Stanley Idaho

What a week this has been here in Stanley Idaho. We've been planning this family reunion (if I may use that term when in fact it’s about half the family) for months. Originally we were intending for this to be a way for my folks to spend time with my children and their children, however the list grew and my sister and her family also came.

I think the absolutely best part of this trip has been seeing my grandchildren make friends with my niece and nephew. I’m nine years older than my sister and had my children quite young; she had hers in her mid to late 30s so these kids, while not truly cousins, operate as cousins. And it’s been wonderful to see. We’ve also done a fair number of mountain-based, outdoor based activities:

• Done a bunch of different hikes (I loved the hike to Alpine Lake)

• Gone for an all day horseback riding trip

• Visited a ghost town

• Visited Sun Valley

We did not go to Stanley’s 4th of July parade. Instead, we celebrated my sister’s upcoming 50th birthday. At least that’s what I thought the plan was. To my complete surprise, my family also celebrated me in this whole breast cancer thing. The cards completely undid me, as did the St. Agnes medal from my mother, which was an homage to an award she gave me when as a little girl I burned myself on an iron. And Ben gave a huge nod to my gamer ways and read this:

Which was accompanied by this:

Today we begin going our separate ways. Amy and her family head back to Denver, then tomorrow the rest of us head home. This has been an amazing week, and I'm so grateful to my folks for making it possible.