My Aunt Lois Miller

On March 26th, 2011 we found ourselves taking a long trip to somewhere where we hadn't planned. To my Aunt Lois Miller's (my dad's sister) viewing. She passed away during the week & I really didn't think we'd take the trip all the way up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a 7.5-8 hr. drive w/a 9 mo. old! Plus I had a commitment on Sat. that I didn't think I should try to get out of it...my volunteer hrs. for the Spring Children's Resale. Fri. eve. I just got this strong feeling that I really wanted to go. My brother Kendall called me & said that they were going up Sat. morning & stopping @ a hotel & if we wanted, we could join them. So that is what we did! I made rearrangements to my Sat. commitment. And by noon, we wer in our car making the trek north!

The boys traveled great! What was I concerned about? They played & were content until Braylon fell asleep @ 1pm & Jaydon went to sleep @ 2pm. Braylon woke up @ 3:30pm.

We made one stop @ a gas station. Braylon having a snack.

While Jaydon snacks on his paci!

We made it to the hotel 6.5 hrs. later! I can't believe how well the boys traveled! Especially Jaydon! But I'm glad we didn't have to go a couple more hrs.! Oh hello, hotel!

Ellie giving Jaydon a welcome hug! Braylon & Ezra can still manage to play spies, even in a hotel!

We got a suite w/Kendall & his family where there's a door that connects our room. Pretty fun to go back & forth so easily! Braylon was so excited that he & Ezra got to sleep next to each other!

We brought Jaydon's travel bed. This thing is way better than a pack 'n play. It's lighter & easier to fold & pack in your car, doesn't take nearly as much space either! Thanx Dad & Mom Troyer for getting us this!

1st thing in the morning, playing together, & of course, spying more, even still in their PJs!

Jaydon got alot of Ellie time! Or was it Ellie got alot of Jaydon time?! I think it was both!

I laugh whenever I see this picture. Braylon was SO intrigued watching my Kendall iron his shirt. OBVIOUSLY, I don't iron @ our house! :)

Having some Tyler Time!

Ellie dressed Jaydon...Ellie rocked Jaydon to sleep...now if only she would change his diaper! :)

But she does ride with us! :)

We stopped @ McDonald's to waste some time because we didn't want to get to Uncle Ken & Aunt Joan's house too early so they wouldn't feel like they had to serve us lunch.

5 hrs. later after visiting w/tons of family members, we were back in the car! This time we drove the whole way home! At 9pm both boys were asleep!

Death is such a bittersweet moment for me. Obviously I am sad for the loss of my aunt. She's the very 1st of my aunts & uncles to pass away. So that kind of hit me hard to think about that. But on the upswing...funerals are like a family gathering! There are so many relatives who got to meet Jaydon for the 1st time & he was 9.5 months old!

I am soooo thankful that we ended up taking the long trip up north. The boys did great both ways. And I got to see lotsa family members who I haven't seen in a long time! Aunt Lois, I will miss you dearly but know that I will see you in Heaven some time!