We left early Wednesday morning (the 3rd of July), and since it’s only a 12 hour drive to Ames, we arrived there that night. The kids did really well on the drive, even Trayson, who finally handled a long trip without Dramamine OR tears! WIN!
The 4th of July was always our favorite holiday to spend in Ames. It’s the PERFECT all-American 4th of July and we always knew when we returned for a visit, it would be then. We got to see most of our friends right off in the morning because the two wards there both meet together for a breakfast to start off the holiday. The ward was split a few years after we moved to Ames, so we have great friends in both congregations and it was a perfect place to meet up. After that we went to the parade. Can I just say that SOMETHING horrible has happened to that parade in the few years since we left? The parade used to be so awesome! There were tons of fun floats and groups that marched, the kids always got WAY too much yummy candy, and I always got at least 3 new workout t-shirts as different groups threw them to the crowds. This year, each kid ended up with about 5 pieces of candy, no one threw shirts or coupons, and it had nothing to do with America. I apologize to all my Ames friends, but the parade was the ONLY thing disappointing about our trip and I’m wondering what happened to it!? Bring back the awesome parade! OK, end of rant.
We spent the rest of the day at different barbecues with several friends and just enjoyed a great time visiting and enjoying the holiday.
We stayed in Ames until Monday morning and had the perfect visit! One of our friends from there asked us if everything was totally different and if being back made us feel like strangers. Honestly, we felt completely at home and as if we’d never left! Our friends there are still a wonderful part of our life and we’re grateful for modern technology such as facebook that helps keep those friendships strong.
Other than visiting with friends, here are a few of my favorite things about our visit back: first of all, I was treated to several piano recitals by former piano students of mine. It was so fun to listen to these kids and see how far they have come in developing their musical talents. Many are still taking private lessons and many just play on their own for the love of it. Either way, it was totally fulfilling to me to see how they’ve grown and expanded their abilities in this area.
It was also WONDERFUL to be able to see so many of the fabulous young women I was privileged to work with when I lived in Ames. These girls ranged in ages from 12 to 18 when we left, so seeing them now, 4 ½ years later was really fun. Many are heading off to college and two are leaving on missions before the year is up. It was a privilege to serve and work with them during their youth years, and it is especially exciting to see the women they have become! I LOVE THOSE GIRLS SO MUCH!
I think the greatest thing about our trip back though, was the chance it brought us to reflect on our marriage, the experiences that have shaped us, and the way the Lord has been with us always. Brock and I decided to move to Iowa when we were engaged. I remember clearly the weekend of our undergraduate graduations when he and I knew we REALLY needed to make a final decision about where we would go for graduate school. We had a couple of options, but as we prayed about it, we felt strongly that Iowa was the place for us. Neither one of us had ever been to Iowa before, and we didn’t know a soul there. But we knew it was where Heavenly Father wanted us to be, so we looked at each other and said “Let’s go have an adventure!” And now, Brock and I look back on that decision as one of the best ones we ever made. We adore our parents and extended family, but moving away from them and living on our own was a WONDERFUL way to start our family. We learned to trust each other and solve problems, without running home to mom and dad. We established patterns in our marriage and family that have helped us stay happy, strong, and faithful. I’m sure it’s not the answer for everyone, but it definitely was for us.
Being back in Iowa brought all the memories back from the 6 years we lived there. Everywhere we went, it was like we saw little shadows of ourselves: driving into our trailer park the day we moved there with me in the car and Brock in the moving truck; the path I wheeled strollers down when I took first Davis, then Duke, and then Gage on walks; the grocery store where a box of raisins was one of the first things picked up because my BIG little boy loved them and they’d keep him quiet while I shopped; a little blond girl running to the swings in her jean dress and white tennis shoes when Daddy joined us at the park for lunch; the apartment we moved into 6 days before Gage was born; the hospital where I gave birth to my first 3 babies without any worries about whether or not they would live or die or lead a normal life; the research plots that Brock practically lived in and that I sometimes visited to help him record data; the church where we worshipped, served, learned, taught, and witnessed together how a ward should function. It was just a beautiful experience to be reminded of the sacred experience it was for us to live there!
And being reminded of the Lord’s influence in our lives then, made it easier to remember the Lord’s influence in our lives now. Being married with 3 kids in graduate school is HARD and there were times that were overwhelmingly difficult for both Brock and I. During those times though, we relied on the Lord, prayed for help, held each other up, and watched miracles unfold before our eyes. Heavenly Father helped us through that experience in beautiful ways, and we now look back at it as a sacred schooling in life. I know that we learned things there that are helping us now, at this point in life. Here we are at another difficult time, and we’re getting through this the same way we did with challenges back then: we are relying on the Lord, praying for help, holding each other up, and as we do that, I know we will see miracles unfold before our eyes.
You know how when you were little and you hurt yourself, you found your mom so she could kiss the owie better? It didn’t REALLY change the reality of the owie, but it made it hurt a little less? That’s what being back in Iowa was for us.
After we left Ames, we spent the next few days enjoying the Amana Colonies, Nauvoo, Kansas City, and Independence. It was a wonderful trip filled with MOSTLY enjoyable times as a family (and only a couple of breakdowns – the biggest being by yours truly). The spirit in Nauvoo and other church history sites is palpable and we were all grateful to be reminded of the sacrifices made by our pioneer ancestors. Talk about having it hard! SHEESH! Our life is a walk in the park compared to theirs!
One other great thing about our trip was the funny one-liners that kept coming from the mouths of our kids, particularly Gage and Trayson. Here’s a sampling of some of Gage’s best:
· As we entered Oklahoma on the drive: “How do Oklahoma people sound like?”
· As we got into greener and hillier areas, we heard these comments that show how a 5-year old perceives the climate where we live: “This is really, really pretty! All the trees and hills are so pretty!” and “Mom, do YOU make the water fall on the windshield?”
· When Gage saw a woman without legs in a wheelchair, Gage immediately said “Maybe a shark bit her legs off….or an alligator.”
Our favorite from Trayson was when he had just tried a dried mango. His immediate response was “This is DISGUSTING! Gage, do you want a taste?”
Thank goodness for kids! And thank goodness for the fun vacation that gave us a little break from everyday life. And now, it’s back to the grind!
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