home in photographs

sometimes i wish i could just tell my life in pictures.

[so, as i previously promised, here is my attempt to do that with my huntsville weekend]

[friday] i spent the afternoon at Morningside with Grace and learned lots of interesting new things about her life. this week she was especially inclined to tell me about her medical history...all of it- in detail. i saw scars and pacemakers and heard more details than i probably ever want to know. BUT the great thing that i took away from my experience on friday was the feeling that Grace and i have started to build a rapport. she trusts me, that's a beautiful feeling.

i didn't get to huntsville till around 10 on friday night, and after bringing all my stuff inside i hugged my mom and crawled straight into bed.

[saturday]

morning started out with an early trip to Hazel Green where my dad's family lives. its about a 30 minute drive from my mom's house, but i've come to really love that drive. it's just long enough for me to sit alone with my thoughts, but short enough that i don't become frustrated with the distance.

i had really good time with my family at dad's house. we talked about japan and how God is just perfectly orchestrating all of that everyday. it's so undeniably Him- that's the most beautiful part. the only sad thing about the Green was that I didn't get to see ashley while i was out there.

we are rarely home at the same time, but we both have 2 families to visit with while we are home so i understand her busy schedule because mine was almost the exact replication of her own. i did get to spend some time with mary [evidence below].

this is what happens when a police officer has only daughters: we turn belt holders into bracelets.

i think we were supposed to be cleaning the kitchen at this moment- but photo breaks are just needed sometimes.

my baby brother is 17. life is nuts.

i know, i know: my bangs are attacking my left eye.

is it normal for people to think your younger brother is your older brother? this happens quite frequently.

he's special.

mom only had 7 candles, so she re-lit them 3 times for him to be able to blow out 17 candles [with 4 to grow on]

mom's fam: with one of the deformed balloons. i'm not sure why but all the balloons we had were funny shapes, 2 popped in mom's face while she was trying to inflate them... the things moms do for their children :)

zach LOVES cake: obviously.

he asked for the 'Z' because it had the most icing, so he got the whole corner.

don't worry he ate all of it.

time at mom's house was really good as well. our nana and muffy [aunt] came over for some grub before the cookie cake fiasco began, they are always so much fun to be around.

i love my family.

i'm incredibly blessed.