Moving on in the road trip

Psalm Sunday we spent more delightful hours eating or preparing more to eat, playing cards, watching our kids play (or pile on Mickey), and talking (Cindy and I stayed up until after 2:30 ~ yes, I'm getting too old for such late nights, but with six kids and two husbands constantly in and out of our conversations, we had to find some uninterrupted time AFTER everyone else was sleeping!) and then all too soon Monday morning came...

But with one set of goodbyes came the excitement of getting to see more folks we love and soon the mood in the car was good as we headed east to see my extended family. Shortly after we left, both kids were sacked out in the car and Ian and I were deep in conversation when the road we thought was going to take us all the way back to Ohio suddenly dead ended. Apparently we missed the highway veering off to the right at some point and so we had a scenic detour in Anderson, Ohio. Who knew this was the place responsible for our good moods?

I know, I missed catching the rabbit's face, but Ian slowed down as much as possible in the intersection while I grabbed my camera...

Finally we were back on track and as we crossed the state line a feeling of being home washed over me. I've never lived out in the corn and soybean fields of southwestern Ohio, but spending time there in the summers of my childhood must have gotten into my bones. Before long we were eating pizza in my cousin's store for lunch and swapping stories of the past few months since we'd been together. Then it was back to my aunt and uncle's house where we holed up for the next two days and enjoyed visits from most of my aunts, uncles, and cousins who still live in the area.

Kylie remembered the toy box and headed straight for the "old school" Fisher Price barn. Luckily Uncle Roger makes a great playmate!
Caleb enjoyed a familiar toy with cousin Colt's patient help. (I can still remember when this guy was a TINY preemie that fit easily onto his dad's palm. You'd never guess it now with his 6'4" lankiness!)
Catching a bit of the NCAA championship game with Aunt Nancy.
Cousin June is a great storyteller!