Saturday, April 5, 2008

The play-by-play

The trip to Arizona was memorable and sweet. And it passed far to quickly.

Wednesday - Exit the airplane, feel the heat, and realize I brought the wrong wardrobe. My grinning mom greets us at the airport. Later that night, Evangeline meets Aunt HaHa (Heather), Uncle Rich, her cousins, Opa and the Lyts--all on the first day! And I get to cuddle with my newest nephew.

Cousins fresh from the oven

Thursday - More time with Aunt Ha-Ha and her boys. Evangeline meets Andrea and Megan. Megan has the glow of a soon-to-be-bride!

Friday - Breakfast with Mom at The Farmhouse. The cinnamon roll melts on my tongue. We pick up Aunt Ev at the airport, swing by Carolina's for lunch, and race back to Aunt Ha-Ha and the boys. That night at a shower for the future-Mrs.-Joel-Barr, Evangeline meets many of the wonderful faces that graced my years in the local home school community.

Saturday - Heather and Mom throw killer, back-to-back baby showers for us. Hayley and Miss Tory arrive early to help. They are wearing matching shoes! Oh, and Tory has the cutest, most kissable cheeks of any baby. Ever. Friends from my old church arrive in short order to saturate us in gifts and mothering wisdom. I cry, and feel that mothering is not only doable, but a great joy. In the afternoon, friends from the home school community arrive. Three generations of many families are represented in the room because so many of my contemporaries are pregnant or bring their new babies. More gifts, wisdom and much passing around of the babies. That night, Evangeline spends some serious time with Aunt Shea (my cousin) who drove up from Tucson for the day.

Preparation

A table laid

Moms with their babies

Sunday - Steve Shank delivers an excellent exegesis of Acts 6:1-6 that engages my mind and increases my excitement to see the Good News go forward. And the worship team introduces me to this new hymn.

Monday - Ev, Ev and I drive down to spend the morning with the Haupts before racing back north for the elder Ev's job interview. Little Ev and I relax at the house until Andrea and the Haupts join us for dinner. Long walk and talk with Andrea with Ev hanging along in the Bjorn.

Tuesday - We drive Mom to work, grab breakfast nearby, and then get a tour of the new ADF headquarters. Ev meets many of the talented people who make that organization thrive. Mom works for a couple hours; then it's shopping in Scottsdale! Whoot! Dinner that night with the Haupts again, bath time for the boys, and a final long walk and talk with Dad.

"I'm cute and realize you're pointing a camera at me."

Bath head

Rich and Dad taking care of the infants

Wednesday - Heather picks us up for the Moms2Moms meeting at church where we experienced refreshing fellowship and heard convicting yet encouraging talk by Charlotte Richardson. Then it's back to Sky Harbor where we meet Uncle David for coffee before take-off. Ev sleeps the entire flight, leading the passengers near her to declare, "That's the best baby ever." We fall into Mr. Miller's arms at the subway and make it back to the burrow sometime Thursday morning.

The end.

4 comments:

Susanna Rose said...

That top picture is just way to cute! Glad you had a fun time!

orneryswife said...

Very nice trip, sounds like a whirlwind of activity!
TM

Hayley said...

LOVE the picture of Ev and Treyton!

Can't wait to spend more time with you this summer.

Families of the Nations said...

Thanks for sharing! I was esp. blessed to "meet" some of the great supporters who encouraged you at home as much by what they are doing/being as by what they said.