Adventure 7 - Getting to Meet Our Great Nephew

First: The Flashback (or in other words, why this meant so much)

When Rob and I were in college, my brother and Lisa had this amazing baby, Andrew. Andrew was the one who made Rob and me an aunt and uncle. He was the most amazing baby-so, so smart and just adorable. For a young college girl, I thought he hung the moon. One of my favorite pics in my mind is Rob holding Andrew upside down and him giggling, but alas-I can not find it.

The next decades seem like we blink and they passed. We spent Christmas every year in Houston then drove like crazy people to Arkansas the same day or next to stay at my brother’s house with his family. We vacationed with them at times, meeting them at the beach or Sea World. My kids loved their cousins, and we never laughed so hard as during those times.

Andrew met Skylar when I think they were in junior high, if not younger. For us, she was always part of our lives and family. When Hannah was in elementary, I remember going to an open house and outside her classroom was an “All About Me” poster. One of the questions was “Who is in your family?” The kids had drawn pictures and labeled them. There it was: Uncle Stephen, Aunt Lisa, Andrew, Skylar, Chase, and Cayla. She just assumed that Skylar was her cousin.

Here are some pics from the old days from over the years (Christmases from long ago):

I will always remember the phone call I got from Skylar. I was sitting in the office at the computer with Rob at the computer, working next to me. It was early in the day and Skylar called. I remember panic hit as Skylar never calls …

me: “Skylar is calling!” Answers the phone-“Are you ok?”

Skylar: “Nothing is wrong! I knew you were going to think that. I had some news I wanted to share before you see or hear from someplace else.”

Well, you know what came next! Lots of screaming with excitement as we were going to be a Great Aunt and Not-so-great Uncle :).

The Adventure

In Biblical terms, the number 7 is thought to be perfection. This adventure was definitely that. Liam is the most precious kid-I mean his parents are perfect, so why would he not be. Rob and I woke up in Little Rock and counted down the minutes until his first birthday started. Well, the pictures below show how awesome it was catching up with Lisa and family. I can’t tell you how much it hit me that I miss these people that I grew up with, and how long it had been since we all had been together. I may have taken too many pics and cried all the way home. I do want to add, we will get our second great nephew at the end of this month and we got to meet my niece Cayla’s significant other for the first time.

Is she not beautiful?!?!? Such a gorgeous pregnant niece!

Also, want to include this disclaimer. I feel so bad. I did visit my dad and brother, but forgot to take pics with them, and I hate that. It is normal to wonder why it has been so long and why this annual Christmas tradition does not still go on. Stephen and Lisa divorced 11 years ago and I did not handle it like an adult should have. Lisa came into my life when I was in high school, and I love her with all of my being. I also love my brother. I also love their kids fiercely! I love her sister, brother-in-law, family … I did not handle the change well. I hate that we stopped going. I hated that everything changed and I was not an adult about it at all. So now, you know….

Enjoy the pics of Adventure 7-the cutest first birthday ever and a reunion that was too long in the making!