Just got back from seeing the parents.

And my sister Tami and her hilarious husband, Gerron (who comandeered the camera a few times, I found out after I got home)!

And my baby brother Danny and his gentle-warrior wife, Dawn.  And their sons Austin and Jarred.  And my first Moslander nephew, Jordan (who just so happened to be born on my birthday twenty-something years ago) and his ADORABLE wife, Alise and their little baby-kins, Brody.  Brody Anthony Moslander!  That is a big name to live up to and what a cutie-patootie!

Brody plopped his hands right onto an old wooden plaque his own grandpa (my little brother, Danny) had made in school when he was a kid.  Pretty smart baby!

And there was Valentine candy all around including for my good-looking nephews, Jarred and Austin.  Love the people on that little section of the map.

That is their little house way back to the right of the church.  We had to traipse down the long drive to the mailbox in the rain.  Deer run through the yard daily.  My dad spent 17+ years building the Southlake Church of God.  And now the church there is a home and a refuge for them.  I LOVE Pastor Sam and the congregation there.

Started like this:  Flew into Chicago – went to the Giordano’s corner to experience the great fly-overs (I actually got to fly right over Giordanos flying in, it was cool to see from the air and then get to stand there a few minutes later) –

Went to the Flat Top Grill in Oak Park, a bustling quintessentially-Chicago neighborhood –

Hung out at the Ayentos in the highly-multi-ethnic part of north Chicago.  Mom and dad showed up and off to northwest Indiana we went.

There was Dan and Dawn-time and talking and going through keepsakes and eating and shopping and Greek food (Lemon-Rice Soup to-die-for!) and giving my mamala a perm and finding out I used the wrong chemical at the wrong time and having to give her the perm all over again 2 days later.  Grrrr…..

Two of my favorite women in the world.  My baby sister Tami, and my baby brother, Dan’s, wife (whom I have known since she was 14).

And more time with my baby brother and his beauty, and Tami got to come and hang out for a couple of days and celebrating dad’s birthday with him on his actual birthday and then again with all the nephews and siblings and 2 big pans of mom’s famous peanut-butter  bars with candles later.

In the guest bedroom hangs a framed drawing by my brother, Joe.  The biblical quotation below the drawing reads, “All your children will be taught by the Lord and great will be your children’s peace.”  May it be so…Yes, Lord, may it be so. I scored a few of my mom’s cookie recipes while there.

There was worship at the Narragansett Church of God on the corner in the northside neighborhood of Chicago (not too far from Oak Park) where I was a white-girl-minority in a church with Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, African-Americans, Gutatmelans, Ghanaians (sp?), and generally a very beautiful congregation.  See a little:

I loved the late night talks and early morning cups of coffee.  We had prayer for the family not with us there and I enjoyed many hugs and kisses from my ma and da.

My dad is so not about retiring, but I am so happy they are near Tami and Danny and the rest.  Plus the wonderful people of Southlake Worship Center.  And in the big-city, close to everything they need.  But out on a big acreage where they can see birds birds and enjoy peacefulness.  Love my fam.  So much!