Nauvoo Rendezvous part 1

 We weren't sure we were going to be able to go, but through prayers coming from Jake's family and our own little family, our big Nauvoo road trip worked out fantastically. What a blessing! And what fun. Jake's parents are currently serving an LDS mission in Nauvoo and have been there almost a year, so this served as a kind of family reunion.
We left on Good Friday after Jake got home from work and made our way to Miami (my-am-uh....no, really, that's how you say it), Oklahoma for the night. Jake and I told the kids that I emailed the Easter Bunny about where we would be so that he would know where to bring the Easter treats. We do our Easter baskets on Saturday morning, so when we woke up Jake read an email from the Bunny on his phone that had clues as to where the Easter bags were hidden. That's what you can get away with when your kids don't read yet. Excited kiddos in the car with candy in tow, we headed for Independence, Missouri.
We have good friends who recently moved to Independence, so we briefly stopped to see their home and eat their food. Good friends, I tell you.
Jake's older brother and family were ready to meet us in Far West on their journey from Utah to tour some church historical sights. I was surprised at how beautiful this area and Adam-ondi-Ahman was. So lovely and peaceful.
Tessa and Cole immediately jumped to another level of happiness in being able to play with cousins. Paige was happy to begin her extended family meet and greet ....and dote.

And then we were on our way trying to beat the clock. We switched up the kids a bit in the cars, stopped for a quick dinner, and pushed on. I couldn't figure out why we were in such a hurry until I learned that we had to make it to see the Rendevous show that Jake's parents are involved in by 8:15pm. 

We pulled up at about 8:10pm.

They were fabulous.