Day 6 of Vacation – Continued…

The day continued on just as beautifully as it had begun. Boating, swimming and porch cuddles were on the agenda.

It’s so bright out for a baby!!

We spent the first part of evening at Aunt Elaine & Uncle Allan’s beautiful place. Much of the extended family on my Mom’s side either live here, have cabins up here or are vacationing like us. There were almost 40 of us that convened for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres…

… or rock skipping and juice boxes.

Sisters Three

Dad and His Daughters

Norns opted for a Girl’s Night In with her Kelly. We wished they could have come along!

We chose this day to get together with everyone in celebration of my Grandmother’s birthday. Today she would have been 99-years-old.

Little Grandma and her Mom (my Great Grandma) – 1916

She and her young family spent many summers up here at her mother’s cottage from the 1950s and on. The cottage still exists today and is occupied in the summer months by my grandmother’s youngest sister, my Aunt Jane and her husband Jack. We visited during last year’s trip.

From left to right: Grandma (pregnant with my Mom), her sister Jane, my Uncle Roger (?), Jane’s husband Jack, and my Grandpa on the porch at the cottage – 1953

Sixty years later we traveled down the scenic M-134 to the Albany Bar (and restaurant)

An unlikely spot for a beautiful flower ~

You can guarantee a good time (and/or a nervous breakdown) at a restaurant that is outfitted with an empty carpeted stage, spacious dance floor, hula hoops, tricycles and a bouncy horse with a bunch of kids thrown in!

I had to give it a whirl ~

I heart all of my brothers in laws. Along with my hubzbind they each bring their own humorous disposition to our already silly family. It’s so fun to have everyone together! Emily’s husband brought our beers back to us from the bar.

“Hi, I’m Josh and I’ll be your waiter this evening!”

“We’re going to need to see some IDs, ladies.”

All silliness aside (with a pretty shot of Lake Huron as a buffer), I greatly miss my Grandma. I often think to myself that I wish she had gotten the opportunity to know Nora, but I feel certain that she already does. Happy birthday, sweet Grandma! 💛

Day 7 of Vacation

William went over to the big house with Nora shortly after she woke up, leaving me behind to sleep in. (Thaaaannnnk you, Wm!!!!) I woke up fairly early and quickened my pace getting ready when I overheard someone outside comment about doing something before the rain comes. 😦 “Rain???!!???” I exclaimed to myself. The sky was beginning to get a little overcast. I wanted to get one last walk in so I could get my lungs stocked up on the heavenly pine saturated air.

I made it halfway there before my hubzbind came and rescued me by car from the impending raindrops. I was excited to see my baby cuddlebug and promptly dressed her in some cozy, adorable overalls! We sat out on the porch to watch the storm clouds encroach.

The sound of the drizzling rain and the motion of the rocking chair nearly put both of us to sleep!

It was to be our last night there. Nora certainly enjoyed a whole week surrounded by so many people who love her!

The clock struck 9 and I suddenly remembered (Holy Spirit nudge) that Nora would be due for her medications soon. I had forgotten to bring them with me from our cabin and figured I’d better drive over to get them. From inside the house it would have been impossible to see that the sun had peeked out from a massive cloud deck just in time to radiate a magnificent sunset. The rain was still pouring down. I initially pulled over to look at the sunset, but as I looked across the Cedarville Bay in the opposite direction, the view literally took my breath away!!!

In my conversations with God at the beginning of our vacation, I wondered if we’d get to see another beautiful rainbow again this year. And there it was in all of its splendor literally in the last few remaining minutes of daylight (9:00 pm!!!) of our vacation! I stared at it in awe for a few minutes before I realized I was blocking the boat ramp that someone was trying to access. With tears in my eyes, I continued onward to our cabin where the view was even more spectacular! Fortunately, I remembered the panoramic feature on my phone before it was too late!

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
(Psalm 19:1 NIV)

Thank you, thank you, thank you, God for loving me like you do.

Kutless – Amazed