We’re back from another trip to Indiana.
This was a good visit. The last couple have been shaped by Grammie’s passing—the emotional weight of that loss, and the work of packing up the family home and preparing it for sale. This time felt different. It was more about Popa—settling into his new home, enjoying time together as an extended family, and reconnecting with friends.
We kept busy in simple, meaningful ways. We ate at Culver’s and enjoyed their top-notch custard. We went geocaching along the riverway. We played tag at an empty Jury Park while all the other kids were in school. We went thrift shopping at Goodwill, where you found an oversized black hoodie that says “Jesus Loves You,” with a Bible verse on the back—an easy yes from us. Wear your heart on your sleeve and God on your back. We spent a beautiful 70-degree sunny day at the Fort Wayne Zoo. And we ate at 800 Degrees Pizza while watching a serious downpour turn the parking lot into a lake—the kind of storm only the Midwest can deliver across those flat plains. I ran six miles one day and had an elevation change of 28 feet. It’s flat out there.
In between all of that, you had quite a bit of iPad time because, honestly, there’s not a ton to do around Popa’s house. I got you started on Duolingo ahead of our Italy and Greece trip, and you’re doing a great job picking up the language and practicing your Italian. We should have started earlier! You also loved a game called “I Am Bird,” where you basically fly around and poop on people in a town—or at least that’s what I gathered. Not exactly educational.
We also looped you in on something important—helping deliver an iPad to your brother. His Kindle Fire had been “glitching,” and he was literally leaning over you to watch a screen that wouldn’t stop jumping. I asked you privately if you were okay with him getting one, since you waited until you were 10, and you thoughtfully said he was “responsible enough.” You presented it to him when it arrived, helped him get set up, and showed him how to ask for permission before using it or downloading apps. That was real leadership. I appreciate your big sister instincts more than you know.
We had a bit of family business to take care of as well—going through the final storage bins that belonged to your Mom. We packed an extra suitcase, just enough to bring home stacks of photos and family albums. I was a little nervous walking into the unit, expecting more, but was relieved to find just five neatly stacked bins, not even all full. Your Mom did an incredible job making thoughtful, efficient decisions about what to keep, give away, or let go.
On our way out, we spent time with your cousins, Abby and Mason. Abby broke out the slime supplies, and you happily made gooey creations together. She’ll be coming to visit us for her college senior trip with some friends, and I think that will be a really special time for you—getting to spend time with older girls and see that next stage of life up close.
As we head back into our rhythm at home, I keep thinking about how these trips are changing. Less about logistics and loss now, and more about connection, memory, and the people who shape us. You’re growing into such a thoughtful, kind, and capable person, and it’s a gift to watch how you show up in these moments—with family, with your brother, and with the world around you.
Love,
Dad