A visit to the 'Dale

So there was a grandma, a pregnant lady and a toddler who went on a 13 hour road trip...

It sounds like the start of some joke, but it was reality last week.  Mom, Lily and I headed out for a long weekend in Michigan.  And it wasn't horrific at all - it was actually a really, really fun trip!  We made it to Hillsdale without so much as a hiccup in the trip, and got to spend some time with my sister (a freshman) as well as some friends from my years of living in the 'Dale.

Lily finally got to meet Pat, one of my dearest former coworkers and friends.

We spent an afternoon with Dr. Elmer, my roommate from college.
The last time she saw Lily was literally the day Lily was born - then a med student,
my roomie flew out to assist in the delivery.  Trust me, she's a keeper!  

My mom with my roommate's mom.  I was blessed to spend time with the Elmer family throughout college.

Lily with Lydia, the daughter of one of my friends in Hillsdale.
The two girls share their birthday (Sept. 28).
I think Lydia was probably as excited as I was the day Lily was born!

How did we make the 26-hour car trip with a 2-year old?
Well, now you know.

I didn't even get a picture of my sister while we were there, but it was so fun to meet her friends and spend some time in their world.  It was also great to see old coworkers and bosses, visit our old church and worship with the body there - it brought me to tears.  

Lily was a champ traveler, as long as either the Kindle or the DVD player was available for her use, and I simply had to put aside my aversion to her and "screen time."  Peaceful travel trumped screen time concerns.  We split the drive and drove after she was asleep as much as possible.  

Thanks all in Hillsdale who made our trip particularly wonderful.  However, I have to admit, there was nothing better than sleeping in my own bed the night we got home!