! Loved this line, “The kind of week that reminds you of what’s important in life.” Those times are so very important and can often be crowded out by the busyness of life. So good for all of you! Great pictures too.
I’m headed to Baltimore in August for SIBA and have never been there before. I’m planning on checking out the National Aquarium, which is close to the hotel. I hear it’s wonderful. Anything else that’s not to be missed on a quick 36 hour trip? Restaurants you would recommend?