The week was full of fun and excitement, making new memories, and catching up with cousins and aunts and uncles we haven't seen for a long time. It was great to see cousins from California, that I have only met once before. The gap between our ages is so crazy but it is amazing how we all just fit together so well.
Barret enjoyed his days on the lake and could not stop splashing.
He loved the lake and couldn't get enough. Even just sitting on the dock he would reach down for the water and try to get in. I love this! He is going to be just like his Mama, and be a water bug!!!! The lake was full of snails. You would find them up on the shore, floating on the water, and stuck to the bottom of the lake. Barret couldn't get enough of them and it was hilarious watching him try to grab for the ones on the lake floor. He couldn't quite grasp the idea that the snail shells were really farther away than they looked. At one point he even dropped his face into the water with an attempt to grab hold of one of those silly snails. This surprised him more than anything and was quickly back to his splashing mayhem.
He loved the lake and couldn't get enough. Even just sitting on the dock he would reach down for the water and try to get in. I love this! He is going to be just like his Mama, and be a water bug!!!! The lake was full of snails. You would find them up on the shore, floating on the water, and stuck to the bottom of the lake. Barret couldn't get enough of them and it was hilarious watching him try to grab for the ones on the lake floor. He couldn't quite grasp the idea that the snail shells were really farther away than they looked. At one point he even dropped his face into the water with an attempt to grab hold of one of those silly snails. This surprised him more than anything and was quickly back to his splashing mayhem. Wednesday and Thursday we rented a speed boat to ski and tube. This was a lot of fun and Barret even enjoyed his first boat ride! He seemed a bit impartial and didn't really notice anything different other than being really windy and he couldn't keep his eyes open. We all had a great time with the boat, even though it didn't quite have the horse power we wanted, and dad tried and tried and tried to get up on skis but he just couldn't quite get there. Mama and Uncle Jason tore up the water with their skies though and Daddy enjoyed the tube rides as long as Mama wasn't driving ( I guess he just can't handle the craziness of my driving!)
Each night we all gathered around as a different family prepared dinner and just reminisced of the old days and got to hear about everyone lives. It was so fun hearing about cousin Nora's experience in Japan, and even more fun to hear Susan talk about living in Japan. Rachel brought her boyfriend, and it was great getting to meet him! The best part for Barret? His little cousin friends, even though he is the youngest by a big margin, they loved on him and were so helpful. Grey made sure to point out, "Baby" and make sure he had his pacifier, Zoe would pat his head, and Ty was super loving and gentle with him. Maggie made sure to go through his diaper bag and make sure there wasn't anything in there that she wanted and even offered to share a Cheetos :)Barret declined and offered and apple, which Maggie was clearly opposed to.
Friday was Great Grandma Boehm's service and we all set out on our pontoon boats at 9:30. 
We rode through the chain of lakes to get to Big Fork Lake and there we circled around and wished a farewell to Grandma as we threw flowers, birch bark, and sent Grandma and Grandpa's necklace pieces to float in the lake. The experience was unlike any I have ever had before, and I was a bit unsure of the whole thing until the moment came. I loved seeing all of my aunts and uncles, mom and dad, together and celebrating the life that Grandma had. I loved seeing all of my cousins enjoying the experience and sitting silently as we watched the kids spread the ashes. I loved remembering Grandma and all of her wonderfulness and her love for us all. I loved being on Big Fork and seeing my parents and aunts and uncles at a peace in knowing they were loved. I loved seeing the lake and the house that my dad grew up in and I loved seeing the way we all reached out for one another in this time of sadness. I loved knowing that Grandma was looking down on us all, being so filled with joy and love, that we were all together, all 47 of us, celebrating the wonderful mother, grandmother, and great grandmother she was. I loved it all! And even though, now it feels like she is really gone, I know that she is in a better place and I know that someday I will get to see her again. Even though Barret never got to meet her and see just what a wonderful and special woman she was, she loves him and he will get to hear all of the great stories of her.
We rode through the chain of lakes to get to Big Fork Lake and there we circled around and wished a farewell to Grandma as we threw flowers, birch bark, and sent Grandma and Grandpa's necklace pieces to float in the lake. The experience was unlike any I have ever had before, and I was a bit unsure of the whole thing until the moment came. I loved seeing all of my aunts and uncles, mom and dad, together and celebrating the life that Grandma had. I loved seeing all of my cousins enjoying the experience and sitting silently as we watched the kids spread the ashes. I loved remembering Grandma and all of her wonderfulness and her love for us all. I loved being on Big Fork and seeing my parents and aunts and uncles at a peace in knowing they were loved. I loved seeing the lake and the house that my dad grew up in and I loved seeing the way we all reached out for one another in this time of sadness. I loved knowing that Grandma was looking down on us all, being so filled with joy and love, that we were all together, all 47 of us, celebrating the wonderful mother, grandmother, and great grandmother she was. I loved it all! And even though, now it feels like she is really gone, I know that she is in a better place and I know that someday I will get to see her again. Even though Barret never got to meet her and see just what a wonderful and special woman she was, she loves him and he will get to hear all of the great stories of her.After the service, we rode the boats around a little bit, Dad, Aunt Deb, and Aunt Kay jumped in for a quick swim and we headed back to the cabin for a great feast and a time to just sit and remember and celebrate grandma.
After we cleaned up the kitchen and packed up our bags, the cousins all headed out for our final evening swim. It was great! We watched as Uncle Jason and Dad did flips off the pontoon boat and Ty was amazing at swimming and loved to jump off the boat. We played a round a tag in the water and Susan made a 12 minute video. Susan and Jackie, being the oldest were our chaperone's and explained to us just what to do in case of an emergency, how to put on our life vests and how to work the oxygen masks! It was hilarious. And would you believe that we sunk the front half of the pontoon on our way back in to the dock? We did, it was funny, but not really....
On Saturday Morning we all loaded up our cars and headed back for home. It was a sad day and no one wanted to leave. The week was wonderful, the family was wonderful, and the memories made were wonderful! I loved getting to know my family more and I am so excited that Barret got to meet so many of them.
As we headed for home, my heart ached and I just wanted to turn around and do the whole week over again. My prayer is that it won't be long before we get to go up North and enjoy the wonderfulness of the lakes, the woods, and the memories again. I love it up there!
Here's to a wonderful week! We miss you and love you Grandma! Thank you for being you!
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