In Dependence

Moving to an area where your father and his six siblings grew up means you end up spending a lot of time with family. Though three of said siblings and their progeny live out of the state, my aunts, Julie and Dede, and uncle, Rich, live in the area. Then there are my cousins, Jannell, Jeff, Jeanine, and Adrienne who still live nearby too. And two of the third generation, Ryan, and Kaley.

I spent the last 24 hours with Aunt Julie at her beautiful light apartment in Bellevue. Her unit overlooks the pool, and just past a few pine trees you can see the water. Yesterday was blazing hot when she came to pick me up, and the navy blue interior of her '86 Camry was baking in the sun.

Her daughter, Jannell, son-in-law, Erik, and grandson, Ryan, came over in the evening for dinner, and we watched fireworks from a claustrophobically-packed park a block from my aunt's apartment.

Ryan is four, and packed with personality. He was cracking me up all night with his big words and bossiness. It was fun to be with him for his first fireworks show. He kept saying, "I'm not going to be scared. I'm going to shout louder than the fireworks." He's a lot like my brother when he was that age.

He liked my hat...

...and my headband.

Maidenbower Beach, by my aunt's (she's sitting on the wall).

Wedding on a boat. What fun.

Toooo many people!

Ryan put his anthrophomorphic blanket ("Yum Yum") on his grandma's head, "so he can see the fireworks."