one family day in the wake of the Dominican

And this:

(Dave was up there in the front dancing too, but he’d be mad at me if I posted that.  Which is a crying shame because he’s the one who lights the party up 🙂

But let’s back up for a second, because we need to start at the beginning.  Dave and I took over scriptures in the morning and let the big kids sleep, got the little(er) girls out the door and we all four big kids and headed to our workout class together.  This may not sound so fun to some, but it made me smile the whole time looking around at all those people I love, everyone working hard, Elle busting out dance moves at the beginning of each station.  I like that class and I love that our kids want to come with us whenever they’re in town.

Then we headed to brunch, all sweaty and gross. 

We talked over eggs benedict on a sunny patio and then packed up and went to the lake where we had the BEST day made extra memorable because of the stormy weather.  This was our view en route to the lake:

It had been inching toward 100 degrees all week but that day happened to be low 70s and sprinkling rain.  As well as a lot of wind. 

The lake was mostly ours but as soon as Dave got out there to surf the wind swept up and we were getting pummeled with water from the waves and also the rain and we were pretty cold. 

Instead of worry though we were just all so happy, loving that everyone got a turn and we were all together.  It was even happier as the dark storm clouds inched away and the sun occasionally peeked out.

Had to do the “jump” like they did when Abby came to visit when they were first dating.  Tradition, you know 🙂

Grace and Claire met up with us after school (Lu goes to school longer and didn’t want to come anyway, she would have hated the rain and cold).  They were unsure of the weather at first too…

But not for long!  Everyone was just in the best spirits dancing their hearts out on that surfboard to booming music from the boat and enjoying the adventure.  

Ha!

Grace and Claire tried their good old trick they used to do (when Claire gets on Grace’s shoulders)…

…but those extra 175 inches she seems to have grown over the last year made it a little tricky!

They sure had fun trying though 🙂

Elle and Lar gave it a whirl too…

Ha!

My favorite mountain:

We got take-out for dinner and played some games back at home. 

I often fight feeling content.  I always want to be going and doing.  But that evening wrapped up around our table with all those people I love my heart was completely content.  No thoughts about what I should be doing or taking care of, just fully in the moment.  It was a velvet day that ended with a kneeling prayer in Lucy’s room, calling down the powers of Heaven to keep us all safe as we split up and recognize what we can give and how to share our lights as well as to offering up sheer gratitude for safety and each other.

The next morning we bid goodbye to Elle and Lar (Elle to Utah and Lar to Idaho), and thanked our lucky stars we got to hold on to Max and Abby for a few more days before they left for Texas, then China for quite an adventure working this summer.  (They are on a flight on their way over the ocean right now, sending prayers their way!)

Love this family of ours.