Happiness is...

...being with those you love.

We are in Washington visiting family. My step-father is in the hospital again, and I'm sad that he isn't making a miraculous recovery. I am very grateful for an understanding husband and mother-in-law who took care of my four kids so I could drive down and spend an entire day with my mom. While my mom would have loved to see the kids, it would have been stressful to have them at the hospital. We spent a few hours just waiting and visiting while the hospital got my step-dad's room ready. Then they decided they needed to clear him of a certain contagious infection, and before the tests came back, everyone who entered the room had to robe and glove up. I couldn't imagine trying to do that with kids.

I got my mom out of the hospital for while. We went to lunch and shopped for fabric at Joann's. I was disappointed to find a fabric that I paid full price for at home on the clearance rack here. Bummer. But, hey, tharker, if you want that quilt-looking print, it's on clearance in the back of the Joann's in Richland.

I've missed my mom so much this fall. It was nice just to spend the afternoon together, to talk over fabric and tacos and drop by her house for a moment to put the horses in and feed the dog. I really needed that one-on-one time with my mom. I guess kids grow up, but we change very little.

Today, Nathan and I went out and rode "my" Christmas present-- more about that later when I have the cord to connect my camera to the computer. (I left it at home.) It was fun, but cold, so when the guys said they wanted to go up the mountain, I handed the key over to my brother-in-law and stayed back with the kids. Just like I needed my time with my mom, I think my husband needs his time with his dad and brothers.

I'm grateful that the three passes that I had to drive over to get here were all dry and clear. Our nine-hour drive was uneventful. Yesterday, we went to our old ward and saw many of our old friends. Tomorrow we will head home. We'll hope for another uneventful trip--that the kids will sleep and that the weather will be good. This trip home has only wet our appetite, though. Now we'll be counting the days until we come back in December!