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Spending time with my family (the one I grew up in) has a healing effect on me. I feel like I am an hour class, and when I am able to be with my family: Playing instruments with my sisters, singing with my siblings, teasing, laughing, crying, asking and getting amazing advice, listening. All of these things help me to regroup, and feel full again, like I can take on the world, or at least my own world at it's challenges more adequately prepared. The longer we are apart, the more I feel like I could use a flip to get me going again. Don't get me wrong, I love my little family, and enjoy when we are together. I value being in the home I grew up in. It will always have a pull on me, and as my parents get older, and all of my siblings grow, and have families of their own, I know the times we get to spend together become fewer and farther between.

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When my Dad picked me up from the airport, he asked if I was hungry. (Well certainly!) I asked if they had a Chipotle? But we found a Qdoba, he looked it up on his trendy little GPS in his prized pick-up truck *pearl and we headed out to have some lunch. As we were eating our scrumptious meals, my Dad reminded me that the last time he and I had eaten a solo meal was when I was 6 years old. Funny to me that he would remember that, I didn't feel deprived, there is just usually someone else around as well. I really enjoyed our comfortable conversation, and reminiscing of childhood memories (mine of course).

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A couple nights later, Emma Jeanie was playing at the piano, and I got my violin out to play along. She found a version of Ashoken Farewell and we began our own "arrangement" Then Rebecca mentioned she had her flute and joined us. I LOVED that. We just played for a while, bouncing back and forth to melody and harmony, depending on who wanted to play which part.

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One evening, I was particularly exhausted, but didn't want to miss out on being with family. So, I thought, I would just go lay down on the couch downstairs while a few people were watching Duck Dynasty, knowing full well I would more than likely fall asleep. William (Andrew's oldest son) grabbed a pillow, placed it on my stomach, and rested his head there. The last time I saw him, he was about 3 months old, he is now a very tall 2-year-old who I imagine gets mistaken for a 4-year-old on a regular basis. We totally bonded.
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You-tube silly videos were a favorite pastime while home (particularly if there were interrupting goats or sheep available? Trust me, it was funny). I was sitting in the desk chair, looking up something, and William came and sat on my lap, grabbed my finger, and very sweetly said, "pweeze? pweeze?" as he tried to get my finger to go to a station showing horses, or crocodiles/aligators (called tatas in William speak).
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During the delicious lunch Mom made inspired by Cafe Rio, Caroline (the little one) was eating chips at the table, while being completely exhausted, and managed to be sleeping while still chewing. Her little eyelids would close, and shutter back and forth, as her fingers would put more chips in her mouth, and she chewed and chewed and slept.
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Jeanie was playing some Disney songs, and started playing, A Whole New World which Daniel and I sang together when he was in high school and I was in Junior High. He agreed to join in with me.
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Just wanted to get down some of my favorite memories to keep my jar full as long as possible. . .