Look At What You Have Created! - Blogged by JME

Over conference weekend, my parents, N8, June Bug, and I went on a little road trip to introduce June Bug to her Great Grandpa and Great-Great Grandma.  We've been on trips before that were only about an hour and a half, but this was about 9-10 hours if you count the necessary stops for feeding and diaper changes.  We were a little worried about how June Bug would do, but we were very impressed!  She did amazing -- considering what we were putting her through.  In the end, she was pretty sick of her carseat and the car, but she did very well.  Here are some pictures of our trip. 

 

We left at 4:30 am. Early! We wanted to get as much road behind us as we could before we needed to stop to feed our sweetie pie. We stopped off in Beaver for June Bug's first feeding and diaper change. Just to let everyone know . . . this is a wonderful gas station! Anyone traveling in this area, if you ever need to stop and use the bathroom, try to hold it until you get to the Beaver Valley Chevron. It has the nicest gas station bathrooms I've ever seen. Plus it has a huge chair in the front that is fun for pictures . . .

We made sure to pack June Bug's little pal, Socks.  Aunt Lee Lee got this for our little one right before she was born and she loves it.  It really helped keep her entertained and happy through a lot of the trip. 

Here is little June Bug with her Great Grandpa.  This is N8's dad's dad.  He really is great, too!  It was so nice to stop there and stretch our legs and have a good visit with him and Lou Lou the dog. 

Grandpa and N8 have a lot in common. They both played the bass guitar in a band when they were younger and both served in the Navy as well. Grandpa was a little bit of a black sheep when he was younger. He told us how he was expelled from school and that was when he joined the Navy. My parents really enjoyed talking and visiting with him and we sure love his stories.

 

This is the hotel that we stayed at in Las Vegas.  Don't worry!  We never saw any little kids on tricycles riding down the hallway and none of us saw "Red Rum" written anywhere, although we were a little nervous we would. 

 

My dad pointed out a lot of the techniques hotels use to keep people gambling in the casino.  He pointed out that the carpet in the casino is really busy and confusing.  It makes it hard to know where you are.  The hotels also have one enterance to the parking garage.  Everytime you go from your room to the parking garage you have to get on the elevator and ride it down to the main floor.  Then walk all the way through the casino and get back on another elevator that will take you to the garage.  Pretty sneaky.  N8 works with a girl in his Air Guard unit who is going into hotel management.  She also told N8 that the color red is the most unrelaxing and unsettling color to put in a hotel.  We heard that after the trip but it is funny to look at all the red they had in the hallway and rooms.   

N8 took June Bug and I on a double date that night and of course we had to go to the Hard Rock Cafe.  Pulled pork sandwiches all around.  June Bug didn't have any.  It was her first time to the Hard Rock Cafe though and I think she had a good time.  The waitresses sure had fun cooing over her.   

 

 

The next day, we went and saw June Bug's Great-Great Grandma Monie.  We were here just last year celebrating her 95th birthday.  Grandma is 96 years old now and still going strong.  She is also as sharp as a nail.  She has been praying that God would let her live long enough to see N8 and I have a baby and was so happy to have that prayer answered. 

 

 

June Bug was a little shy at first and didn't know what to think about her Great-Great Grandma. Grandma was so patient and kept saying, "Now, don't force her!"

June Bug was content to sit on momma's lap first and get to know Grandma a little bit better before getting too close.

After a few minutes, she decided it was okay if she sat next to Grandma, but was still a little leary. 

Then after a little reassurance from Bapa. . . .

 

 

She decided to get even closer, and before long . . .

 

They were great friends!!! 

 

There was something tender in seeing someone who is so close to leaving this life and one who is just barely entering it share such a special moment like this.  I will remember it forever. 

 

This is five generations.  My great uncle, 'Son', sat in for his sister, my mom's mom, Marlys, who passed away when I was just a little girl. 

It was such a beautiful day, we decided to visit outside.  My Great Grandma Monie sure enjoyed herself. 

 

Little June Bug is such a strong little girl.  She was holding her head up the minute she was born.  She was wanting to stand pretty quick too, and my mom kept telling me, "Don't let her stand too early or she will be bowlegged."  I would roll my eyes and say, "That's just an old wives tale."  Apparently, my mom's mom always told her that.  So, while my Great Aunt MaryBalls was holding June Bug, she said, "Hun, is it okay that she's standing up?  I just don't want her to be bowlegged."  My mom and I looked at each other and just busted a gut.  It was pretty funny!  (Just an FYI, I did end up checking with our pediatrician this week and he agreed with me that it is an old wives tale.  What?!  I had to check . . . I didn't want our little one to be bowlegged!) 

 

 

My dad, 'Son', and N8 sat together and enjoyed a nice conversation. 

 

MaryBalls said something  to my Great Grandma Monie that I felt was very significant.  We were talking about how many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren she has now, and my aunt said, "Look at what you have created!"  It is so true and it was neat to take a step back, internalize it for a minute, and think about how special family is and how it really is central to our Heavenly Father's plan.  It is amazing to think that because of the choices that my Great Grandma Monie made and N8's Grandpa made, N8 and I exist, and June Bug could come join our little family.  It made our trip all the more special to see these wonderful people and have our little June Bug meet them. 

 

Grandma and Granddaughter.  Sweet.

 

On the last leg of the trip home, we stopped by a little town where my parents lived when they were first married and had just me and my older sister.  There is a restaurant there where we always go to eat.  My parent's have been eating there for over 27 years.  It is just a little "hole in the wall" joint but we love it.  We usually stop here on our way home from Las Vegas. 

We always get the Luis Special.  It is a HUGE tostada with delicious pork meat.  We usually split it with the whole family but this time we split it just between my dad, mom, and me.  (N8's not a huge fan. . . too much rabbit food.)

My dad is wondering if the three of us will be able to eat all of it. 

Here's N8's dinner.  He was really happy with it.

 

MMMM . . . Dig in . . .

 

 

Between the three of us, we actually did it!  We must have been pretty hungry. 

 

 

Home at last!  You can see June Bug is pretty happy to finally be back.