Catching Up Part 1--The In-Laws Come to Visit

Oh my word. When I checked the blog today, I couldn't believe that I hadn't updated our place in cyberspace since May. I am the world's worst blogger. Will you accept a series of catch-up posts?

Yes?

Okay, then--let's get started.

Dave and I have had a great summer with a lot of fun things going on. (It's no wonder I've neglected the old blog for so long!) The first fun event was Dave's parents' coming for a visit in June. This was the third summer they were able to stay with us, and we all managed to survive the two weeks crammed into our tiny, one-bedroom apartment. One day, when Dave and I have a house, we'll be able to look back at these humble beginnings and remember the times when our guests were relegated to the hide-a-bed in the living room. Ah, the life of newlyweds. Anyway, here are some pictures from their time here.

I was able to take Fridays off during Mum and Dad's visit so we could go on day trips with them. On the first Friday, we drove up to St. Joseph to check out the cute little town and show Dave's parents the best beach on Lake Michigan.

On the way home from St. Joseph, we got caught in a horrible thunderstorm. I have never been so scared by the weather in my life! Dave parked the car under a bridge, but the road started flooding! And we were boxed in by other cars seeking refuge. I just kept praying, and finally the person in front of us moved so we could find some higher ground. This downed tree came across our path on the way home. I was never so happy to be safe and sound at home that night!

On the second Friday off, we drove out to the Illinois Railway Museum. Now, I think it could have been fun, but the place is really run down, and we had an encounter with rude people who kicked us off the one working train when we attempted to go on a ride. I don't like mean people!

As you can see, Dave and I were pretty bored that afternoon. The four of us were relieved to get back on the road after that visit!

For some reason, we kept getting severe thunderstorms when my in-laws were here. They don't have bad storms like these back home in Scotland, so I caught them looking out the window quite a bit whenever the wind, rain, and crazy lightning hit.

Overall, it was a good visit. I always feel kinda bad when they visit us in the summer, because it's so much hotter here than it is back home. Of course, it was during their visit that our air conditioner died! Now, this is a good thing considering all the trouble we've had with our a/c since I moved in back in 2008. The old unit never really cooled down the apartment, so we often kept it off to save energy. The maintenance guys were great about replacing it quickly, and we were all so excited to have chilly air once the new a/c was installed. In addition to the fun trips we got to take, I'd say sharing in the excitement of that new a/c was one of my favorite moments of their visit.