Visit from Ben and Carrie

We had a long-overdue and very wonderful visit with Uncle Ben and Aunt Carrie last weekend. They're about to move overseas, and were generous enough with their remaining time in the States to come spend a few days with us. And we're so glad they did!

Grant thought he might feel shy, since he hasn't seen Ben and Carrie since he was about a year old. But in typical Grant fashion, he got over feeling shy in a matter of minutes. Hope remembers Ben and Carrie from the couple of trips she took to Texas with Daddy, and she was eager to spend more time with them. Fortunately, Ben and Carrie have other nieces and nephews, so they were well-acquainted with the schedule and sometimes chaos of living with the 6 and under crowd.

The weekend was spent having Nerf gun battles, playing outside, with board games, watching movies, shopping, and eating - all, very satisfying! There were several tickle/wrestle piles, and I wasn't sure Uncle Ben would quite survive, but he laughed the whole way through and solidified a place in Hope's and Grant's hearts. Carrie also won Hope's affection by taking her on a special earring shopping trip and presenting her with a little pair that looks like gumball machines.

I hope we can make our way to the UK to visit with Ben and Carrie while they're there. The thought of taking Hope and Grant on a flight like that is a bit overwhelming, but I know the memories we'd make would be worth it.