Home at Last!

Why is it so hard for me to blog during the summer months? I feel like it’s the only time of the year that I actually remember to take my camera on adventures, but there’s so much to talk about that I think I’m just overwhelmed! So, starting where we last left off…

 Mom and the kids stayed through June 9^th. Then Mom, the kids, AND Dad came back on June 15^th! Seriously, this is the most I’ve seen my family since I lived with them 2 years ago. :]

 Dad’s cousin Riki passed away on June 12^th after battling cancer for 3 years. She was such a fun, beautiful, inspiring lady and we loved her dearly! Some people are taken far too soon. It breaks my heart that her three beautiful girls will have to grow up without their momma, but they are strong and I see so much of Riki in each of them. Her memorial services were beautiful, and we all felt her spirit there with us. She will be so missed.

Even though it was definitely not a happy reason that we went home to Oregon that week, it was a long overdue trip and we were glad we could be there with our family.

 

I cried when I crossed the border into Oregon for the first time in 3 years.

And I cried when I saw my Blue Mountains again.

Aaaannnd then I REALLY cried when I came into the valley and saw Mount Emily, and it was like I was 5 years old again, coming home to play with cousins for the summer.

It was SO nice to be Home for a few days and see all the family. Morgan and I got to have some good quality sister time too, singing Beyoncé and driving across the valley. I believe she’s in the middle of loudly singing “Imma single lady, Imma single lady!” in this picture. (And I’m amazed that I actually got a good pic, when she was sitting upright, between dance moves :D )

It’s little moments like this that I live for. :]

 And it’s not a true trip home unless you get a haircut from Grandma. :) So, we decided to go for something a little different from the normal trim…

I believe my exact words to Cami that night were “I’ve done something drastic…” haha! Talk about a change! I love it though, and am still in the process of learning how to do my hair “like a 14 year old white girl”. :D

 Two days before we left LaGrande, Morgan started crying about going home because she was going to miss it so much. Trust me Mo, I agree. It’s never easy to say goodbye to this...

or this...

Ahh I can almost smell the greenness from here...

Levi couldn’t come with me since he just missed so much work for that dang appendix, so he’s still never experienced the Blue Mountains, the smell of the real green trees all around, Grandma’s house, Blue-Eyed Cowboys (a cream mixed drink, just for clarification) from Nells, getting huckleberries from the mountains, or swimming with all the cousins at the apartments. We will be back to visit very soon.

(Yep. I cried again when I saw Mt. Emily in my mirror. Trips are never long enough!)