Yesterday...

...I spent almost the entire day at Mike's sister's house. It was HOT again. Not as hot as it was two weeks ago, but still when my car registers over 95 it is time to seek shelter. Julie has a pool and air conditioning and fun kids for my kids to play with. I had spent the morning cleaning the house, mowing the yard and planting flower and was sweaty. Nothing felt better than hopping in the car and eventually hitting the water of the pool.

Mike spent the day working on chores around his house.

After swimming and eating grilled meat (yum, nothing says summer more than jumbo grilled hot-dogs!) Lynn (married to Tom, Mike's brother) joined us her gorgeous dog Quila (pronounced Keela). Julie and Lynn are in charge of the music at the wedding. They are geniuses and can play anything and know everything. I just sat there and said, "sure, that is great..." or "...hmmm, I have no idea what we want." We settled on a variety of musical selection ranging from Ave Maria, to Catholic songs that all Catholics know by heart, to "I Hope" by the Dixie Chicks. I think the music will be awesome and we'll have a keyboard, a flute, a clarinet, a guitar (if Tom plays too) and a trumpet (if my sister plays). I am quite excited.

It was cool to have a girls afternoon to plan stuff. Like how should I walk down the aisle? With who? What kind of dresses should the girls wear? Etc. I like my new sisters in law a lot.

At about 5pm the boys joined us, well Mike and Todd (Julie's husband) did. We all went to see Grace and Margaret's performance of Underwater Adventure, the culmination of three weeks of church camp. It was adorable. Grace was an angelfish, Margaret a pufferfish. The scenery was amazing. We were all underwater, there are murals everywhere with sea turtles, schools of fish, dolphins, a giant whale and blue saran wrap strung up above us signaling that we are underwater. I also love seeing the girls sing, dance and act in a very supporting arena. The kids that attend the camp come from all different backgrounds and races and income levels. They all seem to truly love each other as there is no shortage of hugs, smiles and high fives! The camp is held at the church that I loosley attended for about a year or so--the musicians are amazing. The theology that the pastors preach is about unity, peace, tolerance, justice, equaitly, and counters everything that the right wing pumps out. It is a very good place.

The night ended back at Julie and Todd's for a trip to Kopp's Custard (whoa, major calorie alert) and then another evening dip in the pool. We left at about midnight as I was turning into a pumpkin and falling asleep on the couch. But, what a great day.

I love being a part of Mike's family. I was really worried before I met them that they wouldn't like me, or wouldn't be thrilled that I had kids, or worried that I was too loud and mouthy. But. I fit in great and they have totally welcomed me into their group. I love my family, but everyone is younger than me so our relationships are different, I love that Julie and I can relate to one another about our kids, that we are all in our 30's (or really close....) and have similar interests. It's very cool these Crowell/Guelke people. And we won't even start the list of quotes that Todd and I generate!!! Good banter. Good times. Good people.

And I get to claim them as my family! I'm so lucky.

(This doesn't even underscore the fact that the girls and Mike's nephews couldn't be more alike. Grace, 10 and Nick 11 share a passion for reading: Harry Potter, Narnia, etc. And their personality traits. Margaret 7 and Andy 7 could be identical twins, they are totally peas in a pod. They have the same effected voice, they are the rambunctious monkeys of the group and they play hard. All four make a lovely little group. And I think that it is way cool that Grace and Margaret gain two cousins that are their ages!!! Another bonus.)