Autumn Adventures

September began with an early birthday celebration for the smallest red-head in our family who turned 10!  He chose to celebrate this year by choosing to go to  “John’s Incredible Pizza” in Roseville.  This was on the docket last year for Nolan’s birthday, but Mom’s health and 2^nd hospital stay sidelined that plan.

Nolan's 1st b-day celebration

We had a great time and the birthday boy was on Cloud 9!  We also did a small birthday celebration with Mema and Grandpa a week later, just before we flew out to Chicago.

Flight adventures

Due to many, many, many different circumstances throughout the last 18 months; our kitchen remodel and flooring update continued to grow larger and larger, until it finally reached an almost entire home renovation.   Since there were parts of our remodel I was advised by my transplant team to not be around, the kids and I have temporarily located to Michigan via Chicago. 

My sister and her husband purchased a vacation home in Michigan about 1 ½ hours outside of Chicago and that is where the kids and I are currently residing. Our goal is to be returning to California before Halloween-God willing.

Since we’ve arrived in Michigan we’ve celebrated my niece’s 9^th birthday, and then 10 days later- Nolan’s actual 10^th birthday.  We’ve swam, fished in their pond, roasted marshmallows over a campfire several times, chased our cousins and been chased by our cousins. 😊 We’ve visited a pumpkin patch and carved pumpkins, toured the surrounding towns, walked the neighborhood most evenings, and I even squeezed in a blood draw at a local Quest for my transplant team at Stanford.  We’ve seen and felt the change of seasons-only for the weather to feel like the season before only 3 or 4 days later. 

Checking out "The Bean" in Millennium Park

Nolan trys out the "birds nest" swing

Leah pretends to be a monkey?

Water feature at Millennium park created by the art students

Nolan's 10th birthday celebration begins

Nobody gets my Rootbeer Float

May the Force be with you this Halloween

Cousin Fun at local Michigan pumpkin patch

Grant and his pumpkins

Mia & Leah

Ron & Sophie

All the cousins together

Fun in the pool

Cannon Ball

The girls

This one almost looks like he's walking on water

Go Sophie!

Park Fun

Lake Fun

Sisters

My favorite part about being here:  Seeing my sister and her family; with the change in color of the trees a close second. (Autumn is my absolute favorite season) 

Least favorite part:  Scott’s not here with us.  We celebrated our 17^th wedding anniversary apart this year and I’m hoping it’s the last time that happens and all future celebrations will be together.

We’ll be home soon enough, so I’m focusing on enjoying this time here “living” in another part of this great country we live in-an experience that would not have been possible if not for my sister & brother in-law.  

And the kids and I are cherishing the time here and feeling blessed that when our time here comes to an end, we'll have a house to come home to.  We are all too aware that so many people right now in California, Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and other areas devastated by fires and hurricanes no longer even have a home to go to anymore.

And with that, I leave with this parting song from Chris Tomlin regarding my "True Home".

Click Here:  Home by Chris Tomlin