Family Visits

Even with the chaos of receiving household goods and unpacking, we managed a quick Arkansas/Oklahoma trip while R was here.

First we went to Arkansas for a very quick visit to see my Grandma.  She is almost 90 years old, and my last living grandparent.  R definitely wanted to see her before he headed back...

Grandma White.  So glad that my kids have had her in their lives this long.

Then a short visit at MiMi & PaPa's house, and some surprise visitors!

These two little ladies were A's very best friends from the year we lived in Arkansas.  It was so great for them to be together again!!

Then we were off to the hotel for some swimming fun, before we headed back to Oklahoma the next morning!

Ready to swim!  Doesn't he look a bit like Steve Urkel in this pic?

The goggles might have been a bit tight on his forehead, you think?

Hot tubbin' with Daddy

The next morning we were off to Oklahoma to visit with some of R's family.

Swimmin' at Grandma & Grandpa Willis's house, with cousins, aunts and uncles!

It was a super fast trip, but it gave R a chance to reconnect with family we hadn't seen in 2 years.  Then we were back to Edmond to get back to work settling in.

A final thought:  R & I consider Arkansas "home".  When we say we are going "home", it usually means Arkansas.  We met there, we were married there, our girls were born there....it's home.  We left Arkansas shortly after we were married and T was born...the Army sent us to OK.  Then a few years later we left the Army and returned to Arkansas so R could get his commission through ROTC and return to the Army as an officer.  We thought it would provide a better career for R, and a better life for our family.  This is the house we moved into when we moved back to Arkansas...

We like to drive by it sometimes when we go to Arkansas for a visit.  It helps us to be grateful for where we are today, and remind us how many blessings we have received along the way.  T was 3 years old when we moved into this house...and we were happy to have it.  We've come a LONG way in those 12 years...and what a 12 year journey it has been!!