Reminiscing...

So I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for everything. I love spending time with my family, and I don't get to nearly as much as I want to. It was really fun this last August to go on the cruise to Alaska with all my dad's family, and I really appreciate that Grandma gave us all the opportunity to have that memory. I was sad that Annie and Jenny couldn't go, but life gets in the way. I see my nieces and nephews on my husband's side playing together and being so close and it reminds me of the way we all were when we were younger. It's funny, Rob sent me a text today that had a quote he had seen.

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were ... know each others hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time."

I think that goes for cousins, brothers & sisters, long time friends, even parents & their kids, aunts & uncles & nieces & nephews, and grandparents & grandchildren too. It's funny because when I get together with cousins like "the boys" (Jeremiah, Josh & Jeffery), we always end up reminiscing about when we all lived on "the farm". It was never an actual farm, at least not when we were growing up, granted it had dogs and cats and a barn and a garden, but we never raised anything like cattle or sheep or large crops or anything like that, but it was "the farm", and still is to this day. We always talk about Gramma's "hotcakes" (ok, so I was just craving some the other day)or her asking us to show her the latest dance moves, or playing in the play room, or the bucket rides from Grampa.

It's funny how certain things become dear to us or "precious" because they are a reminder of a time when things were easier or better or less stressful or just plain good times. I don't have very many memories, or at least as many as I do on "the farm", of Grandma and Grandpa Heintz's, but every single memory I have is one I cherish. I always loved playing on the merry-go-round and having Grandpa Heintz push us, or Dan or Chad. I watch my father-in-law pushing the grandkids on the rope swing, or giving the wheelbarrow rides, and I miss Grandpa dearly. I've been thinking about him a lot as it comes close to the anniversary of his death, and I wish that I could see the look on his face as he sees his first great-grandchild, or see that smile or see him pull his toothpick into his mouth as he would give us a kiss. I always miss making applesauce and jam with Grandma Heintz, and actually was wanting some of her applesauce today. I definitely never got to spend as much time with my cousins on my dad's side as I wanted to, because we were all so far apart, but it was always a blast when we were together. It had been way too long since I'd seen most, well, probably all of them until we went on the cruise. It's been fun ever since to keep in contact with some of them.

Anyway, these were just some things I was thinking about, could be my emotional pregnant side of me coming out, but I just wanted you all to know that I love you all and miss you all. I wish I could be closer to everyone, and that everyone was at least still in the same state. And Rob, we at least need to keep everyone in the same country, so I've decided you're never allowed to move to Cambodia. K?