love in so many different places

My last week has been spent in Michigan visiting my mom's side of the family. There is my grandpa and his wife. Then, my mom and her two sisters. One with her husband and my two cousins. The other with her husband (but not her son's father) and her son (who also brought her girlfriend/basically should be married by now). And then my family. Aren't families these days just so interesting? Such a mixture of people and relationships.

We spent a weekend at Crystal Mountain Resort...which was one of the nicest and cutest things I've ever seen in Michigan. It really made me want to move there, which is a total first since I consider all things from Michigan kind of blah. Then, we went back to Ravenna, where my mom grew up and where my grandpa still lives. On the hand of Michigan, it's about where your pinkie finger would meet the palm...knuckle. Cool. It has a total of 1200 people living there. Quite a happening place if you ask me. Which you did, so I'll just let you know that there are two restaurants, one gas station, one high school, and oh, about three dozen churches. Totes a classic Midwestern town.

And as much as I complain about going back to Michigan because there is never anything to do, this time I actually kind of liked it. The town seemed less humdrum and more quaint. The people and little nicer and laid-back, not like they seemed like they were going nowhere with their lives. Overall, it was alright.

And it made me realize at least one thing.


Family is important.

So important that I just miss spending time with them. I wish I could have all of the people I love in one place. My grandparents. My aunts and uncles. All of my crazy cousins. Anna Mae & Howard, my grandpa's neighbors of 45 years.

But also, all of my friends. My best friends from high school. My new friends from Butler. All of my Younglife people. My mentors, the people I look up to, the people that I think are hilarious.

But, according to real life, this just cannot happen. It just won't. The chances are so very slim. So instead I have to always be torn between multiple worlds; wanting to be playing Euchre with my family in Michigan or wanting to be going to Chuck-E-Cheese with my friends in Fort Collins (not creepy at all), or getting my 10th Starbucks of the day with my Butler people. I can't be everywhere at once.

So, I just have to cherish the time I do spend with all of the people I love.

After all, according to something I read recently, friendship does not grow weaker with distance, it only helps you rack up the frequent flyer miles.

:)