The day arrived......

for us to leave Georgia! ( everyone left with FULL hearts)

Friday morning was pack up, clean up and the time to leave came !

The Lough family left thursday night

They returned to Vinceense, IN and Ryan will return to work and put on his Bishop hat! Melissa will end summer to begin her last year of nursing school, and be a full time mom, part time job at the hospital and every other hat she can find to wear!

Ben & Amanda Goates & Marnie leaving Friday morning

to return to Columbus OH. Ben will return to work and to school, Amanda to "growing owen" because he is one darling baby who is nurtured by his mom and dad. Marnie will hopefully return to work in the near future as she finishes the healing process of her broken arm!

Grant, Cameron and Myself

returning to "various" places..... Grant will leave Sunday AM to fly back to Utah and start his first year in the business program at BYU! (we are so proud of you grant for being accepted into the program!) Cameron and myself to Ft. Wayne to resume our lives at Target and to prepare to greet Elder Zinn in a month.

James, Tam, Meghan, Braden & Barry will return to chicago/aurora

James family will pack up and prepare to move into their new home! (how exciting) Meghan will begin high school & early morning seminary. Braden will start at a new grade school for his 5th grade class. James and Tam, well they will continue with their busy lives in many capacities.

I pretty well summed things up in my last blog posting on how we each had to leave and return to our own lives BUT we left that long drive way changed and different from spending this time together. Each family brought something to this reunion that was important for everyone. Hard as I try I cannot capture into words what this week has meant to me and I think to each member there.

I said that I was going to write some random things I learned along the way from this week.......

Melissa and family brought a puzzle for us to do and everyone had a hand in working on it through the week!

Thursday night came and the puzzle was close but was NOT finished......we thought "oh well" it was fun and it is OK not to finish it.....but while we were talking in the living room we thought Ben and Amanda had gone to bed. Amanda and Owen did but Ben was in the dining room and he was not going to leave until the puzzle was finished!!

and the final results are:

The puzzle was finished thanks to Ben

He is:

determined

focused

driven

Such good qualities he brings into our family circle! We are grateful for Ben being a part of our family! His determination will take him far in life!

ONE more random thought:

This chair faced the lake. I would go out many mornings and watch the sun rise and set. I had many conversations with Father concerning my life, my family and the things I need to do to return to Him. I thought how easy it is to live in this world and be "caught up in it" thinking of what we do or do not have and other material things but when most of my family was together under one roof and inner acting with one another I knew that I have been blessed beyond measure with the children, their spouses and the grandchildren I have. There is nothing more valuable to me! I loved the peace and quiet of the lake, mountains! I am so glad that "I live in this beautiful world, Heavenly Father created for me"!

MORE vacation postings to come!!

EIGHT PLUS is enough to fill my HEART WITH LOVE!

Posted by Barb Zinn