Labor Day Weekend 2009 with Our Family

The amount of love I have and feel for my Family is so vast that it often becomes difficult for me even to express it. When Mike, his parents and I travelled up to Idaho last month for our Temple Sealing, I was able to show Mike and his parents just how special my family truly is. Or rather, they demonstrated it themselves with their usual gusto. The levels of generosity, caring and just flat out love which were shown to us was honestly amazing. Even writing this now, over a month later, my eyes again fill with tears and my mind with priceless memories. I characteristically forgot to capture most of what happened that weekend with my camera, but here are a few pictures I managed to take our last day there, Sunday, September 6th, 2009.

Grandaddy John Haeberle with great-grandson Clayton John Haeberle.

Grandaddy & Clay Baby

Clay had been making motor sounds for his toy car and was

intrigued at how well his Great-Grandad could do it, too. Do you

love this picture, or what??

Also of great interest was Grandaddy's watch.

The famous loving look from Granddad


Clay demonstrating that with the right amount of cheek chubbiness,
a neck is really quite superfluous.

L-R: Hyrum & Miles w/our Aunt Janie chillin' in the back.

Classic Hyrum & Miles

This is another of my new favorite pictures.
Mulverhill's, Haeberle's, Stangers, oh my!
L-R(ish):Helen Stanger, Miles, Bonnie, Hyrum, Jane, Clay, Jocie, Rosa & Pete.

Lovely Mesa Falls

Still purdy, Mesa Falls!

Papa Pete surveys the gorgeous sites.

Like father, like son!

Mike catches me surveying HIM! ha ha ha! Oops!

Hyrum makes any landscape that much cooler. :)

And he knows it! :D

My nephew Clay in all his perfection.

Miles, Bonnie & Clay Haeberle

Mesa Falls, Labor Day 2009

More Miles, Bonnie & Clay

Rosa & her Jocelyn at long last

Mama Rosa & Aunt Jane

Jocie, Janie & Mikey

Watching the family procession at Mesa Falls.
Something about this shot fills my heart with ennui...

Mesa Falls through the sun and mist

I love this picture because of the blend of family members.

Pete is standing next to Bonnie, Clay and Miles.

When does THAT ever happen?!

Truly one of my most favorite places in the world.

I love you, Mesa Falls!!

Papa Pete soaking in the goodness & grandeur

Clay was being adorable and while everyone else watched him,

I, of course, watched them.

When you think of blending families together, there is always the possibility that something or someone won't flow or fit in. Such was definitely NOT the case with our family's time together. It seemed like the moment everyone met, they had known each other for their whole lives. It was perfect. Seeing my father-in-law beat a quick path to hang out at my Aunt's and Grandparent's house warmed my heart more than I can say. Seeing my best friend Helen cozy up to my mother-in-law and my Dad and my Grandparents was just like old times. She flew all the way from Maryland to be with me that weekend, and my entire weekend--and my family's weekend--was made richer and better for it. I watched as my little brother Miles invited Mike to go on a drive with him to pick up our other brother. They had never met before, but hey! off they went anyway--like family does. My stepmother, Sheryl, recreated my mom's wedding bouquet for me to use in our sealing pictures. I don't know if anyone has ever done a more thoughtful thing for me in my whole life. Unless it was my Gran greeting us as we pulled up and taking us to the hotel rooms she had gotten for us to make us more comfortable during our stay. Our rooms even overlooked the river passing by below. And my Aunts were all amazing, too. I found out later that my Aunt Jocelyn had even missed one of her primary student's baptisms in order to prepare and provide our luncheon. There were just a million little things I watched happen while we were there, and each one showed me what I imagine heaven must be like:

Families without border lines.