Family Time After Loss

This past week, my family came into town. It has been 6 months since we lost Michael, and we wanted to be together, particularly around Father's Day and his birthday. This time together was hard, merely from the standpoint that his absence was palpable. There were reminders of him in the activities we did {from previous trips}, as well as realities of making memories without him. 

But the time together was another step toward healing as we figure out life without him here. I found myself going back to the truths of Revelation, rejoicing over all that he is experiencing now, knowing that we will one day experience it with him too. While this part of the grieving process is not fun {having to move forward without him}, I am thankful for family and the time that we get to spend together. I am thankful for the memories we get to share about the person we all loved, and for the joy that the Lord brings, even in the midst of tears. 

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When everyone arrived, we hit the ground running with all the vacation fun! First stop: Chick Fil A for lunch, then frozen yogurt for dessert! There was certainly no lack of ice cream {or variations of it} on this trip, but calories don't count on vacation, right? :)  Aunt Vi brought a fun bead bracelet making kit, and this was the activity of the week. Every opportunity that the kids had to make a bracelet, they did. I'm pretty sure we used up every bead in the kit; they absolutely loved it!

On Thursday, we headed into D.C. to visit the National Zoo. Our goal: see the pandas! We haven't seen the new ones since they have arrived, and Airalyn really wanted to see them as well. And we were so blessed by an amazing panda viewing. We got to the exhibit right as one of the pandas decided to climb down a tree and walk around the habitat. And then when we went inside, we got to see both pandas. It was perfect!

The rest of the day turned out great as well. It was a fairly warm day, but we got to balance it with indoor, air conditioned exhibits, and we got to see lots of animals. The kids had a blast, even getting to ride the carousel, and it was a really successful zoo day.

That evening, we relaxed at home, playing uno {and bead bracelets} and making s'mores! We had to enjoy the nice weather before all the rain moved in, and we were thankful for a good night.

On Friday, we went to Old Town Alexandria for the day. But before we headed out, the boys "helped" Papa with a special project {fixing the curtain rod that had come out of the wall}. After the house projects were done, we headed to the harbor to explore and do some shopping.

We took some photos by the water, and then walked around the Torpedo Factory Art Center for a bit. We then walked up King Street and explored the little shops. We enjoyed lunch at Chart House, took a trolley ride the full length of King Street, and enjoyed ice cream at Kilwins.

On Saturday, we stuck close to home for most of the day. We grilled burgers, brats, and hot dogs, and we celebrated Father's Day. There was more uno and bead bracelets, as well as Stratego, Battleship, and perler beads. We also decided to visit Udvar-Hazy, but I somehow didn't get a single picture from that visit.

Sunday we went to church and lunch at Uncle Julio's. Monday we braved the rain and headed into D.C. to see the National Mall and visit the Natural History Museum. It was wet, for sure, but it really wasn't too bad. It actually helped keep some of the crowds away, and it definitely helped keep the heat away. Which was good, because we did A LOT of walking!

Braving the rain at the Washington Monument! {Lincoln Memorial in the foggy background}

Lincoln Memorial

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

White House

Being in D.C. brought back a lot of memories with Michael. He had made a trip on his own in June of 2021, and we had visited the zoo and National Mall with him. He came back with my parents that December, and we visited D.C. again. As we visited certain spots, I kept remembering specific photos and memories with him. The kids were still pretty little, but they were more than happy to keep up, because they were just happy to be with Uncle Michael. 

June 2021

December 2021

June 2021 vs. June 2025

December 2021 vs. June 2025

Tuesday would have been Michael's 38th birthday. We decided to celebrate with a key lime pie, one of the things that he had recently starting making and perfecting himself. Sadly, I never got to try his famous key lime pie, and we don't have his recipe. But from what I have heard, it was pretty killer. So I went on a hunt for the best key lime pie in NOVA. And while I know it's not his, and I'm sure he would have lots to critique about it, I hope it was a little slice of "we love you and we miss you." 

And because it wouldn't be an event celebrating Michael without a little goofiness... Vi and Addison and Airalyn brought shark outfits for the kids to bring them into the fold of shark silliness. And I know that Michael would have loved it :)

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We are thankful for a good week with family. That amidst the tears and grief, there is joy and laughter. That while it is difficult to move forward and make memories without Michael here, we know that it is part of the process and that he would want us to be making fun memories together. That the Lord sustains us and provides comfort and strength as we navigate the days ahead.