Seeing Seattle

Family. The people who create our center and shape who we become when we are adults. We can either soak up all the teachings and customs we learn as a child, we can rebel and create our own new path when we are adults, or we can do a little of both, soaking up some things and rebelling against others. Either way family determines who you become.

As a child I could not imagine getting old enough to move out of the house. I could not imagine living long enough to have my own life. Yet here I am living life and making my own decisions. Decisions my parents have no real say in because I made it. I am an adult!

Luckily, my parents don’t make me fend all for myself—not quite yet at least—and they had me tag along with them to see my brother and sister-in-law this weekend in Seattle. I haven’t seen my brother and his wife for over five years because my brother has been stationed in Germany with the army. I was very excited to see them, especially since my sister-in-law is pregnant with my first nephew! Who thought I’d ever be an aunt? I guess I should’ve expected it since my brothers are nine and ten years older than me, but the concept seemed to escape my view of the future.

Seattle. When you think of Washington I doubt it is 70-degree weather with clear blue skies. But that was Heavenly Father blessed the usually rainy city with this Easter weekend. We went to my brother and sister-in-law’s baby shower and it was beautiful. The house that was hosting had this backyard that I’ve only ever seen pictures of. The patio had a full kitchen with this ginormous grill—the guys were all in heaven—and a view of Lake Sawyer. Beautiful. Simply stunning, with the sun shining down on the green grass and warming your back as you stood talking to stranger after stranger.

 

After the baby shower my brother, his wife, and their friend joined my family for a little trip to Seattle. We went on this huge Ferris Wheel on the pier. I had never been on a Ferris Wheel before—that’s now been checked off of my bucket list—and when you got to the tippy top you can see for miles out over the ocean. I could see Mt. Rainer and the Olympic Mountains, which are usually hidden by clouds. Beauty surrounded me everywhere. Living in the desert of Utah, I hadn’t realized how much I had really missed the comfort so many trees bring to an area. Plus, all the cherry blossom trees and spring flowers were out. It was a majestic view.

After our little Seattle escapade, we all went to dinner and enjoyed each other’s company. It was nice; I had really missed my brother. He and his wife seem very happy together and I’m glad they’ve stuck together even though being an army wife is hard I’m sure.

Then today after a delicious Easter dinner, we all had to say goodbye. As I gave out hugs, I couldn’t imagine going so long without seeing them again. Then as I looked out the car window at my brother waving goodbye, my throat got a lump in it. I didn’t want to say goodbye for another two years. I don’t like not seeing my family. I can’t even remember the last time I had seen both of my brothers together, let alone had the whole family together.

Going to Australia is going to be hard. I won’t even be able to talk to my family over the phone, except for Mother’s day and Christmas. There will be no weekly Skype sessions, but a weekly email instead. But there is comfort in all of this. I have the knowledge that family is forever. When we die and go on to heaven, we will have to opportunity to be together for eternity and with that perspective it will make being away for 18 months so much easier.

If you want to know more about how families are forever click on this: Family Forever