And finally....family

I know, I know..... more pictures that probably nobody cares about. But I like to have these online so I can access them if need be, so bear with me.

These are the last pictures from our trip back to Alabama. They are of my wonderful family. I cannot tell you enough how much I miss them all. We had the best time being together and just catching up and reconnecting.

First up is my cousin, Erin. She said it best in her blog. We have so many memories together and she really is more like a sister than a cousin. I have very few childhood memories that don't involve her. We were partners in crime, playmates and best friends. She moved back to Montgomery about 11 months after we moved away which is something I am still mad about. :-) We had so much fun getting together at her parents house and letting our kids play together. I adore my Aunt Beverly and Uncle Eddie and I enjoyed being back at their house that I loved growing up. I miss them all already.

Me and Erin with our kids

My Mom and her brother teaching their grandsons to play the piano.

Bennett working with her Great Uncle Eddie on her future application to Julliard.

Erin and Bennett

My Mom's side of the family. How lucky am I to have so many great relatives?


We also got to see Elliot (Erin's sister) while we were in Birmingham. I already posted Memorial Day pictures, but here is one of my beautiful, caring, compassionate, and amazing cousin Elliot with her daughter, Bradford.

I also got to see another awesome cousin, Kara. She was so incredibly gracious to invite us to have dinner with her and her sweet family on our way home. I haven't seen her in years and she had never met Will and Bennett. We couldn't stay long since we were on our way home, but we loved seeing her wonderful new home and she and her husband were kind enough to fix us an incredibly delicious home cooked southern meal. It was definitely food for the soul.

I also got to spend time with someone I can't even write about without choking up- my sweet grandmother. Nana has been my angel, my rock, my confidante, my friend, my traveling buddy, and so much more. I spent more time at her house growing up than at my own and when I moved to DC in 7th grade, I would come home and spend my summers with my grandmother. When I moved back to Alabama at age 23, she became my best friend. We had lunch together twice a week, I would go to her house to watch movies, and we would just travel around together. I love her so much and being away from her is probably the hardest thing about living in Kansas.

One of the most Godly women I have ever had the honor of knowing.


And finally... my immediate family. I have rambled on long enough, so I will try to keep this short. I love my parents more than anything and am so grateful for all they do for me and my family. Seeing how much your parents love your kids makes you love them even more. And I am thrilled that I got to see my sister and her family. I miss my sister and brother-in-law so very much and my nieces are the loves of my life and have been since the day they were born. I have such a special relationship with all three and I miss them spending weekends at my house. I hate that I am missing birthdays, dance recitals, swim meets, and so on.... but I am so grateful for the times that I do get to see them and I cherish every second.

Sutton with her "bestest cousin forevah."

Uncle Jason with his niece and nephew.

Me and Button.

Emmie and Will

My parents with their five grandchildren.


Okay. That's enough. No more gushing, and no more pictures from our trip back home. I will be back to my regularly scheduled blog later this week. If you are still reading this, you are a trooper who deserves a medal. And here's one final picture depicting how Bennett (and I) felt about leaving Alabama.