Long overdue – Our trip out west

The day Wes turned one month old, Dan’s youngest sister, Annissa, graduated from high school.  In Kipling, Saskatchewan.  And we were there.  That’s right, we braved a 4 hour flight with a newborn.  And, truth be told, it wasn’t that bad.  Wes was a trooper.  And Jaia, well, she was an angel.  Especially considering that our promises of a new movie for her to watch on the plane went unfulfilled when we were told a few minutes into the flight that the entertainment system was down.  Not awesome.  Thankfully, Jaia was.

The week was action packed.  There were:

Random encounters with old friends… 

Lots of visitors…

Lots of food…

Lots of playtime…

Lots of snuggles…

One wedding….

And one beautiful graduate.

Small town grads are not what I know.  Family is very, very involved with all aspects.  Where as in Ottawa where your parents drop you off and disappear for the night, grad day in Kipling included a dinner for all of each grad’s family and then a walk over to the ceremony.  Everyone in town is there.  It’s a big, big deal.  The after grad party is also a big deal and is chaperoned by the parents who work in shifts.  Somehow Dan’s Mom drew the short straw and had to be on duty until 4 am.  😐

A few days into our visit, we packed up and drove to Saskatoon to see more of our favourite faces.

Before we left, we had to stop into to a favourite childhood place of Dan’s. Kinsmen Park.  Jaia, with grandma, cousins and aunts surrounding her, was beaming as we rode the train

and the carousel.

And the carousel again.

And the carousel “just one more time, Mama?  Please!!”

Our departure day started early – 2:30 am  – when we had to get up and on the road to get to Regina for 5:00 am, only to find out the plane was leaving late.  We took the opportunity to rest up.

On this trip, we tried to count how many times I have been to Saskatchewan/Alberta since Dan and I have been together.  We think this was number 7.  In 7 trips to see his family, one thing remains – that I’m lucky.  I’m lucky to have met and dated and married Dan, but I’m also lucky to have married into such an amazing family.  I love being around them, hearing the stories and feeling the love they have for Dan, for me and now our littles.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  I wish they lived closer.  All of us in one area so that we could see them more than once a year.  So that they could watch Jaia and Wes grow and change and learn and live.  So that we could have Sunday dinners or just pop by for a quick cup of tea.  So that a visit wasn’t such a big deal because they happen all the time.

But the reality is that we don’t live close to each other.  And so we have to make the most of our visits and time spent together.  To take the time to see everybody we can  To hug them hard.  But in between, to make sure to stay in touch.  And that is what this blog is for us.  It warms my heart to know that so many of you stop by and visit with our babies every day – the only way you can.  It makes it all so worth it to me.