Our latest trip to Massachusetts was a real plane, train, and automobile situation.

To get from here to there, we drive three hours to the airport, walk the approximate length of Oregan across the airport, and take the plane-train to our gate. Upon landing, we ride the bus for forty minutes to the bus station where we are picked up by whichever family member is available. The entire process is reversed to return home. It is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes we are the faint of heart which can be problematic.

We were able to visit Grandma at her nursing home for the first time. We prayed so hard she’d remember us and she did. She gave us a tour of her new home and repeatedly introduced us to her new friends. She took us to karaoke and told us which songs she and Grandpa used to sing together. I showed her a picture we took together and pointed out some new wrinkles around my eyes. She leaned back in her chair and said, “Oh, those aren’t new! You’ve had those for years.” With spice like this in my genes, imagine what kinds of things I’ll say when I’m 96!

Aunt Camp looked a little different this year. We’ve always stayed at Daniel’s house, but we had a bit of a shuffle this year and only stayed one night. The other nights, Ivy slept over Grammy’s new house and we did day trips together. Next year will be our tenth Aunt Camp. We haven’t missed a year since Ivy was born!We took the girls to see Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower. I hadn’t been there since I was around 12 years old. It was the week after I had stepped on a nail at Katie’s house. It did go fairly deep into my foot, but I handled the recovery more dramatically than the injury called for. I insisted on using crutches as I made my way around the boat. Surely I was bearing a burden as heavy as Elizabeth Hopkins, the Pilgrim who delivered her baby aboard the Mayflower. No one can say whose cross was heavier- the dramatic twelve year old or the woman who labored while surrounded by over 100 people in a boat that is practically the size of a two-car garage. One day, history will decide between us. 

Oliver and I spent some quality time together. One afternoon, I had him “help” me make macaroni and cheese for lunch. I let him stick his finger in the powdered cheese packet which blew his little mind. I asked what he thought Ivy was doing at camp, and pulling his cheese-covered fingers out of his mouth, he said, “I bet she’s not doing fun things like eatin’ dis stuff!” Later on, he said he liked me and wanted to play. Did Elizabeth Hopkins ever get that kind of rave review from her family members after handing out fake orange cheese? I think not.