This year it was just me and Whit that made it up to Swiss Days. It's not often that Whitney and I have a chance to spend the whole day together and I've been looking forward to it all week. Kenna is helping at a Forza fundraiser for her team and Ashlyn is at Daddy/Daughters with Garrett and mom is in Las Vegas at Jacob's baptism and Isaac's blessing...so it's just us.
The day began with us meeting up at our old meeting spot off Foothill Blvd so we could carpool from there. She jumped in the car with me and we headed out...in the wrong direction!! And I mean that literally because as we headed down one road I asked Whitney where we needed to be...she said "just turn around here and we'll head up the canyon." It was early, so not many cars were on the road. We headed down this single lane road and up ahead saw a truck coming straight at us. I quickly pulled over and we could not stop laughing, Whitney even peed her pants from laughing so hard. We were headed the wrong way on a one-way road, straight for 1-15....aaagh. I didn't make eye contact with the driver of the truck and quickly turned around and found the right road to Parleys. We couldn't stop laughing!! Later when Whitney told Russ, he said "That would only happen to you and Steph!" Russ knows us too well.
As we traveled up the canyons, we saw quite a few hot-air balloons and both just smiled at each other, remembering mornings up at Midway, eating breakfast on the deck and seeing hot-air balloons all over the valley. It's a beautiful sight. We turned off to Midway and I sensed that we both felt a longing and sadness. I haven't driven this road since last year when my parents sold their Midway home and as we continued up the road, we didn't talk. All morning I wanted to ask Whitney if she was OK if we drove past the house before going to Swiss Days, but I never said anything...we came to the roundabout and Whitney said "Do you care if we drive past the house??" Exactly what I was thinking...I smiled, sped up and as we came upon Valais, we both looked at each other in silence.
I miss the quietness and stillness and beauty of Midway. I miss the memories we created together. I miss the laughter at the pool. As we came upon the house I could still picture my kids playing soccer in the backyard, seeing grandm and grandpa on the deck as we would come up the hill, snowboarding down the sidewalk, shooting marshmallow guns out back, seeing the Swiss flag swaying in the breeze during this weekend, finding rocks with grandpa...it all came back and I just smiled. The trees are getting bigger and a house across the street has been built. It's changing and so are we. We stopped and talked with Kim and Sharon and Larry, who just happened to be outside...Kim, Sharon, Whitney and I cried as we talked. I miss Midway more than I realize.
It was a great day. I love my sister. I love that we are equal. I love being with her more than anyone else (besides my own family). I am so blessed. Before heading back home, we stopped by Jim and Joan's place in Midway, to visit with them and see Jodi and Jenni. Both of them are pregnant...yay! We made plans to meet for dinner at Cheesecake Factory later this month. It was a great day...hopefully mom and my girls will be able to join us next year!
