Happy Monday, all! The Fourth of July holiday is upon us, and we're gearing up for a fun family cookout! My family is on Week Two of our mid-cross country road trip, and we're having a ball at my sister and brother-in-law's house in Oklahoma.

Last week, we hit the road from North Carolina and drove through TN, KY, IL, and wound up in MO, where my aunts, uncles, and cousins live. My mom is from MO. It's where my parents met and got married, and I have fond memories of visiting my grandparents on their farm when I was growing up. While my grandparents have passed on, the farm is still in the family, owned and maintained by my cousin Richard, and his lovely wife, Bethany. 

We spent a wonderful afternoon out at the farm, enjoying an impromptu family reunion. It was special for me to be able to show my kids where I spent select weeks during a few summers when I was a kid. I was reunited with family I haven't seen in thirteen years, and it was really cool to get some photos with my cousins!

I'll share more trip memories in upcoming posts, but for today, I'll leave you with a simple charge... make the most of the time you have with the people you love!