July 7

Between Abby's missions trip and the boys' backpacking adventure and baseball and swimming and work, I wasn't sure we'd make it to the Alameda County Fair this year. But though the mercury rose into the 90s, today wound up being the day.

We headed over to the fairgrounds mid-morning and hit all of our usual stops: pig racing, kids' pedal tractor pull, exhibits. We wandered and absorbed the atmosphere and I had my annual mental journey back in time to when I spent many a warm August day at the Montgomery County Fair, riding rides and eating delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and tasty ice cream and helping my mom and grandma with the Home Arts' clothing department --and rescuing balloons that had escaped their owners and floated to the tippy-top of the building's sky-high ceiling. Good days, they were.

So yes. Today was about taking a glimpse back at those days, and about spending time with my own family. Given that I'm physically far from where I grew up, it's always a blessing when I can conflate my then with my now.