An Ever Evolving Family Dynamic - My Time in Baltimore

This post took me much longer to get to than I originally intended, but better late than never has always been my motto :)

The pictures below are from my recent trip to Baltimore, and while there are many more, these are some of my favorites. The long weekend was full to the brim. A Bridal shower, a wedding, meeting my godson Eli (pictures and post to come very soon) and quality family time with memories that I will always hold dear to my heart. It is so amazing to have such a wonderful family to call my own.

Our family dynamic has changed over the years, my brothers (not pictured) and sisters and I have all evolved. We are getting married, living in new places, and blazing our own trails, and as anyone from a big family knows coming together can be the best thing and the hardest thing because it feels like you know each other so well and not at all.

We are fighting the urge to fall back into our old ways and learn who we are now and how to co-exist in a healthy way. While that is not always easy, this trip it seemed to be something that clicked more than usual. Stephen and Nikki welcomed me over to their home and showed me the farmer's market they like to go to. Christian and Cristina told me all about their lives as parents and what this new phase has meant for them. Joy told me about school and introduced my family to her dear friend who will be living with my parents for the summer. I felt like I got a snapshot of everyone's lives. It was a growing season for us and such an amazing opportunity to get a little deeper.

There are always tears with our goodbyes, but this time felt different. It was deeper. I miss my niece, I miss my siblings and I miss my parents in a completely new and adult way. I want to share meals with them and linger over bottles of wine. I want to spend more than a weekend around them. I don't want to catch up, I want to know what is going on in their lives. However, I love where I live and I love my job and I love my friends. In this season, we are supposed to be here. Right now we are where the Lord has us, in a new church that is really feeding us and in a place of humility where we are thankful for everything we are provided with.

One day at a time. It is good to be so loved.

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