Summertime Blessings

This past summer was such a flurry of busyness and fun and sweat and giggles and...blessings.  One of our fondest memories from the summer of 2009 will always be when this gang of love and fun descended on our home for a few days.

These are three of my aunts (some of my Dad's sisters) and one uncle.  They drove all the way from Wisconsin to visit!  That's just the way these guys are.  Something going on in your life?  Some important event?  Something difficult?  Something to celebrate?  Whatever... these guys will get in their car and drive 1,000 miles (or more) to just flat BE THERE.  Family...that's what these folks are.

My kids were totally and completely spoiled rotten while they were here :-)  Books, kicking the soccer ball around, playing games, long talks while being pushed on the swing.  Sheesh, they've probably felt a tad neglected since their aunts and uncles went home!  It was so sweet to see my kids getting to know them and having such fun.

One day around the time of their visit, I saw a golden finch in our yard.  It was a big deal to me because it was the first time I could remember seeing one since I moved to Idaho (almost 20 years ago!).  I told them about it - just part of casual conversation.

And the next thing I knew, my uncle Donny was handing me a finch feeder to hang in our back yard!  Thanks to his thoughtfulness, we had views like this out our dining room window for the rest of the summer:

My little Sammy especially warmed up to having her aunties and uncle around.  The day they left was bitter-sweet.  Bitter, because they were leaving.  You should have seen my kids sprinting down the sidewalk to wave and scream "BYE!" as they drove off.  But also sweet, because it was so full of warm hugs and kisses.

Sammy was saying goodbye to uncle Donny, when I asked her to give him a kiss.  She obliged by giving him a "puppy-dog" kiss...and LICKED him right up the side of his face!  We all got a good laugh out of that.

Then she gave him a real kiss, and one of the sweetest hugs I've ever seen.

Those few days will forever be etched in our memories as "the time the aunties and Donny" came to visit.  Summer of 2009....you were a good one.