We’re back from our annual summer trip to New Hampshire. Click here for last year’s post for background (and go back to August 22, 2007 in the archives for last year’s photos). We spent the first night at my parents’ house and the next day having an absolute *blast* at StoryLand. Then we headed for ‘MorMor and MorFar’s Cottage’ for the remainder of our time. This –the Cottage– has got to be one of our favorite places on earth (quite possibly our most very favorite). And when I say “our” I mean all five of us. I have loved it my whole life; Braydon loves it as much as me; This was Kyle and Owen’s fourth year making this trip, and I truly don’t think any two kids could be more in love with a place than these two are with this place; And of course this year was special because it was Meera’s first trip to NH and to the Cottage. Meera travelled great (first time on a plane), and given how well she slept at the Cottage, I think it is safe to include Meera in the “our” of “our favorite place.” I’m not even going to try to explain how much fun we had and how much joy this little spot on earth gives us. It was beyond fabulous. We had the best time with MorMor and MorFar. Truly one of our best vacations ever. I have about a million photos to post, so I’ll let them do the talking (I’ll hopefully post them tomorrow) …as I write all of this, though, I can’t help but note that I feel heavy in my heart. My cousin Karen is in very critical condition with extreme stage 4 cancer. Words can’t express the tragic sadness of this. We are praying here for Karen, her husband and their two young girls, for my aunt and uncle, and for Karen’s entire extended family and network of friends. Having just returned from such an incredibly joy-filled few days at a place that has brought so much joy to five generations of my family— but feeling the weight of Karen’s pain and sorrow so heavy in my soul— it reminds me once again of the deep importance of living life to the absolute fullest. We have no time to spare.
Lots more photos! Posts are here, here, here, here, here, and here!
