So I am decidedly behind, and will be making an attempt to catch up.
Mark suddenly has a lot more time with us and helped me go on a short trip recently, a last-minute vacation to Arizona. I hadn't been in 9 years, but I wanted to go visit my sister, who has visited me in nearly every place I've lived. She is expecting a child too, and since her husband is in dental school and his summer break is when I'm (hopefully) finishing up the M baby bake, my yearly pilgrimage to the Homestead will undoubtedly not coincide with her family's. So Mark gave me some ff points and I flew off with the sunrise a week later.
It was a nice trip. I enjoyed the break from regular life and it was a trip down memory lane: remembering grad school, apartment living, and life with one child. I think it was a bit exhausting for Ms. 8 months along, but we had a good time and I was also able to see some much beloved friends and family whom I hadn't seen in years. I was truly grateful to see them again and thankful they took the time to visit with me, even with just a last-minute notice. Part of that is due to AZ's great freeways, which easy access makes the Ferg apartment only 20 minutes from just about everywhere, except for one friend, who drove over 2 hours to make it happen.
Among our other activities, Aaron took me on a tour of his school, Arizona School of Dental & Oral Health. It was very techno-advanced and a lot of fun to see what and where he's learning the ways of dentistry. I used to work for dentists but never got to do anything cool (just a lowly filing clerk), unlike on this tour, where Aaron let me drill a tooth.
Heidi and Will. Just for the weekend, Will helped fill the hole in my heart where I was missing my own little shadow, who is just a couple months older than his cousin, and has a similar personality.
Aaron showing me (I'm in the geeky dental glasses) how to operate the drill while Will makes mischief.
Heidi and I went to the Mesa temple, and tried to get some fruit afterwards. It was lovely weather there and so nice to see the sun again.
The Hansen girls flanking the thin B'bents as we had a mini-cousins' reunion. It was probably not as relaxing for my hosts, but I was definitely more rested and ready for life upon returning 5 days later. I wish I could go visit all of my family members, who are scattered around the country.
