Treasured Times

Thursday, August 7th - Saturday, August 16th

My boyfriend Ronnie and his eleven-year-old brother Jake were able to make their very first trip to Indiana last week. It was a wonderful but very busy week packed with trips, activities, and family. It had been over two months since I had seen Ronnie so I was quite anxious to see him.

My family and I picked up Ronnie and Jake on Thursday afternoon. From the airport, we headed off to our first great adventure; McCormick's Creek. My family has spent time at McCormick's Creek every summer for as long as I can remember. It was exciting to share the experience with Ronnie and also give him time to bond with my family and my "second family" the McCullough's. And he did. He fit in like he had been there all along and so did Jake. While Jake, Cori, and the McCullough kids were off riding bikes and playing games, Ronnie and I were able to hang out and catch up with the family. We all had a wonderful weekend staying in the McCormick's Creek "Family Cabins," hiking, swimming, and hanging out as one big family.

Things didn't slow down after a weekend at McCormick's Creek. We were back in Indianapolis for a few days from Saturday to Tuesday. I made it a point to show Ronnie my world as he had done with me in Oklahoma. We stopped by my old house and school and attended my home church on Sunday morning. We met up with Alex, a friend of Ronnie and I from Honduras too. Shopping, movies, ice cream, and swimming were at the top of our to-do list in Indy which was quite a bit to pack into so few days. Of course, we managed just fine. J

Ronnie has clicked with my family from the very beginning and Jake was no exception. The true test would be meeting much of my mother’s family in Ft. Wayne. And of course, my social, charming boyfriend and his cute, quirky brother had no problems. Ronnie and my grandpa clicked especially well. My grandpa loved having someone to show off his collections too as they two shared many of the same interests. Grandma loved having someone else volunteer to cook for a change (Ronnie and I made a big breakfast for everyone one morning). Our time in Ft. Wayne was coincidently a reunion of sorts as many relatives from out of town were in Ft. Wayne visiting my grandparents. While others were occupied with family history, Ronnie, our siblings, and I (along with Grandpa and Dad) amused ourselves by feeding the swans and ducks and watching movies.

The end of Ronnie’s stay came far too quickly. Before we knew it, we were saying our sad goodbyes yet again. We still don’t know how long it will be until we see each other again. Hopefully not too long! J For now, school is our priority as we both realize it is where God has placed us.

I am so glad I was able to spend some time with my Ronnie and Jake before school starts. What a wonderful end to my already wonderful summer!

McCormick's Creek

Indianapolis

Ft. Wayne