Not to Brag, But...

The date: July 11. Where will I be next week? At home. The response that this simple word evokes in me is extraordinary, especially knowing somewhat of my game plan. I won't spoil your future reading pleasure by giving away all the details of my itinerary now, but I feel the need to exorcise my overwrought excitement by reviewing it quickly. Just like last time that I was away for so long, I keep bouncing up and down when the upcoming weeks are mentioned, as I loudly proclaim, "I'm goin' ho-ome, I'm goin' ho-ome!" Here's the short list of what I'm most excited for:

I get to see my dad, who is currently AWOL, as he's golfing with the pros now. Rock on, dad.

Trace is currently growing a baby Hos, so I'm incredibly excited to get home and get to hang out with the expanding Hosford family.

Jo. I need to talk with you, girl!

Gram's cottage. Enough said.

Hours and hours talking with my mom. Girl time.

Jess coming!!!

Hanging with my super cool cousins. Skiing, tubing, swimming, kneeboarding, biking, playing cards, blueberry picking, and whatever other form of creative activity we can come up with.

Calvary.

Watching the sun set over Lake Michigan while sitting on our patio enjoying a drink with mom and Jim. To quote Jane Austen, "Is there a felicity in the world superior to this?"

Hiking a part of the Appalachian trail with Daane and Chad. My chest puffs out and I hold my head higher when I get to talk about them. I was reading on their hiking blog today and, as always, I become so proud of them. They are incredible men. And how surprising to look at the pictures and realize I can't call them boys anymore. Last time I went home, Daane came to give me a big hug, but I had to hold him back for a second before I hugged back. I actually asked, "Is this a joke?" thinking that this guy with a man's face and frame was just a stand-in for my cute little brother. But Daane and Chad are real men, doing things that so many other men will never accomplish. If you click here and here, you can see my favorite pictures of them (omigosh, is that really my brother with a beard?). Or you can go to their website's journal to see more and read more about them.

So the tentative plan is that I get to be out there with them for a few days, hiking with Ashley, my sister, while Gram and Mom meet us in upcoming towns, getting goodies for the boys. I'm pretty sure it might kill me. Yoga probably isn't the best prepatory activity, even if we do often perform Mountain Pose. It will be great to be a part of it, attempting the whole time not to slow them down too much, and to spend so much time with my family. That's always a treat for me.

Oh, and you will hear about it, too. Now I'm making my kids tell me their summer vacation plans. As I get stuff like, "I will do my summer vacation homework," or "I will go to the PC Room," I perform a Nelson-like laugh, pointing, "ha-ha," and make them ask me about my summer plans just so I can think about it and brag about it more. By the way, no, I do not actually laugh at my kids. Just kidding. But we are talking about our vacation plans, and I always have them ask me first as an example. He he.

So it's about a week until I fly out. And I can't wait! I love you guys!

Aub

P.S. If you were wondering (and too lazy to follow my link), Mountain Pose is the most basic pose in yoga. It starts and ends all other poses. Succinctly, it is just standing up straight. Nice.