The second week of September was Grammy Sha Sha week! My mom came to town. My girls were so excited to have a giant sleepover with her! I sure love my mom!

Got in the car to drive to AZ start the the drive and with all joy Hazel said, “I love Texas!” Me too Hazel. Me too. We will come home to Texas after we go and love and help where we are needed in Mesa.

We read so many stories and made so much food. I planned the weeks menu out to make some of my favorite dishes of my mom’s that I wanted to learn to make better. So we had ham and cheese loaf, evil jungle salad, Grandma Dahl gingerbread pear cake, ginger snaps… no one went hunger. My mom is the master home chef and it was the best just to have her with us.

Marc had Monday off so my mom and I had a girls day together and got some time just the two of us. We did some quality window shopping and had a wild goose chase trying to return her rental car.

Mom helped me map out better what we needed for our 3 months supply food and one morning hit up Sam’s Club with all the kids in tow. And another morning we all did Magnolia Table together.

Our plan was to finish the week off with a girls trip just the two of us to Dallas, where mom would fly out of. But everything changed on Thursday morning when I got a call from one of my best friends Caitlin. Sobbing she told me her mom died that morning at her apartment. It was just a ten minute phone call that felt like an eternity of the two of us sobbing, grieving, and mourning between tears and snotty noses. The funeral was going to be in Arizona, and she said she needed me to be there. So Mom canceled her flight home and we spent Friday getting mom, me, and the kids all packed and ready to drive home to Mesa.

Friday night after we were all packed and I was finally in bed, I had the thought that I should pack an extra outfit for Levi for in the car. Fine. I got back up, got a onesie, and put it in my diaper bag. On the drive Levi drank an extra big bottle in the car and then got car sick and barfed three times in the first 2 hours of our 14 hour drive. Blessed to have a second outfit so easy to change.

On the drive I just felt peace and confidence breathed in me that I will be able to make this drive alone many times in the future. I am brave and capable. I can do things like drive across country by myself and/ or with Marc. Ashley and Tommy drove with two year olds from Florida to Arizona. I can drive from Texas to Mesa.

We made it to my parents late (but not too late because we gained two hours with the time difference) had a dance party, hugged papa, Chelsea, Kay, and Baby Kate, and went to bed.

It was really nice to go home and see so many of our favorite people. The kids and I got to got to our old church on Sunday and see so many friends we didn’t get to say goodbye to before we moved. And we stayed in town for two weeks.

We spent most of the first week at my parents.

Mary’s viewing was on Friday and the funeral was on Saturday. It was so fun to hear more stories about Mary’s life that I didn’t know. My favorite part was when Clint got up and told their dating and love story. He just completely loved and adored her like she was the greatest thing that ever walked the earth. But not in a sappy way but in a real, real way that made filler the room with hope of true love. Mary makes me want to be more fun, laugh more, be brave and chase new things, and love Marc more fully with all my heart.

Marc made it town for the funeral, so we stayed at his parents’ house for that and got to get in some real food Johnson cousin time. I seriously scored in the in-law department and we loved having time to just be together. Wesley and Levi, are just about the same size right now and were little buddies. And Jane was thrilled to have sisters for the weekend. And my girls were in heaven playing Barbies and ponies all day with Jane.

One evening Marc and I got away with Devon and Danielle and got our favorite prickle pear ice cream in Downtown Gilbert. Our mutual love of food is almost as much as our mutual love of being together (and eating).

The next week we spent at Jojo’s! I have missed Jo so much! It was a blast having cousin time 24/7. Most mornings, the kids were all up, in costume, and on the trampoline by 6:30.

And then most afternoons would be water wars outside.

Ruby, Hazel, and Margo were inseparable. And as Tyler affectionately referred to them as “a pack of wolves” who could not be trusted when things got too quiet.

And for our last full day there Tyler pulled out all the stops, and borrowed his friends giant bubble foam machine.

Then my dad volunteered to drive back home with me to Texas with all of my little party people. We made it in one long drive, with lots of Disney Plus, 8 Monsters between me and Dad, and an endless supply of mix CDs my Dad has made over the years. It was 14 hours of quality music education time with him including the best of the B-52’s and Weezer, Pennies from Heaven, Sir Duke, Michael Jackson, Vampire Weekend, Joy Division, and more. One of my favorite parts about jamming out with my dad is he is a music history almanac for the music and also what was happening in his life when it came out. Like when he had just got home from his mission when MTV was hitting its strides in the old glory days and the whole word watched at the same time when Michael Jackson moon walked across the stage. I love my dad.

Flights were better for him to fly home on Monday so we got my Dad all Sunday and Monday. We had church at home with him, played at the park, did the whole Magnolia scene, took him to Fabled Book Shop, and lunch at Union Hall. I felt completely spoiled to have a week with my mom, two weeks in Arizona, and two days in Texas with my Dad.