Saturday morning we opted for another morning of leisure...we were all anxiously awaiting the arrival of Ariana, our niece who lives in Chicago. She was all we needed to complete the entire family being there. She flew into Rapid City and arrived at Blue Bell to kids running through the cabins towards her, it was cute and quite the scene.
We ate lunch at the Lodge and then headed out in our 3 car caravan to see "Crazy Horse" and Mt Rushmore in the daytime. It was a beautiful day, with sunshine and clear skies and cool air. Perfection for me.
After we got back we showered and changed into our color coordinated outfits for family pictures. We headed down a ravine to a hidden stream...it was beautiful and perfect. It was fun to see everyone looking so pretty and handsome and a blessing to all be in the same place at the same time. It's the first time it's happened since before Max was born.
We took a LOT of pictures...of course somehow I spaced off getting one of just the 6 of us. But that's okay.
We had a beautiful dinner in a private room at the lodge where several of us spoke and it was just wonderful to have a family dinner. All together. I shared one of my favorite memories....and I don't think my Dad even remembered it. (Which is a good reminder to me that our boys are going to remember the little things)... when I was probably 6 or 7 we were at the cabin, and for some reason it was just my Dad and me putting things away in the hallway pantry. I remember asking him "Who do you love more? Mom or me?" I am not sure what made me think to ask that but I did. And here was his response that I have never forgotten "If I didn't love your Mom so much I would never have had you." Plain and simple, yet poignant in a lot of ways. It wasn't a competition of love. It was a simple statement of his love for my Mom and how through that love he loved and had me. And it also gave me an incredible sense of security in knowing the depth of love my Dad had for my Mom. It empowered me in a lot of ways to have confidence in their marriage, in being wanted and loved myself. Amazing how those words have stuck with me forever. Now as a wife and Mom I understand his words even more...
Enjoy the pictures from the last day....
In order by age...
I LOVE how well this bunch gets along, not one argument between them all week.
We ate lunch at the Lodge and then headed out in our 3 car caravan to see "Crazy Horse" and Mt Rushmore in the daytime. It was a beautiful day, with sunshine and clear skies and cool air. Perfection for me.
Crazy horse....you can see the model they are carving out of the mountain.
After we got back we showered and changed into our color coordinated outfits for family pictures. We headed down a ravine to a hidden stream...it was beautiful and perfect. It was fun to see everyone looking so pretty and handsome and a blessing to all be in the same place at the same time. It's the first time it's happened since before Max was born.
We took a LOT of pictures...of course somehow I spaced off getting one of just the 6 of us. But that's okay.
We had a beautiful dinner in a private room at the lodge where several of us spoke and it was just wonderful to have a family dinner. All together. I shared one of my favorite memories....and I don't think my Dad even remembered it. (Which is a good reminder to me that our boys are going to remember the little things)... when I was probably 6 or 7 we were at the cabin, and for some reason it was just my Dad and me putting things away in the hallway pantry. I remember asking him "Who do you love more? Mom or me?" I am not sure what made me think to ask that but I did. And here was his response that I have never forgotten "If I didn't love your Mom so much I would never have had you." Plain and simple, yet poignant in a lot of ways. It wasn't a competition of love. It was a simple statement of his love for my Mom and how through that love he loved and had me. And it also gave me an incredible sense of security in knowing the depth of love my Dad had for my Mom. It empowered me in a lot of ways to have confidence in their marriage, in being wanted and loved myself. Amazing how those words have stuck with me forever. Now as a wife and Mom I understand his words even more...
Enjoy the pictures from the last day....
Yes I love THIS man...so very much
Alice 5
Charlie (9) and Alice
Vedarose (12)
Ariana (23)
Tommy (16)
Max (3)
Jack (10)
Drew (14)
Kale (8)
My blue eyed loves.
Proverbs 20:7
The righteous man walks in his integrity;
His children are blessed after him.
Do they look excited to be done with pictures? My Dad is even clapping. Drew is literally LEAPING....
I loved all the pictures but the last two are my favorite.
ReplyDeletePs tommy has your smile. 😍
ReplyDeleteMy favorite are the last two, too! I love family. What your dad said about your mom is rich. Alice is getting so big!
ReplyDeleteLove this, Susan!
ReplyDelete