For the past 11 years, my sister and her family have traveled across the state with the Weaver boys to stay at "Hotel Julia". The first year (which was Memorial Day, the other 10 years have all been Labor Day) the Weaver boys needed a place to stay while mom and dad went away for the weekend...and the rest is history.
The boys are fondly referred to as the J-Quad (Joe, Jake, Jesse and Josh) and are now officially part of our family. I think Josh (the youngest) was about 7 when we first met him, now he is a senior in HS! Joe is now married (he did good...we LOVE Brinn!), Jake got engaged last week (thanks for bringing Valerie this year, we love her too!), and of course there is Jesse...following in the family footsteps and studying at WSU. Joe and Brinn moved to Boston to begin seminary and could not make it this year which absolutely broke our hearts. So to make it up to us, we got Ellis (Jesse's bud who happens to know every word to every VeggieTale song ever, we also call him John John) and my niece's bff Courtney and her two adorable boys were added to the mix. (Not sure why her son Roman calls my husband Grandpa, but he loved it!) Oh and of course I don't want to forget Marty and Marcy who graciously took our guests out for a "spin" on the lake.
This year we also added Dave's sister (Linda plus Walt and Makayla) and our "other" family the Van Houtes. It was a crazy, beautiful, perfect weekend! I don't think I had to wash one dish, there were so many people here helping out it was wonderful. The house is ridiculously quiet right now : )
Only in a few ways did cancer invade our weekend. Dave is getting used to wearing a hat and sunscreen (thanks Deputy Kirstin) as instructed by our Oncologist. We had to pause a few times to figure out if Dave could eat what we were eating, he is such a trooper. The worst one though was when Dave came in a little buckled over to lie down on the couch. Daniel saw him and shyly followed. He stood at a distance from Dave trying to take in what was happening. Dave called him over and explained that daddy had a tummy ache because of the medicine and it would be okay. He pulled him into an embrace and Daniel sobbed in his chest. I've seen my son cry many times, but not like this. He was genuinely scared and it broke my heart.
This is just a part of the new landscape of our lives...it looks different than it did just a few weeks ago. I am absolutely grateful God has placed these amazing people in our lives (thanks Lily for buying groceries, cooking food, washing dishes, keeping track of the craziness and blessing us beyond what any of us deserves!). I am so much more aware of God's beauty and provision and joy than I ever have been and I know I've barely experienced a fraction of what God has in store for us.
So school starts in two days and I must get to bed! Amazingly enough, Daniel is excited to go back to school (though he also doesn't want summer to end - I hear ya buddy). Goodnight my friends, I love you all!
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More Questions Than Answers
On January 1, I shared that I felt by this point in my life I would have "more answers than questions." I also confessed that fe...
Wow!!!!!! What a week-end!
ReplyDeleteWhat started out eleven years ago as four young boys staying with us so their parents can have some alone time. Has turned into a week-end of our extended family getting together to get caught up with life,meet new family members, play, eat , and laugh. Oh did I mention eat. And eat they did!
It was a little strange not having Joe and Brinn there this year and they were missed.
As I sat on the porch watching all these people enjoying the wonderful play God has blessed us with to live. I realized I hope this tradition never ends. As these boys ( now young men) grow up, get married, and move on with their lives I pray this extended family of ours will always come back for labor day week-end.
We have gone from adding eight people for the week-end to now a whopping fifteen and believe or not there was still room for more.
Well another labor day gone, and all I can say is thank you to all my extended family. I do love you all and I'll be praying for you this year. And I hope you all make it back next year. And for some of you bring your spouses next year there's plenty of room.
Dave
What a fantastic weekend. We had so much fun, such great food, awesome fellowship, lots of laughing, singing silly songs, sitting around campfires, eating, swimming, jumping in the lake, boating, waverunner-ing, frisbee-ing, etc...
ReplyDeleteThank you to the wonderful Shaffer's who so willingly opened up their home to the mass of us who came to stay and have fun at their place. May God richly bless them for their wonderful hearts to give of themselves and host us all.
PS - next time we need to make sure to dance to Kelly Clarkson when I'm still there! That looks like it was MORE than a lot of un!
PPS - Dave - as one who was able to pray for and try to comfort you during a pill-taking induced stomach-cramping episode, I believe that God will hold you tightly in HIS arms during this entire time. He will be your strength and your rock! I pray that you feel his love in your heart and in the care and comfort of your friends and family!