"I want to see more cousins! Can we? Please? Can we?"
I've not had such a fun and relaxing vacation in a long time--and seeing our old friends felt just like visiting family. As we arrived into town and headed over to Bob's and Kari's before she left for Norway, we saw the Claysons and some of their friends playing in the front yard. When we stopped, Charity and her cuties came over and the kids all played--or clubbed each other before we had pb & js at the Boisverts. Thanks for giving us your milk, Bob!
We stayed in the BOQ on base across from the Navy Museum, Oasis pool and Jackrabbit Park, where Charity and Becky met us on our first morning there. I felt as if we'd never left over a year ago, except for the addition of cute babies Hope, Hannah and Stewart! That afternoon we got together with Rachel and Kathryn and their kids after they all got out of their last day of school. Stewart and Katie Anne hit it off with the toy cupboard while Casper, Jack, Benjamin and Jeffrey played with Legos and motorcycles in their room; Whitney, Emma and Janie took turns pushing their dolls at the store. Later, they all had Popsicles, played on the swings and rode bikes.
It seemed as if most of the Ridgecrest bunch had some kind of house or yard remodeling project in progress, especially Ronelle and Brent in their awesome new house just outside of Inyokern. Even with the dogs outside, the kids couldn't get enough of the big trees, playroom and open space to run. How many people do you know live on an acre and have an orchard across the street from their house!?
We fit in one last visit of the day to Janice and RJs house before they left for Idaho and Ogden to help their parents. I can hardly believe they made the time while they still needed to pack AND install their new refrigerator: Whitney and Casper were the first to taste the new filtered water.
On Friday, we 'crashed' the end of school water party at Shar's house and Whitney basked in her chance to take Jane Agren down the slide--over and over. That night Nate Kimbler graciously watched his kids and Whitney and Casper while Ronelle, Arlene, Mirilou, Shar, Kathryn, and Rachel and I got together for dinner and chitchat at Lugo's.
Marie's and Scott's house just keeps expanding beautifully and her dream yard is now a reality. Whitney and Casper didn't want to leave after they had jumped on the trampoline, had lunch on the patio and Katie had shared her sour candy! We attempted to go swimming, but made a stop at the base fire department instead to see the fish pond and new RED firetrucks!
Saturday night also felt like old times, celebrating Ricky's and Kim's marriage. They are a fun couple and I know I'd be buds with Kim if we lived there. It was so awesome to visit with our old friends the Saunders, Trimbles, Calls, Kimblers and meet new friends who have moved in since we left. It is so easy to make friends in Ridgecrest!
After church on Sunday we decided to stay an extra day. For lunch we had an awesome visit with the Martinez women: Zukey, Yoselin, Maria and Mimi before the two oldest head off to college in Lancaster. We could hardly believe that Zukey graduated high school! Mimi, Whitney and Casper played on the back patio and rested on the living room floor just like old times.
Now that I'm back home to the 'hustle and bustle' of Phoenix, I am so grateful for the Ridgecrest Respite I had with my 'family of friends." It was exactly what my heart needed in order to start building here what I had there and focusing on the short time I have to spend with my kids while they're little. My brain kept playing over and over the scripture in Mosiah 18:3 to describe why the people in Ridgecrest are so special to me; they truly are "willing to mourn with those that mourn; and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that they are in." Thank you for your tremendous examples of living the gospel! On our last night in the hotel, the kids and I were talking about how much fun we'd had and that it was time to leave in the morning. Whitney in her wisdom, added,
"Yeah, it was really, really, REALLY fun. I just hate the leaving part."
