We (finally!) squeezed in a summer visit with family in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. After almost two years without a visit north, we were long overdue. Life just happens and between various family members moving, job-related transitions, and other commitments, we couldn't find dates to visit that aligned with one another. Until last month!
Thankfully our 10-hour drive to New Jersey went smooth and we had no traffic delays or unexpected stops. Usually we are thinking (and sometimes saying) ugly things about traffic heading that direction. Too many people + Too small of an area + Too much construction = LOSE YOUR MIND.
Nana and Aunt Becki warmly welcomed us - rearranging their town home to accommodate our crew for space to eat, sleep, and play. They went above and beyond and we felt their love!
We sent one day enjoying the beach at Ocean City. The temperature was perfect, the waves were great, and sea gulls never stole any of our lunch this time. We ended the day with a walk on the boardwalk and ice cream... perfect.
A long weekend visit doesn't leave much "down time" for simply hanging out, but we managed to find pockets of time to relax and enjoy being together. Thankfully my mom-in-law has a go-with-the-flow mindset and is content to do whatever means spending time with her grand kids.
We spent a few hours roaming the Franklin Institute (enjoyable and worth it every time we visit!), we drove an hour to see more family, overtake their house, and burst their space with cousins laughing and playing together.
I'm thankful for two older nieces who were patient and generous with Annalyse. I think, more than anyone else in our family, she had the most fun and was the most sad to say goodbye!
My bro and sis-in-law went above and beyond to make our visit special: getting baked Amish goods, prepping Philly-famous foods, giving tractor rides, sleeping on couches so we could have beds...!
Our family was blessed by their generosity and kindness; and a day to do nothing but play and talk and laugh was wonderful.
NJ and PA - you were good to us this past visit. Maybe, just maybe, we can find a way to make a second visit happen before another two years pass by!
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