Mother's Day Adventure

The boys and I are off on a Mothers Day adventure this weekend! I am so excited to go home and see my mom! Every visit home since my father's death is full of mixed emotions for me though. It no longer feels like Rapid City is my home. There is just something empty about Rapid now. I always thought that long after my parents were gone and I myself was a grandparent Rapid City would be a place that I could go back to and feel whole. After losing just one parent I know that won't be the case. Each day that I live without my father here on earth though, I become even more excited for our reunion in heaven as the phrase, "I am but a stranger here, heaven is my home" continues to take on an even greater meaning for me. Joshua's excitement is beginning to build, and today he has already mentioned the trip 6 times and it's only mid-day. Jonas of course is pretty much up for anything. We are planning our routine trip up dinosaur hill and per my mother's request will also attempt to climb at least a portion of "M" hill with the kiddos.

I am not looking forward to long drive alone with the kids, but this isn't our first outing minus Luke and I'm sure that it will not be our last. We will have lots of snacks (thanks to a dear friend from the church who already prepared a care pkg for us) and I have loaded up on kids Cd's so we can sing along the whole way, and maybe there will even be a nap to help me maintain my sanity :) Even though the hours will pass at a snails pace the drive is always worth it. There are very few things that I get flat out excited for and seeing my mom is one of them for sure!