todd and i went to his "family reunion" which was really just his immediate family getting together since for the past few weddings not everyone has been able to come.
so Sunday mornin todd and i flew out of SLC to Portland where his sister, Lisa, picked us up with her husband Nick. Wendi was in the car too, she's just spent the last couple of years in Afghanistan doing some sort of programming. she brought back hats and soaps and jewelry for everyone.
so we drove to Florence, Oregon, where our campsite was, and was also where Todd has gone to Father and Son campouts as a scout with his dad all growing up so it was full of nostalgia for him. we set up our tent. gave hugs to everyone. i was able to get to know several of the siblings that have been too far to visit and who i've only said a couple of words to during the whirlwind that was our wedding.
we played softball, frisbee, we cooked, made s'mores, caught up and learned a lot about each other, went to the cold cold oregon coast, we saw so many birds, so many sand dollars, and i fell in love with so many babies.
jude is my blonde 4 year old nephew. he's lively and fun and loves to run and play. every time he dug in the sand he'd cry, "GOLD I TELL YA!" hahaha and it never got old.
his older brother sage kept taking sticks and pretending they were like conducting sticks he'd stand up on the picnic bench and conduct and ask for everyone's attention and he'd usually make some silly announcement in a british or russian accent. their baby brother, ezra, smiles all the time and even though i'd never met him before he let me carry him around and he'd just look around and sing to himself.
loren is the most beautiful little angel boy. he's 1.5 and every time i kissed or tickled his cheek he'd giggle and smile at me. he would sit in his mom's lap and look up at the sky and say, "stars." he also liked to help with the dishes.
no one makes motherhood look so magical like brittney carman (todd's brother andy's wife). their 3 girls are the most enchanting, gorgeous, so fun and so intelligent. i really loved listening to them and playing with them and holding the newborn until she fell asleep and talking to her. she hears you and sees you and when you talk she talks. it's incredible.
i cried a little when i had to say goodbye to them. no one saw, thankfully. when stella and i were playing on this enormous sand dune she said, "grown-ups, except for you, are so boring." and later she told me i was her favorite aunt. well that works since she is my favorite niece.
frankie was wonderful. she'd snuggle with me and blow bubbles with me and tell me jokes and laugh so hard at them. she told me the funniest stories, mostly because she was telling me 4 or 5 stories at once and non of them had a beginning or end and they were mixed and mashed together. she's precious.
i've never been called Auntie Hillary in my life before and i got it all week. i love those children. even when they screamed or cried. i love them. and i've never loved children like that before.
i'm so excited to start a family. i pray that my children are as beautiful as stella and frankie and alta.
