ARGHHH! I just deleted this entire post - which took an hour to write. I will rewrite it because it is a record of my family's entire summer, or most of it! DANG IT! It will not be as eloquent, but I will do my best.
We had a ton of visitors last summer, which was super fun for me! It kept us very busy and got to see so many people we love.
First off was my mom and dad. They picked the kids up at the airport and then my dad stayed a couple of days, while my mom stayed for almost the whole summer. We love to just spend time together with her, so this was great. She is so helpful and loving to the kids. Especially helping them practice their piano! She and my dad had moved to Boise to take care of my grandma last year. They were thinking they would be there about three years or so, but grandma surprised us all and passed away three MONTHS after they got there. They had sold their condo in Provo, then headed up there and bought her condo. A couple of weeks after my parents got there, my grandma started having some pains. They found a tumor on her ovaries the size of a grapefruit. At 97 there isn't much that can be done with cancer, so they kept her comfortable until she passed. I was very glad my mom had the chance to be there with her. I think it gave her some closure in a relationship that hasn't always been very close. In the end, my mom and dad decided to move back to Utah. So while they were looking and deciding what to do, my mom stayed with us and my dad "held down the fort" in Boise most of the summer. My grandma lived a very full and bright life, right up until she died. I hope I get to live a life as comfortable and as complete as her.
Next to visit, I think, was my sister Krista and her daughter Kate. Krista just finished medical school and is doing her ER residency in Kingman, Arizona for the next four years. It was so fun to see her. I am so amazed that she has done this. About five years ago Krista said, "I'm not going to have an affair for my midlife crisis, I'm going to medical school!" And she did. At 44 years old she graduated and she and her family are looking to a great future. I'm really happy for them.
Katherine came for my 40th birthday! We lucked out and got last minute front row, center seats to Wicked! I loved for the third time and would see it again in a heart beat. On my birthday I ran four miles and did 40 push ups, just because I could. The next day Katherine ran her first 5K and I ran my first 10K. My good friend who convinced me I could do it ran with us. She has had trouble having kids, so we were running in an infertility fundraiser run. She also came to boot camp with me and Stacey this year. And in return for her support, I gave her my good baby vibes. (haha) She is now 25 weeks pregnant with her 3rd baby! You're welcome, Amy! And hooray!!!
Tiff came for a weekend getaway to Park City. I made her hike the Y with me, after much almost cursing by her, we made it back down and have been laughing about it since. We always have a great time together. We talk and laugh for hours, which is just what each of us needed. I so appreciate her making the effort to get down to see me. I didn't have a chance to spend any time in Boise this year, so it meant a lot to me for her to come and see us!
Angelee, my bestie from RT spent a couple of weeks in town as well. She doesn't stay at our house, but very close by. I love getting to spend time with her (and her kids) in the States as well. It's hard to explain life here to people at home, and I feel like my lives are very separate. But getting to go to Target and Cafe Rio with my friend from here, somehow combines two worlds and makes things seem less strange.
Geoff and Cindy, my brother and sister in law also came. Cindy is always so sweet and kind to my kids. She asks them so many questions and always listens to what they have to say. And everyone loves Uncle Geoffie. Who doesn't? Just this week I overheard Sol say to Gid, "Have you seen Uncle Geoff go swimming?!" no. "Well, it's like seeing Sasquatch go swimming! He's SO hairy!" haha! We had a wonderful time going to the Ogden Temple open house as well. What a beautiful remodel. And I love getting to be with my whole family in the House of the Lord.
Of course Minky actually lives in Utah, so I get to see her. But not nearly enough! She is SO busy. I actually get to talk to her more while I am in the middle east than when we are both in Utah. She has a very busy job, three kids, three dogs and a husband. This leaves very little time for much of anything else, including she and I getting to just be together. She is a product rep manager. We were just talking the other day about how she has always worked, but managed to be home for her kids all the time as well. She's amazing and I don't know how she does it!
And we wait all year to spend time with Aimee and her family! She also lives in Orem, so they don't come to Hotel Tennis either, but we spend more time with them than pretty much anyone else. They are our non-blood relatives for sure. Not to mention, she is the greatest friend a person could ever dream of. Need something shopped for and sent to the middle east for you? Aimee's your gal. Need someone to watch your kids for the weekend, even though it's HER anniversary? Yep, Aimee. Need someone to get a contractor in your house after it's destroyed by a flood and you live on the other side of the world? Aimee, again! Where would I be without her? Not to mention her years of inviting us to Wolf Creek with her and her family. Each summer they go to their family's old hunting cabin up in Huntsville, Utah and they always welcome us up for a couple of days. This place is the thing Norman Rockwell dreams are made of. We float on inner tubes down the south fork of the Ogden River, jump off bridges and rocks, lay in the sun, throw rocks in the river, eat snacks and shoot bb guns. It is one of my favorite parts of the summer because my kids to get to spend just a few days living how we all imagine a child's summer in the United States should be. She is SO great to let us tag along, and we dream about the cabin all school year waiting until we get to be there in person!
I'll fill you in more ASAP about 'the flood', but needless to say, "Hotel Tennis" will not be the same this year. It will be completely redone by the time we 'open for business', or in other words, go home for the summer. Crazy!
We had a ton of visitors last summer, which was super fun for me! It kept us very busy and got to see so many people we love.
First off was my mom and dad. They picked the kids up at the airport and then my dad stayed a couple of days, while my mom stayed for almost the whole summer. We love to just spend time together with her, so this was great. She is so helpful and loving to the kids. Especially helping them practice their piano! She and my dad had moved to Boise to take care of my grandma last year. They were thinking they would be there about three years or so, but grandma surprised us all and passed away three MONTHS after they got there. They had sold their condo in Provo, then headed up there and bought her condo. A couple of weeks after my parents got there, my grandma started having some pains. They found a tumor on her ovaries the size of a grapefruit. At 97 there isn't much that can be done with cancer, so they kept her comfortable until she passed. I was very glad my mom had the chance to be there with her. I think it gave her some closure in a relationship that hasn't always been very close. In the end, my mom and dad decided to move back to Utah. So while they were looking and deciding what to do, my mom stayed with us and my dad "held down the fort" in Boise most of the summer. My grandma lived a very full and bright life, right up until she died. I hope I get to live a life as comfortable and as complete as her.
Next to visit, I think, was my sister Krista and her daughter Kate. Krista just finished medical school and is doing her ER residency in Kingman, Arizona for the next four years. It was so fun to see her. I am so amazed that she has done this. About five years ago Krista said, "I'm not going to have an affair for my midlife crisis, I'm going to medical school!" And she did. At 44 years old she graduated and she and her family are looking to a great future. I'm really happy for them.
Katherine came for my 40th birthday! We lucked out and got last minute front row, center seats to Wicked! I loved for the third time and would see it again in a heart beat. On my birthday I ran four miles and did 40 push ups, just because I could. The next day Katherine ran her first 5K and I ran my first 10K. My good friend who convinced me I could do it ran with us. She has had trouble having kids, so we were running in an infertility fundraiser run. She also came to boot camp with me and Stacey this year. And in return for her support, I gave her my good baby vibes. (haha) She is now 25 weeks pregnant with her 3rd baby! You're welcome, Amy! And hooray!!!
Tiff came for a weekend getaway to Park City. I made her hike the Y with me, after much almost cursing by her, we made it back down and have been laughing about it since. We always have a great time together. We talk and laugh for hours, which is just what each of us needed. I so appreciate her making the effort to get down to see me. I didn't have a chance to spend any time in Boise this year, so it meant a lot to me for her to come and see us!
Angelee, my bestie from RT spent a couple of weeks in town as well. She doesn't stay at our house, but very close by. I love getting to spend time with her (and her kids) in the States as well. It's hard to explain life here to people at home, and I feel like my lives are very separate. But getting to go to Target and Cafe Rio with my friend from here, somehow combines two worlds and makes things seem less strange.
Geoff and Cindy, my brother and sister in law also came. Cindy is always so sweet and kind to my kids. She asks them so many questions and always listens to what they have to say. And everyone loves Uncle Geoffie. Who doesn't? Just this week I overheard Sol say to Gid, "Have you seen Uncle Geoff go swimming?!" no. "Well, it's like seeing Sasquatch go swimming! He's SO hairy!" haha! We had a wonderful time going to the Ogden Temple open house as well. What a beautiful remodel. And I love getting to be with my whole family in the House of the Lord.
Of course Minky actually lives in Utah, so I get to see her. But not nearly enough! She is SO busy. I actually get to talk to her more while I am in the middle east than when we are both in Utah. She has a very busy job, three kids, three dogs and a husband. This leaves very little time for much of anything else, including she and I getting to just be together. She is a product rep manager. We were just talking the other day about how she has always worked, but managed to be home for her kids all the time as well. She's amazing and I don't know how she does it!
And we wait all year to spend time with Aimee and her family! She also lives in Orem, so they don't come to Hotel Tennis either, but we spend more time with them than pretty much anyone else. They are our non-blood relatives for sure. Not to mention, she is the greatest friend a person could ever dream of. Need something shopped for and sent to the middle east for you? Aimee's your gal. Need someone to watch your kids for the weekend, even though it's HER anniversary? Yep, Aimee. Need someone to get a contractor in your house after it's destroyed by a flood and you live on the other side of the world? Aimee, again! Where would I be without her? Not to mention her years of inviting us to Wolf Creek with her and her family. Each summer they go to their family's old hunting cabin up in Huntsville, Utah and they always welcome us up for a couple of days. This place is the thing Norman Rockwell dreams are made of. We float on inner tubes down the south fork of the Ogden River, jump off bridges and rocks, lay in the sun, throw rocks in the river, eat snacks and shoot bb guns. It is one of my favorite parts of the summer because my kids to get to spend just a few days living how we all imagine a child's summer in the United States should be. She is SO great to let us tag along, and we dream about the cabin all school year waiting until we get to be there in person!
I'll fill you in more ASAP about 'the flood', but needless to say, "Hotel Tennis" will not be the same this year. It will be completely redone by the time we 'open for business', or in other words, go home for the summer. Crazy!
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