I am so excited about an upcoming trip MG and I are going to take. At the end of March we are heading up to Minnesota. MG has a conference and about a month ago asked if I would go with her. My response to her was, "I'll go as long as I can meet up with a few of my blogger friends." :) Thankfully she agreed and is as excited as I am. I asked her if it would be possible to spend a couple more days in Minnesota so we could go up north to where my Dad's parents lived and where I went to summer camp. She loved the idea and now it's all set.
MG will arrive in Minneapolis on March 26 for her conference. I will fly in on the 27th. We will be in Minneapolis until Sunday the 30th. Then we will drive up to Grand Rapids where I went to camp from 1984-1989. I loved my summers at camp. I am thankful that my Dad talked my Mom into letting me go to camp. My Mom was nervous about me being so far away for so long (4 weeks). But the things I learned at camp are priceless.
My Dad's parents lived in a very small town outside of Grand Rapids called Outing. Seriously, I think this town had less then 200 people. There was one diner and we always ate there at least once a day while visiting. The woman that owned the diner was named Julie. When I was 8 years old I wanted to be just like Julie. Above the diner was a small hotel. I thought it was so cool that Julie would sit in her Lazy-Boy recliner after she cooked. Julie also introduced me to her wonderful BLT's and to this day I compare every BLT I eat to Julies.
I almost feel like I will be going home when I take this trip. Even though I have lived my entire life in Kansas City, I feel that my heart is in Minnesota. I feel at peace there. I feel centered in Minnesota.
I feel that my trip to Minnesota will be very healing for me. It will be a chance for me to look back at my life and feel proud for all I have accomplished and how much I have truly overcome to be the person I am at this exact moment.
12 comments:
Sounds like it'll be a great trip. I have similar feelings for the Adirondacks in New York that you do for Minnesota. I've never lived there longer than 3 months at a time (2 summers 20+ years ago) but it is the place where I feel most at home.
Sounds really great - I'm so glad you have the opportunity to "go back home" for a visit. :)
I am super excited to meet MG & you.
Do you know if you will still be able to get one of your BLT's?
chelle--it is going to be a gret trip and i am not sure i can wait six months. :)
casey--me too...i am preparing mg to take lots of pics of me and then i will compare them to the last time i was there in 89
katie--i don't think i will get a blt. i think julie was older then my grandma, so i doubt she is still alive. i do wonder if there is another diner in it's place. oh, and we are just as excited to meet you
Think of it this way ... you may be returning home or you may be going to turn loose. Don't be surprised if it turns out to be the latter. Whatever the purpose, I hope you have a very good time. :)
Ok, I've added those dates to my calendar to visit my family at the same time so I can meet up with y'all. Works out well because he closes on a new house in Dec. !
Ah so glad you are taking the trip! I am dying to go to Minnesota also!
When you said grand rapids, I about fainted. LOL I live 45 miles from Grand Rapids Michigan LOL
You deserve a break, i hope you have a wonderful trip and a wonderful life with MG (who needs a new name) LOL Hugs
Yeah! Trips are great!
lynilu--i had never thought about it that way..thank you
julie--i am so excited you are going to plan your trip around when i will be in MN. it will be great to meet you!!!
patti--well, you should come that weekend as well..hint hint
eye--you know i would have personally told you if i was going to be near you....wish you were close so we could meet in person..we will one day
unknown me--all of my vacations this year were canceled because of laura, so i am really looking forward to this one
That sounds fun! I can't believe your camp was 4 weeks long each summer -- it seemed longer. It's weird how much more slowly time passes when you're younger. It just keeps getting faster...
BLT? Did someone say BLT?
Well I am a transplant to MN. Its taken me a year and a half to accept this fact. But, and I can't believe I am saying this...MN does have its good points (if Katie or Patti reads this they will fall over - me saying something good about MN...bwahaha).
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