the last summer visitors

This summer's theme has been "how to entertain while working 80 hour weeks". It has only been possible by the grace of God. We just said goodbye to our last visitors of the summer (unless you're still coming, Evan?...cough, cough.). 

When Bryan & Lisa came, we invited them into the madness of berry harvest (Will they ever come back this time of year?...perhaps not:) ). They babysat Fee from 5 am til I got done for the day. (Some vacation!) They made their own breakfast, their own lunch, & didn't complain when we ate out 80% of the time.

We carved out moments in between where we had fun. It wasn't ideal, but we did what we had to.  It's hard to believe we're here already. I only spent a week in Illinois with David & Roxy before I moved 2,000 miles away. And I was about to get married, so the time hardly counts. It's been so good to have them come see us so we get to know them. Roxy was a good little model this trip. 

Ollie and Fee got along well most of the time. They'd chase each other around the island, giggling. Fee was a bit of a bully. (Really. We've got our work cut out for us.) Overall, Fee did well having more family here. She is turning into quite the entertainer. 

They'd heard about the alpine slides from their cousins, & wanted to try them for themselves. So I made another trip up to Mt. Hood:). I am so thankful Oregon has so many cool things to do! Our little apartment, as delightful as I think it is, just wouldn't keep kids occupied for a week.

Roxy's birthday was the day before they got here, so we celebrated it with them. Nothing big, just chocolate cake & a hand-me-down shirt for a gift:). I rarely get to celebrate these milestones with my Illinois family though, so I took advantage of the opportunity.

In all the craziness of berry harvest, though, we never did go on the birthday swimming outing like I'd promised her. I think Riley & the pond were a suitable replacement though. 

It's hard. It's hard to be so far from family. I can't think about the future: I worry about how we'll make visits work, we'll be busy in the summer, school is the rest of the year. Our school breaks might not line up. Tickets are so expensive during holidays. Somehow though, I know God will make a way. He always has.

Until now, it's worked. It's been good. I've gotten to spend half my summer with family this year. It's been crazy busy & I can't remember the months of June or July. But I know this: Fee knows her cousins now. And that's worth whatever crazy stunts we have to pull to make the visits possible.

The cuncles

Can I just preface this post with a little sentimental meandering? My first nephews: I remember every one of the days they entered this world. I spent three summers babysitting them & countless other times. I took them on an epic canoe ride that ended with a mad dash through the woods being swarmed by bloodsucking mosquitos. And they still liked me:). I was "Nenna", "Jinna", & "Jonna". And now they are these big, bordering-manhood boys who have jobs & dote on their little niece cousin. I have to keep telling myself they are Fee's cousins, not uncles. But it seems more fitting that they are uncles: I was their age when they were her age. (Follow me?) And Riley, her uncle, is their age. So I call them "cuncles" It works. 

 It was so awesome to have Wendy and her boys all here. (Can I just add: it is time for us to buy a larger vehicle. Seven people in my car...there is a time to move on.) We were busy. I'm thankful the farm offers up so much entertainment, because we couldn't really get away to experience Oregon this time like we did last time they were here. But there was fishing & fun to be had anyway. 

 It did make for lots of time with Fee though, & that was just precious. She took to them pretty good after a rough first ten minutes. I hope she always takes to my family.

 I was able to take off one day from the farm & we went up to Mt. Hood. The boys went on the alpine slides (Ski Bowl Snopark if you're in the area). They had a blast.

 I think you could've rode the lift even if you weren't going down the slides, but Fee wasn't old enough. I was content to sit in the "alpine" meadow and watch:).

 We drove up to Timberline Lodge then, & did a little hiking behind it. The boys (we took Riley along) wanted to find some snow & play in it. So we hiked a few minutes til we found some.

Silver Falls is just a short jaunt from where we live, so we did that one afternoon, too. 

 Most of our time we spent on the farm though, picking berries, eating berries, fishing. I think I've almost convinced the boys working out here in the summers is where it's at:).

I know I didn't write much: 1) most of you just scroll through the photos anyway;). 2) I am tired. We are on the downhill slide with berry harvest, but I am helping Dar out in the field now, & we're up at 4:30 & put in looong days. Words seem too hard to string together. Although, if a picture's worth a thousand words, I overachieved.

I am grateful though. For family that comes to visit (and doesn't mind when they have to babysit Fee while I go out & work), for Jesus' words, "Come unto me all ye that are weary & heavyladen", for the words, "Peace, be still" that keep cropping up in my life, for a harvest that will provide us with an abundant living the rest of the year, for migrant workers that show up & do a good job, for wonderful in-laws that let me drop Fee off at 5 am...yes, I am grateful.

One more thing: I still have my Christmas cards out in a little wire basket in my living room. Yesterday Fee was rifling through them (as she is wont to do), & said, "Mama!" with excitement. I came over to see what she wanted & this is the Christmas card she wanted to show me.

Cue the tears. Anyway. I think she likes them, too. Her cuncles.