After leaving Colorado, we headed to see family on my dad's side in South Jordan, near Salt Lake City, Utah. One of the fantastic aspects of the trip is that we have been able to reconnect with family that we don't get to see nearly as much as we'd like to. When Erin, Noah, and I pulled up to the house, we were greeted with the smiling faces of my Aunt Laurie, Uncle Gary, Aunt Vicki, Cousin Jared, his two boys Isaac and Dante, and everyone's pet dogs. Laurie and Gary opened their home to us, which started with a delicious feast of pork loin, potato salad, baked beans, and one of the most delicious cakes we've had in a longtime. After stuffing ourselves, we all went to go hang out in the back yard on a gorgeous day. There, we talked, played fetch with dogs, threw the football around, and enjoyed the sunshine.

We discussed the process of cleaning out the home of my late grandfather, who recently passed. The task of preparing the house for renovation has been a long one, as my grandparents were survivors of the Great Depression and held on to many of their possessions over the years. In the process of cleaning out the home, my relatives discovered many lost items of their and my father's childhood, which they plan to send out to my mother in California. The childhood of my father has always fascinated me, and I hope that these items will provide some additional information about who my father was as a young man.

It felt so good to hang out with everyone, even if it was just for a little while. Distance can sometimes rob something from a relationship, as it can be difficult to form the same bond with someone when hundreds of miles separate you. The other side of this coin is that the contact you do have takes on a special quality. You cherish the moments a little more, knowing that you only have a few together. It is my genuine hope that returning to California will allow for more frequent visits out to Utah. I am so grateful to have such wonderful family in my life.