Post Birthday Surprise!

A few days after Emma's birthday we were able to give her one more surprise. Sheri and I had talked about finding a way to get her girls up here for a visit. We realized that Sheri's sister works in Utah Valley quite often and could drive the girls that far. I could meet her there and pick them up and drive the rest of the way. We told Emma that we had last birthday surprise for her. She was convinced that we were going to give her a snake. Um...... Suddenly I was nervous that she would be disappointed because this surprise was SO not a new pet. But have no fear, Emma was absolutely thrilled. She's very close to her cousins and we hadn't seen them since February. That was a long time for us to go without a visit! We usually see each other almost every other month but not this year! It was a great surprise. Emma has been as lonely for her friends and family as the rest of us have been.

The visit made for quite a cluttered house - all three of Peter's girls came to spend three nights with us and we just plunked them all in the living room for a three-day sleepover pile.

Hogle Zoo reopened around this time and we decided it would be a fun thing to do together - our two families have gone to the zoo together more times than I can count over the years. However...it turns out that the zoo on covid restrictions is not that fun. Masks on everyone, no play areas open, a specific path you had to walk and none of the buildings open. We did not end up staying long because it really was just not that fun. I'm sad about that - the poor zoo! But we at least tried. 

I love this picture of Emma and Cara - look at their skin colors. Gee. Which one gets out more?

One morning we filled up our time by going for a walk up City Creek Canyon. Since I'm writing this in July when the temp has been over 100 degrees I am looking at that cool, walkable, shady path and missing early June.

The weekend it worked for Peter's girls to be in SLC just happened to coincide with the weekend my sister was coming to town to help two of her three daughters celebrate their graduations from college and help them both leave town. The youngest daughter was moving to Colorado with Margaret to take the summer to study for the MCAT and the oldest daughter was packing up to finally go live in the same city as her husband in Connecticut. Margaret and her 2nd daughter have been living away from Salt Lake City for many years but the oldest and youngest daughters have been here. I love all four of those women so much and also it's been quite a special opportunity to have Kate and Mary close by, helping us and our kids and also letting me feed them from time to time. We have missed Kate's husband desperately and wish they weren't living so far away, but are so glad they are past the painful period of their lives when they have had to live apart from one another. 

Margaret hosted a graduation zoom-party for both girls, and it ended up happening in my front yard, which was kind of crazy, especially because there was a wind storm during the party. Then the next night ,which was the last night before they all left town, we headed to the avenues to say goodbye to Kate and give her hugs as she and Cameron packed up the last of their things into a moving truck. 

 

It really was so tender-sweet-sad to wish Kate and Mary the best and send them on their ways. It was a very busy and cluttered weekend but also I was so glad to have some cousin time. We haven't had nearly as much this year! Family reunions have been cancelled and other trips postponed, so it had been many months. So grateful it happened.