Back!

Well the trip to Virginia was a lot of things. Fun, refreshing, relaxing, interesting, family oriented, all those things I needed.
We rode down in a rented van. It was my Dad, his wife/my step-mother Laura, my brother Brent, sister Brianna and me. We drove down there Thursday morning after I got off work and stayed over night in a hotel in Marietta, Ohio. It is the town just before the bridge to West Virginia. If you ever get the chance to go to Marietta, do it! It is a little, old fashioned, stereotypical Midwestern American town. Stereotypical in a GOOD way, though. It was pretty, nestled in some hills, with a big lake, and a foot bridge, old fashioned shops with some really cute antiques and gift shops, and a pasta shop from out of this world! Awesome flavored stuff there! They also have a soda museum. I know, it sounds lame. But the inside is a 1950's themed soda shop. They have tons of memoribilia there, everything is for sale if you want it. Very cool place. If I take the same route to VA again I will definitely stay there or at least visit again! Marietta reminded me of the type of town that Steven King would use as a setting for a horror story. Everything is hunky-dory, then BAM!- alien invasion or something to that effect.
We got to WV on Friday. It is SO beautiful there. The tree covered mountains and fresh air are such a change from flat, busy, grey Metropolitan Detroit. We stayed in Bluefield Virginia for the next two nights. Well, my family did. I stayed with Nicki on Friday night. While we were in Bluefield we visited the mausoleum where my grandfather and several other family members are laid to rest. (At first I had buried there, but they aren't really buried at all. What is the correct term?) It was the first time my dad and I had been there since my grandfather passed away in 1996. It is a beautiful place. However, the stench was horrific. I can only imagine it was the stench of deteriorating bodies, unfortuately. It's too bad, it really did take away from the visit/mourning with my family members. There was also a gnat in there which grossed me out, because they have a rule of no fresh flowers, only fake. I can only imagine what drew that little guy there, which is disappointing and gross since I have family there. But the worst part was seeing my Dad cry and stand on his tip-toes to touch the plaque with his father's name on it. He just barely got it with his fingertips. I would have let him stand on my back if he had to. Anything to comfort him and hopefully make it hurt less... although I doubt anything would really help that situation. It hurt to see him upset, but what was even worse for me was thinking that one day I will have to visit him like that. I swear I am going to die when he dies. It will break my heart. I can't imagine the world without my dad. Mortality sucks.
On a (very slightly) brighter note, I got to see and take pictures of the headstones of my great grandmother and grandfather, as well as an uncle that died the day he was born and a great geat uncle. It sounds kinda morbid to want to see it in a way, but it is my family's history. Out of respect I should go there. I never got to meet any of them, so it was not really sad.
OK Seriously on a brighter note, I got to see my old and very dear friend Nicki. I have known her since 5th grade. I got to meet her new husband (I couldn't make it down for the wedding because I was in Nursing School) and see her house. I unfortunately didn't get to meet her 2 year old daughter Hope. I really wish I could have, she is a beautiful little girl! Nicki is 50% Chippewa, and her daughter looks just like her.
The family wedding was great! A little awkward at first... I am walking by people waiting for them to recognize my Dad, because I definitely can't put the names with the faces! I met a few of my dad's first cousins as well as a great aunt. I also met Elaine, the woman that married my cousin (well 2nd cousin if you want to get technical) Mark. The little bit I got to talk to her, she is very nice. Stressed, since it was her wedding day, but nice. My family is all hilarious and crazy. It was such a great feeling to have them come up and give us all big hugs and be so welcoming even though we haven't seen them in 12 years. It is nice to know that we could just land on one of their front porches one day and be welcome in their homes. I really need to go back down there again and visit more often. :)
The wedding was outside in the front lawn of her parents' house, which was an old dormitory from a teacher's college back in the day. They live in the moutains, so that house must have been old as hell! The pictures I have of the ceremony are beautiful -- a very happy bride and groom underneath a little flowery arc with big green mountains in the background.
Well, if you actually read this whole damn thing, WOW. I could barely write it. haha. In closing, my mini vacation was great! I want to go back down there soon and bring Aaron so he can see why I say I want to move there.