Dear Julean,

I missed you so much this weekend.  We all got together at Kori's house on Saturday to celebrate Dad's 76th birthday.  He was convinced it was his 75th, but other than that, his mind seemed sharper than ever.  The big boys played together tossing around the football and tackling each other, and it was great to see Ethan get pummeled for once instead of Adam.  As I watched the boys play I imagined Caleb and Noah out there with them.  Tiny little Michael was right out there with all those big boys, stealing passes and flopping up on top of the dog pile of boys, looking like a bird on the backs of elephants.  But he didn't let his size stop him.  There is a jumbo spirit crammed into that 40 pound frame.

We got to meet Eric's wife, Aubry.  She is very sweet and friendly.  She was missing her baby, who she left at home with grandma, so she was loving on Jonah.  It is so fun to see other people enjoy Jonah as much as I do.  He really made the rounds.  I half expected him to be sick after being passed around so much, but so far, so good.

At one point in the day, little Sam came up and said, "Auntie Laine, in school we are learning about the planets and we took a trip to each planet and I sent you a post card from Mars."  I wonder what the postage was on that! 

The kids dug for salamanders half of the afternoon and I imagine that if Zack had been here, he'd have been right out there with all the kids, probably teaching them all about the way the salamanders eat or something.  I had to forbid the boys from trying to bring those slimy looking things home.

I think the thing I missed most was hearing your laugh.  You and Guy can really get going, and I love how you can get him to laugh harder than anyone else can.  Family gatherings aren't the same without you here.

"The Little Girls", as they are called, are growing so big

Boing!

Gringo, every one's favorite horse.  Tessa vanished just before dinner and was found outside loving on Gringo.

I love the rainbow of children

Uncle Chris actually makes Jonah look like a "little" baby...

even though he nearly outweighs Auntie Kori.

I am so glad you are my sister-in-law, but you were my sister long before that.  Now we are eternally linked by blood.  My children and your children share our genetic dust.  The miles somehow seem wider now that there are so many of them between us, but knowing that we will always be family makes the time between visits seem less important.

I miss you, all the same.

Grandpa asks the all important question, "Does he have a butt chin?"  I suppose he wants to make sure he has left his mark on his progeny.