Visit to Southern Manitoba

We just returned from a wonderful time hanging out in Andrew's Mom's home town with Andrew's parents.

Highlights included:

- The hotel pool and waterslide. Eva did a few runs with Andrew and then declared that she would do it herself and that she DID NOT want to be caught. She clambered up the spiral staircase alone and zipped right down. Big dunkeroo at the end. She swam her chin above water and then it was our cue to step in. I felt so proud of her fearlessness and of the progress she made on her swimming skills! Micah also showed off his love of the water. He didn't go down by himself, but on the second day we would slide down on our backs with him lying on his back on top of us, and dunk at the end. He came up every time with a big smile and demanding "more".



- The tour of Andrew's second cousin's dairy farm. The farm will be officially organic as of next month. It was particularly fun and relevant to me because of my current interest in nutrition and raw milk. I peppered them with questions including do they drink their raw milk ("oh yes!"). The kids had a great time in the sand box, feeding the chickens (interestingly, their presence is part of the transition to organic), patting a cat and a week old calf. They didn't enjoy the hay ride or seeing the milking process nearly as much as I expected (but I did!).

- The singing of grace at a lunch meal with about a dozen relatives. The beauty of it gave us the shivers, and it even made me well up a little. I am reading a book about Christians in Muslim countries right now and recognized that this sort of public expression of thanks is not an option for many. It was very moving.

We had a really fun time meeting relatives, seeing where Alice grew up, playing cards in the evenings, enjoying Mennonite dishes and just having a little getaway with Grandma and Grandpa.

That said, I am also glad and relieved that the kids and I will now be staying put with my parents' place as home base for the remainder of our time in Canada. Even the lure of Target a few hours south probably won't tempt me enough to pack up again before I have to.