This blog has become a photo reel that scrolls from Winter Break to Mid-Winter Break, now to Spring Break, and will soon capture Summer Break, and I know that I’m leaving out a whole lotta living in-between, but also, this is kind of how life feels at the moment, hustle-hustle-hustle, then break-break-break. Work hard, play hard (though even the play takes a fair amount of work these days!).
Our first few days of Spring Break were spent in Minnesota, hanging with family and celebrating our niece’s wedding. Buckle up, Isaac – you know the drill!
We settled comfortably into Pat’s house, Tiff and Jason brought over pizza, and then…BABY! Hayden and Kenny came over with little Brexton and I summoned every fiber of self-restraint in not being that gimme-that-baby kind of auntie, but when I saw Hayden eyeing a slice of pizza, I graciously offered to take her little guy off her hands for a few minutes so that she could eat in peace. I mean, it was the least I could do…
Friday was wonderfully chill, main events being the walk to the mailbox with Grandma, ice cream from Tip Top, and a manicure for Juliette to match the wedding outfit she’d been planning for weeks.
Plus some driveway sprints, because Isaac’s best version of vacation includes more running than sitting.
We visited Grandpa at the cemetery and said a few words to him. When Denny got sick, he set his sights just on making it to Hayden’s wedding day – he wanted so badly to watch his granddaughter walk down the aisle. It brought a fresh wave of missing-ness, knowing he wouldn’t be there in the way we’d hoped.
We spent the evening in the front yard, running more laps, tossing the frisbee around, feeling the hustle melt from our shoulders.
Saturday! Wedding day! Juliette went to the church in the morning with Pat to be part of the getting-ready hullabaloo. A room full of women getting their hair and makeup done? My girl was so there for that.
Isaac was not invited. For obvious reasons.
Eventually, though, it was time for all of us to don our finest. We gathered back at Pat’s for final touches and a few photos.
STUNNER!
It took some creative safety-pinning to keep these suit pants from dropping and he wanted his tie worn not-too-tight, but still, he pulled it off.
Shane and I cleaned up okay, too.
And one with the jacket, since I don’t know if I’ll ever get Isaac into this suit again! I convinced him to pose for a photo only by telling him I needed a picture of his extra-special snowball. Hence the prop.
I didn’t take any pictures of the ceremony, but it was joyous and beautiful and Juliette had stars in her eyes throughout the whole thing. She sat up extra straight, clasped her hands in her lap, and quietly smiled when the groom kissed the bride. The romance of it all! Isaac ran for the door the moment it was over. Time to party.
Denny wasn’t sitting in the sanctuary with us, but he was still very much there, in spirit, in hearts, in the nuggets of love he planted and watered in each of us for so many years.
We headed to the reception, grabbed some snacks and drinks, and then waited for the special couple’s big entrance.
Cheers!
The next few hours were filled with dancing and eating and laughter. A few tears, too, but happy-sad ones, always followed by long hugs.
Isaac ate quickly so that he could practice his break-dancing moves while the dance floor was wide open.
Congratulations, Hayden and Kenny! We love you and Baby B so very much. You throw a great party.
We met for church on Sunday morning, grabbed a few last baby snuggles, and then said goodbye to the newlyweds as they headed home to North Dakota.
We visited the local nursery’s Palm Sunday petting zoo and Shane caught up with some old friends.
The day ended back out in the front yard, running relays in the midst of golden hour. Denny’s office, where he spent so many hours playing iPad golf and watching sunsets, faces this field, and I kept picturing him leaning back in his chair, smiling as his grandkids ran wild on the land he and Pat worked so hard to build a home on.
That’s a Minnesota wrap. Next up: Spring break part II, in which we play extra-hard, Utah-style!
