The Great Minnesota Get Together

Just got back from a weekend in Minnesota for Labor Day. We drove up on Saturday and spent a couple days with the family. It was a fast and furious weekend, jam-packed with activity. We wouldn't spend vacation any other way now, would we?

We stayed at Rob and Jane's house for the weekend. Always gracious hosts, their accommodations are perfect for us. The kids play together great and we hardly know they're there. The kids have a blast with their cousins and every time we go we're sure they're creating lifelong memories. We never had this kind of relationship with our cousins in St. Cloud, MN, but did alright with our cousins in White Bear Lake, MN. Our kids are totally comfortable with their cousins in Minnesota and NY.

It was fantastic to see Rob up and around again! He looks good, albeit a bit frail and thin, but his spirits seem high and he seems to be determined to get back to normal as quickly as possible. At one point yesterday, he showed us his CT Scan X-Ray images and it was fascinating. We saw the two 12" rods and 13 screws he has in his spine, as well as the mesh cage where his vertebrae were. My brother Paul calls him "Iron Man" jokingly, but it's really not too far from the truth.

While he has a long road ahead of him, he appears to be on track for recovery. I continue to be humbled by his condition and pray for his marriage and his healthy recovery. This whole ordeal must be taking a huge toll on the family and Jane is to be commended for carrying all the extra burden. She's a pillar!

Saturday night we spent at sister Jane's place. She was having a BBQ for the family, including Nick, who was on military leave from the Air Force. The whole family was there, with the exception of Paul and Pat. It was a great time, with lots of laughs and catching up with people. Nick harassed me about Brett Favre and probably will continue to do so for a while. (We'll see how the division shapes up. LOL)

Sunday we spent at the Minnesota State Fair http://www.mnstatefair.org/ It was the first time in 14 years for Donna and I. It still stands as one of the best fairs in the nation and now I know why. It is huge and has everything you'd want in a fair on a mega-scale. Things not to miss at the Minnesota State Fair include:

• Pronto Pups (Corn Dogs with a twist)
• Malts and shakes at the Dairy Building
• Tom Thumb or Tiny Tim donuts (Ate almost a whole bag myself)
• All you can drink cup of milk for $1.00 (Chocolate or white)
• Deep Fried Candy Bars (Sarah had two)
• Deep Fried Cheese Curds (Heart attack and death is almost worth it)
• Pork Chops on a stick (Didn't get to this, but they're awesome.)

It was a long day at the big show along with 229,000 other people. I can't say I'll wait another 14 years to return, but if I do, I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

All in all, the family is doing well. It is great to have family that still longs to get together and appreciates each other when they do. I am blessed. I am also blogging off...