The totally unexpected and serendipitous week with sister, Ruth, and hubby Don in Lansing, Michigan, was because of sister Susan's funeral that mid-week in Chicago, on March 26.
The short story is that Don and Ruth had just moved in January back to Michigan (our family's home state) after 5 years in Maine. So, besides everything else, this was our first chance to see their new home, which is just fabulous.
But this isn't about their new house/home (though you'll get glimpses of it) as much as it is about more family time because of a baby shower for one of our nieces that had been in the works long before Susan waved goodbye.
As we often say, when someone dies, a baby is born. In other words, Death and Birth live side by side.
Astrid and I flew direct from Amsterdam to Detroit on Sunday, March 23, where Don and Ruth picked us up approximately 1.5 hours' drive from their home. It was a cozy, warm and wonderful time between then and Tuesday when we left for the almost 4-hour drive from Lansing, MI, to Chicago, IL, for the visitation and then Wednesday's funeral, leaving back for Lansing on Thursday. We even had the chance to watch the 8-part series of The Residence on Netflix during the nights we were at their home alone!
Oh, and not to forget that we 4 booked the same room (with 2 queen beds) at our hotel in Chicago! That's how comfortable (and cheap, ha!) we are with each other. A no-brainer!
Here's a visual of the drive, around the bottom part of Lake Michigan, approx. 240 miles.
Susan had lived in the Chicago area all her life after attending Northwestern at age 18. I even lived near her for a year and saw her every weekend while studying Greek and theology, in the middle of my linguistics training at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. So this is all part of my growing-up memory!
Once back in Lansing, Astrid and I both took a walk around Don and Ruth's new neighborhood
along the Grand River--the same river that runs through Grand Ledge 10 miles west, where I grew up.
[photo credit: Astrid]
And because the walking put me in the mood, I continued my exercise,
doing a small part in preparation for the baby shower the next day!
[photo credit: Astrid]
The funeral was on Wednesday (3/26); the baby shower was on Saturday (3/29) from 2-4 pm.
Jennifer, the mom-to-be, is the daughter of sister, Nancy (to the right of me, top-right).
It so happens that Jennifer lives in New York and was having her own baby shower there
while family in Michigan (at Don and Ruth's) were virtually joining in via Zoom.
Michigan family had already sent their gifts to NY, where Jennifer opened them there.
What a hoot. Have you ever heard of such a thing?!
Speaking of Nancy, she and hubby Juan arrived on Friday to spend the night, helping with
the shower prep. All Astrid and I did was make the veggie plate and smile.
[photo credit: Peter and Astrid]
The virtual part all kinda, sorta worked...while we did our own thing, enjoying each other.
Most of us had just been at the funeral, but this was different.
Of the 6 remaining sibs, 4 of us with spouses were present, plus our Thai Dee Dee.
But this time, Ruth and Don's son's family, not at the funeral, joined us.
See them on the couch (bottom-left)? And Peter with me (top-right)?
Pay attention because we'll see them again on Sunday.
[photo credit: Peter]
Peter's wife Andrea Mowry, over whom we're hovering, happens to be a world-renown knitter,
with some of her patterns translated into Spanish, French, Czech, Japanese, etc.
And, yes, she has her own Ravelry Shop for knitting fanatics.
[photo credit: Astrid and Ginnie]
After Saturday's shower, Sunday's departure came way too quickly.
On the way to the airport, we treated Don and Ruth to a "healthy" breakfast at Anna's House...
[photo credit: Astrid and Peter]
before stopping off to see Peter and Andrea's new house (after also moving back from Maine).
Of special interest was Andrea's work space up on the top floor, even with her loom.
(No photo of her spinning wheel, from which she spins much of her own yarn.)
It really is a huge business, beyond even my own imagination!
[photo credit: Astrid]
Back downstairs, Peter then moved me to tears when he took off his cardigan hoodie, with its
gorgeous basket-weave pattern and smoky-blue color, and gave it to me. I had oohed and aahed
about it because it really IS beautiful, a hoodie, AND a cardigan, as well as my color.
No wonder he's my favorite nephew in the whole wide world!
[photo credit: Ruth]
Don't you just love his smile! He makes us ALL smile!
BTW, he's Peter Mowry, a musical artist whose background tunes have been heard world-wide.
It's possible even YOU have heard something he's created for a brand.
[photo credit: Ruth]
What a happy family, including Levi and Olive!
It's just too bad that sister Lesley's similar family of 4 in Texas couldn't be in on the reunion.
Both Lesley and Peter were my favorite niece and nephew throughout their childhood and youth.
Don and Ruth can be so proud of them all.
[photo credit: Peter]
On that note, we 4 had our own parting shot before driving to the Detroit airport.
It's always a tear and a smile when we get together with family like this,
never knowing if or when we'll ever meet again.
But for now, it's the smile that counts.
It's all that really matters.
