In June I was given the chance to go home for an extended period of time…10 days actually.  Going into the long vacation I thought that might be a loooong time to be back in little ole Ithaca…but truth was it was just fine.  I had a chance to really have time to relax, see almost everyone, and learn to just be present (yea, I’ll come back to this one). 

So the trip home started because Sarah was graduating from high school and though I missed the actually graduation ceremony, our Mid-Western towns all plan, decorate, and host fairly big open houses for high school graduations.  Therefore I knew I had to be back for the main event…and it was great!  Sarah was the best host, we decorated the day of, and I officially had the best restaurant home-made like mac & cheese!!  Wow was that good (they used motz sticks as part of the crumb topping…very tastey).     So big congratulations to the grad!!!  I’m very proud of you.

Second part of the visit home was a trip up to Mackinaw Island for the Lilac festival with Lois, Mom, and Grandma.  Well, the trip definitely didn’t go according to plan; first, Grandma was sick and opted not to go; and second, because Michigan doesn’t like to ‘plan’ its weather!  You just never know what kind of weather it’ll be until the day of and apparently we picked the worst day to be on the Lake.  It was cold and rainy.    Therefore we didn’t even want to brave it and go a crossed to the Island so stayed around the City all day.  I’m bummed we didn’t get to see the Lilacs (which wouldn’t have been out yet anyway) but it was still fun to hang out with the crew on a mini vacation.

The last big part of the trip was being able to just be home…nothing more nothing less.  It was funny though because the first day I was home as soon as I was awake I was asking Mom what are we going to ‘do’ today?  She quickly established that I said I didn’t want to drive, didn’t want to (I don’t remember), but it came down to just being home.  So then I had to ask what do we ‘do’ at home? She chuckled and reminded me there is nothing to ‘do’ in our town except for the laundry list of household chores…(which I”m on vacation and don’t want to ‘do’)…so that was my very humorous lesson in being present.  I realized that I had time to catch up on all my reading, work on some clothes that needed mending, take my dog for long walks, and in general just be fully engaged, and enjoying, in whatever small or large activity I did for the next few days.  Can I just say wow…that’s been a very valuable, and at times frustrating, lesson for me to bring back to DC?! 

Finally, the last two things are totally separate in nature but equally as good.  The first is that my last night in Michigan I spent with friends in East Lansing at the Peanut Barrel for drinks, food, and conversation.  It was finally a beautiful Michigan day so we all sat outside, some of us reminisced about MSU days, but in general it was just so great to have so much time to just chill with good people.  However, as the night moved on Jonathan (Emily’s boyfriend) convinced us to hop to the Riv…let’s just say I definitely ate my words because we had a very fun time there (despite my objects of being too old).   

The second, and very funny situation, actually happened at the beginning of the trip.  Andrea picked me up from the airport, then Jilly picked me up from Howell, and finally Mom got me from Bath, to make a couple of stops in Lansing, to finally take me the rest of the way home.  However the funny situation came as Andrea, little Luke, and I were meeting Jilly and Chole Sue at the outlet center in Howell.  Keep in mind we all know I love hanging out with kids, playing or whatever…but babies are definitely a newish thing to me.  All the babies in my life are absolutely wonderful and I, as Aunt Chaz, would never want to be without them again but I’m still new to baby stuff.  I’ve definitely got the hold and walk but beyond that…lots to learn (or not learn because as Aunt Chaz; Aunt meaning ‘give back poopy diapers’).  Anyway, out of all the stores at the outlet mall the ladies decide they need to go to (insert name of baby clothing store)…makes sense to me but I figure we’ll hit that store like we hit all the others; quickly!  Man was I wrong!!!  First I walk into the store and am instantly surrounded by babies, Mom’s with strollers, and miles upon miles of small clothing pieces that (truth be told) all look the same to me.  First I made the fastest exit to the restroom I’ve ever made in my life and second I know, fully, completely, and am empathetic for all those men standing awkwardly around a lingerie store…I get it!!!  We were in that store for so long that I ended up being the stuff (babies included) holder while both mom’s kept, in my opinion, looking at the same tiny pieces of clothes over and over again.  They would ask one another, mind you all this came out as a foreign language to me, about bibs, snaps, colors, oneies, overalls, shirts, sleepwear, shoes, sunglasses, etc!  Whew!  Thankfully one of the kids was hungry (because at this point my voice was inaudible) so we left the mounds of baby stuff behind us and went to lunch…big sigh of relief! 

road trip!

Lois watching the seagulls

the ferry to the island

Mackinaw Bridge

Michigan’s going green…

eating smores by the campfire!

I lOVE fudge!!!

Mom’s new wheels

Emily and I

shout…you know you make me wanna a…

Andrea, Lindsay, Emily, and me

Jonathan & Em

that’s not tequila :(

yes, she got digits…on her hand!