Music and nostalgia

So I was just looking through my photos and having a new baby always makes me look back at the others when they were babes...crazy.

I just wanted to mention that my new favorite singer/songwriter is a guy named Josh Garrels...you should really check him out...AMAZING! Casey stumbled upon him in his everlasting quest for great music. Secondly, my new favorite running music is The Black Keys...I hate to run, but sometimes you have to do things you don't like. The Black Keys make it better.

Redwoods

I was reading yesterday morning and discovered something really interesting. The writer said you may think of yourself as a Redwood,strong and tall, but did you know that they can topple over at the mildest wind? For the root system of Redwoods is very shallow. (This I didn't know!) That is why they grow in groves because they interlock their root systems to stand firm for ages.

You can apply this metaphor however you like. To me it is about having those really important people around me that hold me strong and upright through all kinds of weather...even good weather.

The cabin

Do NOT, I repeat, Do NOT go camping with 3 children 5 and under. You will not sleep well and you will be tired, cranky, hungry, and mostly just wishing you were at home. I knew it was going rough when my sister-in-law who doesn't have kids...yet...says,"so I've learned that camping with 3 small kids SUCKS!" And I thought to myself...well yeah...

On the upside...right before we left while Hank was dozing in his Papa's arms in the rocking chair of the cabin porch, Casey took me for a little ride on his motorcycle. I had fun. Then it was time to go...but my kids were having a great time and eating CRAP all weekend. Playing in the dirt, swimming in the river, riding the motorcycle and other fun woods-type activities.

So I guess you can go, but just know that you are doing it so everyone else can have fun and memories to cherish when they are older.

History and future...

I had the chance to go to Missoula, Montana this past weekend with 3 of my aunts and 2 of my uncles...I have lots more than that...and see my grandma's brothers. One of her brothers is 90 and the other 80. I also had the privilege of seeing the house she grew up in and hear my aunts and uncles talk about the times they got to be there to visit their grandparents. It was amazing. The history and the memories. It was so humbling to see the place that I come from was in the making so long. That my grandmother started in that place as a little girl and how she got to be where she was to have her children. I saw pictures of my great-grandparents-Jenny and Carl-in their families of origin on homesteads. It is crazy when you think about how long ago that seems when you see a picture like that but it is only a few generations ago. My great-grandmother was from a family of 9 and my great-grandfather a family of 10. My grandmother a family of 7! Then she had 10...where did all these big families go. Of my grandma's 10 kids only 1 had more than 3! And I have the most kids of any of her grandchildren...so far. It just really got me thinking about the way life used to be and the priorities people used to have.

The other really awesome thing that blessed me so was seeing my grandma's brother Joe and his wife Margie be in love after 50+ years of marriage. In fact he said to me, "she is the cutest damn thing when she sleeps." I just about cried. But it really got me thinking about my marriage and my love for my husband. Do I really enjoy him like I should? Do I just always want to get things done or be helped out? I just really saw this sincere love and enjoyment from them and my aunt and uncle, that just really blessed me and made me desire to know and enjoy my husband. I want to be able to have that kind of connection with Casey in 30 years that those couple had for each other. It really made me see that loving Casey and staying connected to him is really important. It might even make me live a longer, healthier life.