Oh, sweet summer.

   What can make a long summer vacation even better?  Getting to wear all of your summery dresses, of course!


    Honestly, I think this poor little blog didn't even recognize me when I signed in. 

   Randy, Jocelyn and I kicked off our summer with a splendid vacation from May 19--June 12.  I loved every minute of it but my blog has paid dearly for it. Pageviews have plummeted from the day we left til now.  It has just been either too busy, or too sunny, or too "filled-with-family-and-friends" to bother with posting much.  And for that, I have a lingering sense of guilt...as if I've neglected a dear, old friend instead of a blurb on cyber-space that couldn't care less if I fell off a cliff.  Strange, bu nevertheless, I am back to make amends.  Will you have me back, bloggy friend?

   In a nutshell:

1. Florida for a wedding and family vacation.  
2. Georgia to join friends for a Braves game.  
3. Tennessee for a family reunion. 
4. Iowa for time with family and friends.  

   Whew.  Makes me tired just writing it.  Jocelyn was just an absolute trooper through it all, sleeping through the night in spite of all the unfamiliar places, and maintaining her sunny disposition in spite of her first two teeth pushing through.  Sometimes I feel so unworthy as I am sure I wasn't nearly as sweet of a baby as she is.  She was so patient with all of the flying, driving, time changes and hot weather.  During the three different road trips we took she basically slept, ate and played happily.  She patiently endured long outings in the hot Florida sun, slathered in sunscreen, so that her mommy could be in her happy place.  Not only that, but she learned to tolerate nursing and sleeping in the noisiest conditions, rooms full of family and friends, all laughing and talking at once.  I feel like I could drag this baby all over the world and she would still be our sweet little Joce.  Is that wrong of me?  It feels like bragging, but honestly she just has been so good and I wanted to share.  Arrest me.

   *Side note*  I firmly believe children thrive on a schedule, and the scheduling we have done with Jocelyn has helped to order her life and provide her with stability and a routine in a constantly shifting and changing environment, resulting in a feeling of security and maximizing "happy time". (And she still hasn't had to "cry it out" for you skeptics.) HOWEVER... I know that personality plays a huge part in a child's disposition and for that, we give all the credit to God.:)

   Moving on, the trip to Florida was all I could hope for.  Sun, sand, swimming, shopping, Busch gardens, a beautiful wedding, and games and fun with family.  It was great getting to know some of the Headings cousins better, and it was hard to leave!

   The next leg of our trip was wonderful too.  We met up with friends (Mike & Deb Stoltzfus) in Georgia and went to see a Braves game.  After the game we were able to watch fireworks from the dugout and meet up with my cousin Brandon Beachy, who plays for the Braves.  It was a great night, and definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

   After touring the Coca-cola museum the next day, it was off to Tennessee to spend time with my mom's side of the family.  We hadn't all gotten together in a LONG time, so it was wonderful to see everyone again.  Tennessee was:

•  Pedicures and a tea party with the ladies
• 4-wheeling for miles through creeks, woods and on gravel roads
• Spelunking in the caves
• Singing around the campfire
• Bridal shower for Jackie
• Getting to know and welcome Jackie's fiance Bito
• Catching up with cousins

   It was a great trip, and was over far too quickly.   The next leg of our journey was a 10-hour road trip back home to Iowa with my parents, siblings, and my sister Shannon's family.  We made it safe and sound and then it was a whirlwind of meeting up with friends for coffee, games and movies with the family, and swimming to beat the heat.  I forgot how much I loved Iowa in the summer.  I forgot how much I loved Iowa, period.  At times I felt like a tourist, exclaiming over the new "quilt blocks" in Kalona and the renovated street corners.  And at times it seemed almost as if nothing had changed.  It felt good to be able to walk down streets and recognize people, and have them recognize you.  I never lost the feeling of awe that accompanied each casual meeting at a coffee shop...that I was actually within driving distance of these dear loved ones.  Being able to just sit at a table and have a heart-to-heart....that is a precious gift that has become more and more priceless with time.  I am discovering that I'm not a phone person.  I need to be with people, to see their expressions, and read their faces, and share in the moments that can really only be experienced face-to-face.  It was hard to leave there as well.

   Coming back to Oregon, we were welcomed by gray skies, but I won't elaborate on that.   I haven't lost faith that summer will be here soon, and I'm already scheming up summer plans and projects.  Jocelyn is starting to eat solid foods now, so there is so much picking fruit/veggies and canning I would like to get done because of that. 


   Don't worry, pictures will come. I will probably just begin a series of picture posts until I get through all of them, but until then, this brief update will have to do because I have big plans for tonight that don't include posting pics.  O.k. so our "big plans" are curling up in bed with snacks and a movie, but that sounds pretty perfect to me.

So now it's your turn......where are you going/have you gone for your summer vacation?

Goodnight, sleep tight.