Most of you are in Yutan today, attending the wedding shower for Renee. Wish I could be there. We do plan to attend the wedding in August, along with meeting the twins and hopefully our new grandson, in KC. So many blessings this year!
As you may or may not know, we fulfilled one of my lifelong travel goals (it's a pretty short list, really) and went to see the giant redwood trees in California in May. We invited Mom and Dad to join us, and had a wonderful trip.
Our first day was spent in San Francisco, touring Alcatraz and the Cable Car Barn. We had picture perfect weather for the trip to Alcatraz. Ed and Dad are definitely the target audience for the inner workings and history of the cable car system. Mom, the ultimate flat-lander, couldn't help but gasp each time we drove to the crest of the many steep hills. It was rather like a roller coaster, and we were all grateful for the car's good brakes. I think the highlight for Dad was when a very attractive French woman helped us catch a cab and gave him a farewell peck on the cheek. Very Europeon!
There are giant redwood trees along the coast, but the ones we saw were the giant sequoias in Sierra National Park. Dad struck up a very informative conversation with Ranger Nick, and we learned all about the trees and the differences. If anyone else cares to know, the redwoods along the coast are taller and have tapered trunks, having adapted to get some of their moisture needs fulfilled by absorbing fog. The inland sequoias max out at about 350 feet, as that's all the higher water can travel up the trunk. They then just keep adding to their girth. They were just as impressive as we all imagined. Mom and Dad were good sports about the occasional rain and snow that fell on us at the higher elevations and we all agreed our picnic lunch would taste just fine in the warm car! We spent another day at Yosemite National Park, at the peak of snow melt and gushing waterfalls. Absolutely a beautiful area, although weather, again, kept us in the car more than we had hoped.
After we left the mountains, we stopped for lunch with cousin Warren Bull, his wife, , and daughter, Susie in Modesto. He had fallen several weeks before, and aged 10 years in the last 2 months, according to him, but is still sharp as a tack. They seemed thrilled to see/meet us and the conversation never lulled. He began by reminiscing about his electrical engineering class in college, when he met Ed (an electrical engineer, in case you didn't know). He also recalled in great detail the time Aunt Marge and Eleanor had come to visit them years ago. And Uncle Ervin and Aunt Marianne were just there with Theresa recently. (He had an engineering career with Campbell Soup. and they moved all over the country, so most of you would not have met them, but he is the son of Walter and Hattie, Grandpa Ben Bull's brother. He's the cousin who always wrote the long, interesting Christmas letters.) It was a delightful visit.
I'll close out this post with a small world story. Mom and Dad had a flight with connections in Chicago, conveniently. As we crossed the busy airport and approached their gate, we hear a voice saying, 'I never thought I'd come all the way to Chicago to meet somebody from Yutan!' It was none other that Mike Pitzel, a high school classmate of mine. He recognized Mom and Dad, and they him, but I immediately confessed that I had no idea whose hand I was shaking!
I heard the baby twins are probably coming home today, Sunday. I'm thrilled to hear they are doing so well.
Ed left this morning for a long drive to Hayes, KS, where he is working in the morning. He has not put the California pictures on my computer yet, so I think I'll post this and go back and add pictures later.
Love,
Janice
After 12 very long days in the NICU, both boys are finally home! Yay! They let Sam come home on Sunday, so we've had a few days of parent practice. Unfortunately, Luke had a couple minor set-backs, but he bounced back quickly and was deemed perfectly healthy and ready this morning.
Thank you so much for all the thoughts, prayers, and warm wishes along the way. We couldn't be more blessed.