Reunion

I just returned from a mini-family reunion. Alicia, Ashley and Aria live in Madison, Wisconsin. Jonathan, Heidi, Kai and Salem are in town from Ft. Mill, South Carolina. Amana Colonies, Iowa is as close to a mid-way point with accommodations between KC and Madison as you can find; so we loaded our group in a van borrowed from Allen Hood and headed north. The Madison branch of the family headed south and we met at the Holiday Inn Amana Colonies near Iowa City. The unique feature about this Holiday Inn is the "Wasserbahn" water park that is a part of the Holiday Inn. I've never been there, but I suspect it's similar to the Great Wolf Lodge water park here in KC. Anyway, we had a great time -- especially Kai who made enough trips down the water slide that he definitely got his money's worth.

It was also fun because Jonathan's group had never met Aria (Alicia and Ashley's daughter). Marisa was loving every minute of it, too. She treats all the kids as if they were her own. She is definitely the aunt every person wishes they had when they were growing up. Speaking as the granddad of the group (now there's a phrase I never imagined I would use -- funny how you can imagine your dad being a grandfather, but you can never picture yourself as one of those) the whole experience was way too much fun and way too short lived. However, one thing I knew to be true, but it was re-affirmed in my heart -- I am so proud of my family! They are all in love with Jesus and helping others to understand and experience that love. I am definitely blessed beyond anything I could ever have dreamed. Psalm 16:6 comes to mind, "The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance."

Blessed be the name of the Lord!