Visiting Utah: Dinner with Grandma Porter (Mar 13)

I'll admit it. I took these for granted when I lived in Utah. Attending the monthly dinner at Grandma's house was a chore and I definitely under-appreciated all she went through to make them special. The decorations. The labor intensive dinners. The after-meal activities. Really, Grandma? But this trip was different. This trip I saw that all these things equalled love. It's not Gma P trying to show off. It's just Gma P showing she cares. Because this is how she does it. If I were to give her a label I'd say she was a "Martha."

As I look back at all these pictures I cry. Because I don't have the red, white, and blue decor for the 4th of July. I won't get the rusty colors of late summer or the pumpkins in October or the turkeys at Thanksgiving. I won't get to sit at a table full of more than 20 people who I love with children running around and screaming. I won't get to stand in line for food and jabber with the person standing next to me while Grandma explains again that the small plates are for salad. I'll be first, maybe second in line for food and sit at a table without decorations and share my meal with just one of the people I love. And Grandma won't be there to put her arms around me, smile into my eyes and tell me that she's proud of me.

So bring on the parade. Grandma's is a place to know you're loved. She shows it in every single decoration and dinner. Grandma's dinner = I love you.

All the nieces: Kazia, Chloe, Brooklyn, Charlee & Jade.

My little princesses.

Oops! Lost one! Jade's probably off slaying a dragon. :)

My fabulous extended family.

Ya, we're a bit creepy.

He's ready for his closeup...

My Chlo-bear!

We celebrated my birthday since I wouldn't be there in April.
My mom made her delicious banana cream pie. Mmmmm! 

Me & Charlee.
Note to self: Get more one-on-one pics with each of the kids.