NO MAN'S LAND

Last week we took a road trip (the kids & I) to Warren, IL. It's near Freeport, but still in the middle of nowhere. It was about an hour & 15 min. of nothing but farmland, cow manure, and 2 lane highway. However, the trip was well worth it. We visited the Sperry family.

Jon & his wife Kay, have 4 kids. Andrew-15, Zachary-8, Jacob-6, & Kayden-4 mos. Jon's mom & my dad were married way back when, but when they divorced, Jon was still stuck with me! I spent a lot of time with Andrew when he was little and he called me Aunt Samara. It's been awhile since I have seen him due to distance & our separate lives. I think of him all of the time. He has matured into a young man and wow that make me feel old. He is beginning to drive and I can't quite grasp that concept. Thank god Alayna has a few more year until I have to worry about that.


Anyway, we also had a chance to get to know his brothers a little better other than a wave and an awkward hello. The kids played video games, went on the slip n slide, and chatted non-stop. Zach introduced the girls to a "tasting" of fresh raspberries from the vine. He told me that he & his dad take care of the garden. Jacob is full of energy and reminds me of an older version of Dominick. He's also pretty cool because he has the same birthday as me. Then there's Kayden. The baby girl of the bunch. She's adorable and definitely gets a lot of attention from everyone. Those boys don't know what's in store for them until she starts getting a little older. They'd better be ready to get a makeover with glitter and lipstick and start wearing pink.

We are definitely looking forward to keeping in touch a lot more. The kids seemed to bond well and the kids say that they are now cousins. That's fine since they are practically family anyway. I have a special place in my heart for this family, so it's only fair to call them that.


Here is a picture of the Sperry boys & Bilich girls. Andrew & his dad were playing a serious game of basketball (I think Andrew was throwing some illegal elbows to the head!) & baby Kayden was snoozin', so they weren't available for the photo op.