Back to Normal

We spent the weekend visiting the Anderson Grandparents which was a lot of fun. I have not been back to Normal for almost a year, so it was good to get back. Garrett's parents really live in Bloomington, IL which is the neighboring city to Normal, but I still usually refer it it as Normal since that is the town we used to live in and the place where Garrett grew up before his parents moved to the house they now live in.

It was great to spend time in familiar places with family and friends. We got to visit with the Reeds, Wheelers and Escobars. Also we saw many other old friends when we attended church on Sunday. When I see the teenagers now, who used to be primary kids when we lived there, I realize how much time has passed. We moved away (for good) just after Jerry was born five years ago. Though it has been a while since we lived there, we still feel very connected to the community and to our friends there.

The boys love going back there, mostly because they love to be at Grandma Susie and Gramps' house. Also, they love visiting their friends who are like cousins to them. It is funny how they remember people's houses by what toys they have, even if they have not been there for several years. I think kids memories are more geared towards remembering toys than people. After seeing the people again they usually remember quickly enough, but when talking about going to see certain friends, they often mention the toys they remember playing with there.

It is sad to live so far away now. When we were in Centralia, the drive was only three hours. Now that we are 8 hours away, a weekend trip is very exhausting. Though we are worn out, it was still worth it to make the trip, especially since we all got to visit the dentist while we were there. Thanks Gramps for taking care of our teeth.