Ohio, Part 4 - We're in Michigan again!

Saturday, we drove to Leslie, MI to visit with some of Josh's family on his biological mom's side (she died when he was an infant. His other mother, who raised him since he was a toddler and even knew him while he was in his mother's belly, is his "real" mother for all intents and purposes). He has only really started getting to know his Michigan family in the last couple of years, but they are wonderful people. I'm telling you, I have been so blessed by marrying into his family... So many of them right here in Nashville, and then another set up north less than 2 hours from my family? We have more people to love that love us than I can count!

Some of his MI family were in TN in January and came by to see us before they left town and we all went out to eat. I was instantly at ease with them, maybe because they are Yankees like me (wink), but more likely because they are so warm and loving.

There were at least 20-30 people at his aunts house when we got there, and it was wonderful to all be together. We ate and visited, and one of his aunts and his grandpa drove us around the cute little town of Leslie for the grand tour.

Our first stop was their little Veteran's park with a gazebo that his Aunt and Grandpa help to maintain:




That night was Prom night and they told us that everyone in town comes there to get their pictures taken in the gazebo, and wedding pics, too. Sure enough, on our way back to Ohio, the line of prom goers getting their pictures taken at the Gazebo was down the sidewalk!

Another stop was to his grandparent's property just outside of town. They have about 7 acres and he has a few gardens to putter around in...does that sound like a good life, or what? I thought it was just the sweetest thing when his grandpa said to us "You guys like old things in your kitchen, right?" It meant he remembered how our house was decorated when he visited us, and then he gave us a very old metal pie plate with a star and a brand name (something "Master", I can't remember off hand) for our kitchen. It was just the sweetest thing to me. It's hanging above our stove now, and it makes me smile that he had that and thought of us and that it would go with our house and wanted to give it to us. Those kind of little things are certainly some of the most precious in life.

His Aunt's home that we were all at was just beautiful! Their house burned down last year and it has all been rebuilt. Check out her floors - I loved them!



Under their deck was this cement patio... I want a flagstone patio so much, but I think this is a better idea. It's just poured concrete, stained and stamped into this design!



I think we're going to to that at our place... it's a cost-effictive and indestructible option that I think will work well for us.

Before we left, we made sure to snap some pics... How good does Josh look with a baby? We need one, right?



Unfortunately, I couldn't get any pics of that little booger smiling, but he was so sweet and cuddly, and I got him all giggling. What is it about making a baby laugh that makes you feel like you're the most clever person in the world?

Here's Josh with his Grandparents:



It was such a wonderful time, I am so glad we got to spend it with them! We went back to my mom's house and had a big dinner of her homemade chicken paprikash! Josh had never had it, but we converted him.

We intended to drive back to Nashville on Sunday, but I woke up about 4 a.m sick as a dog (think: food poisoning). It became apparent within a few hours that is was NOT going to go away, and there was no way I was going to be able to ride the 8 hours home in Josh's tiny little truck with a hyper 5 month-old puppy. No way, no how. So, I spent that day recuperating and drifting in and out of sleep like only someone who's innards became their outtards could do. By Monday morning I felt mostly better and we made the trek home. And that concludes my Ohio/Michigan travels!