Late last Monday night, Meagan was surrounded by all the boxes that had finally been delivered and a little overwhelmed by all the stress that comes with a big move. All day long she had been thinking, “It would be so great if I just had a sister here to help me.”
At 11:15 p.m. her phone rang.
It was her sister, Kristin, calling from her car. Which was parked in Meagan’s driveway.
Kristin and Cody (and their two young children) had hatched a last-minute plan to drive all the way from Florida to surprise Meagan! (They did tell Nathan they were coming.)
Cody flew back home the next day and then two days later, Meagan’s mom (and my dear friend) Sheri arrived.
Sheri, Kristin, and the kids drove back to Florida Saturday, and today, the third sister, Joy, will fly in.
With my sister, Debbie, and her husband, Randy, flying in last Tuesday and leaving tomorrow, this has definitely been the Week of the Family. (Yesterday was the Mantik’s 35th anniversary. Celebrating with them!)
Since it was the Week of the Family, we had a big ol’ meal on Thursday night at our house with six kids (under the age of nine) and ten adults including Steve and me, Randy and Debbie, Nathan and Meagan, Sarah and Gage, and Sheri and Kristin.
Sheri said that when they pulled up to our house (which she has never seen) Grayson said to her, “Noni, this is Grandma’s house. Isn’t it beautiful?” When she said that it was he added, “And it’s even more beautiful-er on the inside!” Such a sweet kid.
Debbie and Randy generously brought about a thousand pounds of variously flavored block cheese and cheese curds from Wisconsin which Debbie turned into a festive cheese arrangement. That was a definite highlight of the meal for everyone, getting to taste all the different flavors of Wisconsin.
After we had all finished eating, Sarah swooped in as she is wont to do, and cleaned up the dishes. I love it when people are wont to swoop.
It was such a joy to be surrounded by so many people Steve and I love; it filled up the lonely places in our hearts.
My dear friend and co-grandma.
Deb got this great shot.
The whole crazy crew.
I unexpectedly got a job which I started last Wednesday, smack dab in the middle of all the other busyness. I’ll write more about it next week since this post is already going to be long enough.
Let me just pass on a little hint to you to tuck away for future use. If you ever need to invite perfectly amazing house guests to your house, be sure to put Randy and Debbie Mantik at the top of your list.
Most people go on vacation to lounge about and do relaxing things. Not Randy and Debbie. No sirree. In Debbie’s words, “We have just been itching to get to your house for the past few months so that we could help you and Steve with whatever you need.”
I had been telling Debbie for a while that whenever she did get here, I desperately needed her help in getting flowers and plants for the front porch and patio. She and our sister, Ruth, are the plant whisperers; I am the plant assassin.
When she arrived, we didn’t really have a schedule for which day she would work her magic; that is, until we put together the Family Dinner. Sheri is another one of those people who has gorgeous plants all around her house and so I thought it would be lovely if Deb could put the plant array together before the big dinner.
Which was a grand plan. Except for the fact that it rained the entire day.
However, that didn’t stop the intrepid Randy and Debbie from heading out to Lowes to shop, getting soaked in the process. Their hope was that the rain would dissipate by midafternoon and they could get the plants arranged.
Sadly, it did not. But the Mantiks did not hesitate. They forged right ahead, spending a good bit of time in the rain arranging all their lovely purchases.
Here is a result of their work.
They also made progress on the basement (which I have been overwhelmed with for months), and cleaned cupboards and windows.
Randy even went so far as to paint our kitchen screen door which it really needed. We haven’t wanted to spend the money to replace it but it is really old and was driving me batty.
Last Friday, we went out to eat at Nellie’s Southern Cooking in Belmont, owned by Kevin Jonas, Sr., father of the Jonas Brothers. (Fun fact: Kevin Jonas, Sr. published my first song.) We all enjoyed pursuing the pictures celebrating the family’s accomplishments.
As we walked back to our car, we passed a store window with mannequins posing in a protruding-midsection manner. Steve couldn’t let that pass.
Randy took a look . . .
and decided to join in while Debbie and I stood by chortling.
Then they both ended up throwing out their middle-aged backs from all their middle-aged gyrations.
Sarah and Gage had Randy and Debbie over for brunch Saturday and Nathan and Meagan are hosting for dinner tonight. Good times!
Well, if you’ve made it this far, thank you! There have been a lot of family adventures and I appreciate you reading along to the end.
I am off to work–more on that next time around.
What about you? What’s a good/fun/interesting/simple-joy thing that happened in your life last week?
It doesn’t have to be family related–just something you think back to with a little extra tinge of happiness.
Your family is just the greatest!! Such wonderful helpers and pitcher-in-ers! I’m very impressed! How wonderful of Kristin, Cody and Sheri to all show up to help as well. That’s huge!
I just love seeing Steve and Randy gyrating and goofing off. That’s exactly what my crew would be doing too. Having fun is always a priority. Lol
I’ve been spending time planting flowers this week. It’s balm for my soul and gives me such peace. 🙂 Our weather is finally warming up and I can’t get enough of being outside!
LeeAnne,
I wish I loved planting flowers; I can see that it would be rewarding and therapeutic but I just have this huge mental block about it. So that makes me extra thankful for Randy and Debbie’s help last week. Every time I leave the house and see all the plants I am extra thankful–for the beauty and for THEM!
Enjoy your warm weather; so glad winter is over!
It looks like one of the Hawley grandkids is missing in that picture of all of you.
Congratulations on your job. I know that has to be a big relief for you to have something.
Meagan is lucky to have two sisters that were willing to come help her get settled. I just have two brothers and they’re not a lot of help. Although my younger brother, his wife and two kids did come help me unpack one day after I moved to Kansas from Florida. He got some racks hung in garage and hung one TV. My sister-in-law and niece unpacked most of my kitchen. When I moved to Louisville from Springfield, MO, my aunt, uncle and parents drove up and worked while I was at my new job. My uncle hung all the decorations and my aunt and mom unpacked the kitchen.
My niece had her master’s piano recital Saturday evening. I am anxiously awaiting being able to watch on YouTube. She is less than two weeks away from graduating. They travel to Tennessee Memorial Day weekend for him to try out as a musician at a Lutheran Church. They are both ready to get out of Houston.
Phyllis,
It’s wonderful to have family members who are willing and able to help, isn’t it?
I know your niece is so excited to be near graduation and looking forward to a possible move to a new job with her husband. Exciting times ahead!
I’m just catching up on your posts from the last month. Sounds like it has been a great month overall for the Smiths! Life with teenagers in activities has made my last month crazy busy. Track and the school play are now over, and my girls went to prom this weekend. Plus a trip to Pennsylvania for Spring Break to see my elderly parents. Dad is in (longer term) hospice and it was a good visit. May will still be busy but maybe not quite as crazy!
I have an interesting connection to Gage’s Trader Joe’s. Pre-pandemic I had a job where I would go scan items at grocery/discount/convenience stores weekly, mostly to keep track of products on sale or in certain displays. Every few months I would do a special project where I would scan stores not normally done to check for new products. The TJ’s where Gage works was one of my stores! I enjoyed that assignment for the excuse to buy some of their products. Although my husband works in that part of the city and we have multiple doctors there, I don’t get up there to shop often. I quit the job and haven’t been there since, but recently ran out of a seasoning I like. Guess I need to find time for a TJ’s run!
Lori,
How fun that you’ve been in Gage’s store! And even more fun that you picked up a few of their products each time you were in there. They sell some good stuff!
Teenagers, track, school play, prom, Spring break, road trip, elderly parents . . . yep, you’ve had a busy few weeks, to say the least.
What a fantastic posting of family and those two off the wall living mannequins. How wonderful that Megan had family to come and help with unpacking. Let’s see, last week we arrived back home from vacationing in Pigeon Forge, TN. Had been there many times but had never been to Dollywood – this time we went. Lots of things to see (and do), but we did the seeing. We also went to a tea room called Wild Plum Tea Room which is outside Gatlinburg. If you ever get a chance, you have to make a reservation. She and her husband, at least for now, are running the tea room by themselves. We were there about 4 years after a fire in Gatlinburg and it had closed for a while, but the employees didn’t come back. Sooo she is still doing this by herself. Husband cooks and she serves. The food is wonderful!
Sharyn,
I admire a couple who can keep a tea room running all by themselves. They must be amazing people. Love the name of the shop, too!
We’ve never been to Pigeon Forge but have heard so many people say how much they enjoyed it. Glad you guys got to go!
I can’t imagine how delighted Meagan must have been to have her family miraculously appear! Isn’t it wonderful when you realize a job is done before you had a chance to worry about doing it? What a relief for many helping hands.
This week is a first for my family, with me and my husband, my sister and her husband, and my parents all on a trip together. I made the executive decision this evening that we were having ice cream cones for dinner, and nobody put up a fight. What is a vacation if not an opportunity to change up routines?
Robin,
Very cool to go on a family trip together and even more cool to have ice cream for dinner. I like the way you think! Keep on making those executive decisions. 🙂
I always love seeing pictures of your beautiful family ,Becky – and those flowers look gorgeous -wish I had such a horticultural sister(or any sister at all ,for that matter!) How wonderful for you that your grandkids are now near enough to watch them grow up. It happens so fast -our grandson graduated on Saturday with a degree in aeronautical engineering and seems like he was just born. He and his brother grew up just a mile from us, but he will be moving to PA this week for his job .But we will see him next week, as we take a road trip and stop in Philly for 3 days ,then on to Liberty U. for our gdaughter’s HS graduation. She did remote HS through Liberty, and will start in the fall there for nursing. From there ,we will go to N.Myrtle Beach with her parents ,where they just bought a second home last week to use as an AirBNB part of the year ,and escape the NY winters the rest of the year. Glad to see Steve is getting around well -take care and God bless!
Patricia,
That’s a pretty hefty degree; I know you are very proud of your grandson.
By now, you’re in the middle of your road trip to Liberty University for your granddaughter’s graduation. Lots of things to celebrate in your family! Enjoy Myrtle Beach-ing! 🙂
What lovely family time together! Anxious to hear about your new job, hope you love it! Not much new here except all the snow finally melted, a big plus in my book. Now if the ground will finally thaw I can get to my favorite pastime, digging up the dirt so I can plant. I bought two large packages of wild flowers for the front yard, it will be very colorful and much cheaper than buying plants. The backyard is awaiting many sunflower seeds, as well as annuals. The raised beds will have vegetables. I just need it to warm up!
Cindy,
I think it would be lovely to have a front-yard full of wildflowers. Hopefully, you can get out there very, very soon! Thinking spring with you.
We have ventured back to eastern Pennsylvania for a visit. We were not quite prepared for the cooler weather so had to dig out the long pants and ditch the flip flops! So great to spend time with my sister and her hubby at Ken’s favorite restaurant in Lancaster to celebrate his 69th birthday on Saturday. Can’t wait to see our niece and nephew next Sunday. Emily ran her first 10 mile Broad Street Run in Philadelphia… so proud of her. Gary and his girlfriend Jillian are house hunting for their first home. What a stressful time for them! When we leave here on May 18 we will be venturing back to western PA to visit family. Can’t wait to see them all!
Ginny,
Lots of family time for you guys–after being out and about on the roads, I know it’s especially wonderful to come home to your old stomping grounds.
Happy birthday to Kenny!
The Mantiks are quite wonderful helpers indeed!! ( blessed your rain boots right off you!)
So much happening for you lately–whew!
Family time is refreshing.
The Lord has given many good gifts–thankful for His tender mercies over you.
Ruth
Ruth,
The Mantiks were on of the good gifts God gave. So much joy to have them here!