Unexpected Blessings

This last weekend, we traveled 3 hours north to a little town in Washington called Klickitat.  Every year my mom's side of the family holds their family reunions there.  The town is very small, and out in the middle of nowhere.  It's so small, that I am sure everyone that lives there knows each other.

Adam and I took a stroll around the town a bit, and dreamed about what it would be like to live in such a small town.  Life is slow, quiet, and peaceful.  There is not much to worry about.  I am sure it's a rare to hear  screaming police cars or fire trucks rushing by.

During this trip, we got to hear the story of why this little town is SO special to my mom, and her side of the family.   My great grandfather Hugo was the pastor of the Luthern church there.  Great grandpa Hugo and great grandma Josephine lived in the little parsonage next door.  All of my great aunts, grandpa and grandma, my mom and her siblings,  would join my great grandparents at church, and have big picnics outside on the lawn.  My mom has a lot of really good memories of that little town, and the cute little church where great grandpa preached.  It was very touching to hear the stories, and to be able to see my mom tell her grandchildren all about her childhood.

It was a blessing to hear my mom go down memory lane.  It was an added, extra unexpected blessing what happened next at the reunion.

A few of my great aunts, adopted children when they were young.  My great aunt Donna shared with me what it was like adopting a child from Korea, and then adopting twin african american children.  She has gone through exactly what we are going through now.   It was refreshing to see that I have family besides my parents, that give us their full support, and want to do what ever they can to help us out.  My great aunts held a sort of garage sale/rummage sale during the reunion.  They placed a little basket in the middle of the table, and everyone brought unwanted items.  People were able to take what they wanted, and leave a payment for the items in the basket (paying what ever they want). After the reunion, they handed Adam and I the basket.  It brings tears to my eyes! I never even expected that they would make such a HUGE effort to help us raise funds.  There are no words to describe my thankfulness to them.

This is a picture of my kids, and my sister's daughter Alissa in front of the church sign, at the church where my great grandpa Hugo preached.  My mom has memories of swinging on this very sign when she was little.