Long Trip (Part 1)

We have survived returned from our Southern California trip. Our main purpose for the visit was to celebrate my Nana's 90th birthday. It was great to see her and to get reacquainted with some of the Ligtermoet side of the family. I hadn't seen many of them since our wedding seven years ago, and some since childhood. Nana put on a happy face, but it was a difficult time because she is soon packing up and moving to Kansas to live in a senior home where she'll be near her daughter and granddaughters who are nurses. She's worried about being cold there so we gave her a blanket with a collage of our side of the family. In many ways it was the end of a long era. I've grown up visiting my Nana and Papa in San Diego and when we visit now it won't feel the same without her there. I doubt we'll see Nana as often, but wish her all the best. She's really an amazing woman. I love how she always reminds me to give Justin a big kiss for her whenever we speak on the phone.

While in San Diego, we visited the beach and pier in Oceanside with my parents, Lacey, and Travis. I'm already missing the beautiful weather and warm sun. Ezra hasn't had many chances to really run fast and far since it's cold outside at home. But he really took off at the beach. If only I could let him experience that freedom more often. It was great fun to watch him chase a seagull and get too close (for my comfort) to a pelican.

Keeley's family finished their time in Disneyland and joined us for Nana's party. That evening, we snuck in a little shopping time while the men took the kids swimming at the hotel.

The next morning we went to Nana's Presbyterian church service and luncheon. We enjoyed experiencing a different church setting. They put on a program afterward celebrating Nana, but sadly we missed that because our kids were getting too restless. My parents said it was really wonderful. We all wished we'd had more time before going our separate ways to school, jobs, and Disneyland (which is what I'll write about soon).