Our Ohio

Thursday, June 12th & Friday, June 13th
Vacation Post #9

This part of our vacation is the "cherry on top!" I just don't know how else to describe it. We left Gettysburg Thursday morning for Ohio. Derek and I met in Ohio. We began our friendship in Ohio. We fell in love in Ohio. The best part of Ohio today? My brother and his family live there!!! Right where our story began.

We arrived at Eric's house just before supper time. My sister-in-law treated us to our first home-cooked meal in almost 2 weeks. It felt so incredibly good to be there. Later I told Eric that being in his home felt like coming home to me. My 3 year old nephew quickly took to his big cousins and before long they were playing cars and dinosaurs and planes. :)

After supper we drove 10 minutes to our university. Of course the campus was empty--it's summer. We walked all over and although a lot has changed, our memories haven't changed. We shared a few stories from our college years with our boys. Braylen was especially interested, since college is only 4 years away for him. Yikes!!!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from our walk down memory lane that evening. Pam, you will enjoy these pictures. :)

We're really here!

Countless layers of spray paint on "The Rock."

Eric has a little fun with his camera and I capture it with mine!

This is taken right outside my freshman dorm--it's where we first met...20 years ago this fall!

Derek shares a story with Braylen while we look at our beautiful campus.

Kaleb helps Will up the steps at the library.

2 out of 3 of them jumped!

Will and Aaron are buddies too!

I love the clouds reflected in the windows.

A new building in the background, but same Derek & Sarah :)

I love my brother

Derek even has a memory at this brick wall, and shares it with our boys.

We walked this path so many times, it felt good and right to walk it again.

Thank you Eric and Amber for coming with us to visit Cedarville. It was a special time for us! Hopefully we will be back before another 7 years go by.

Afterwards we went to our favorite ice cream place--Young's Dairy. It was just as good as we remembered it to be. I loved coming back with our kids!

That night back at the house, we tucked the kids into the cute little beds Aunt Amber had made for them and stayed up late into the night catching up on life. I wish for many more nights like that one...maybe when Eric and Amber come visit us at our house next time?!! :)

In the morning we hung out in our jammies while the boys played and watched Cars. Amber's french toast casserole was delish! Thank you Eric for these pictures.

Eventually we got dressed and had lunch together at Colonial Pizza in Cedarville. Saying goodbye to Eric, Amber, and Will was made easier knowing we would see them again the next day at Mom and Dad's house. Yes, they were going on their own vacation and we would have one more evening together in Illinois before our drive home!

Before getting on the interstate, Derek and I just had to make one more stop. John Bryan State Park was a special place for us during our college years. We drove through and stopped for a very quick look at our park. Next stop--my mom and dad's house! We are excited to see them and to get our Ginger Girl back!

How fun to be back here!

So pretty

Goodbye Ohio! We will be back!