Life Lately: Week 3 (Part 2)

You can read part 1 here. 

Our first snowfall of January! 

We had that heavy and wet snow that sticks to the trees and looks really beautiful.

G's mom was put in hospice the last week of December.

The past month has been emotional and difficult, but we also found peace in having this last month with her.

To talk and laugh.

To embrace and tell her how much she was loved.

We are grateful to have had those special conversations and will cherish the memories.

G was by his mom's side during her last day on earth holding her hand as she took her last breaths.

Glennon Doyle said "Life is brutal. But it's also beautiful. Brutiful, I call it. Life's brutal and beautiful are woven together so tightly that they can't be separated. Reject the brutal, reject the beauty. So now I embrace both, and I live well and hard and real."

We are experiencing tremendous loss and sadness, but this experience has also been beautiful as we reunite with G's sisters and their families. 

We spent Sunday morning celebrating his mom's life, sharing stories, laughing, and crying.

Brutiful. 

G's mom was the best cook and his sisters (and G!) are all great cooks as well (runs in the family for sure). 

His sister made Vetkoek and it was INCREDIBLE. 

We found this well loved cookbook at his mom's house and I had to snap a picture of her famous Bobotie recipe (even if I can't translate it!).

After a wonderful afternoon we checked into our cute little Airbnb. 

This bed was the most comfortable bed I ever slept on and I'm not even exaggerating. 

I loved the vibe and all the plants.

I heart Michigan.

We went to Oak City Grille for dinner with my family.

The lobster ravioli was delicious, but G's steak was better.

Why does he always order the best thing on every menu?

My sweet Ella girl.

Typical family shenanigans. 

What a beauty!

We celebrated G's birthday with some delicious cake and ice cream.

There was a live musician and Jess and I were rocking out to all the great music.

They put a trick candle in his dessert and it was perfection.

Royal Oak.

G's famous selfie with his long arms at Pinky's Rooftop.

Eye see you.

We all had such fun and pretty drinks.

Brad's description of his drink: 

"It tastes like one hand clapping."

My mom's drink was fun.

It's kind of hard to see, but the servers went out to a table with sparklers and a large mannequin head full of pink cotton candy.

It's called the Beauty School Drop Out and now I want to come here for my birthday. 

We came back to our Airbnb and played cards...

And listened to records!

So vintage and cool.

What a beautiful day with both our families.

We went to bed with full and happy hearts.