Scenes from the 4th.

Last week, Sean and I were given news that shook our cores. I was told while at work and I completely broke down at my desk. It is a hard pill to swallow but we're looking up and praying and knowing that we serve an awesome God and He can do all things. Although, I'm not yet ready to share the news, this weekend really made it easy to see just how much we have to be grateful for.

Every year that I've been with Sean (minus one year), I've celebrated the 4th with my in-laws. This year, Sean reached out to a lot of his family members and a few friends and invited them to our 4th of July celebration. Growing up, since my parents are from Ghana we didn't have extended family gatherings. It was just me, my parents and my sisters. And now, it's just so amazing to me to have nieces and nephews who call me Auntie. To see all the cousins just hanging out and having the best time together made me thrilled. My sister, Priscilla, use to live in Albany so she would often attend a lot of these gatherings with me but when she moved it stopped. Sean invited her (and up to the day before I still wasn't sure she was going to come) and I was so, so happy when her car pulled up to our campsite. Best feeling ever!

The day was just perfect and I believe it is because family gatherings make me the happiest. And I often want to freeze certain moments which is why I believe I take as many pictures as I do. I want to remember every detail, every moment and when I look back at the pictures I can remember the feelings that day. I took too many pictures (no surprise there!) so I'm thinking I'll break down this post into two just not to overwhelm you all.

I pray and thank God for my family by blood and my family by marriage, every single day.

♥

We drove to my in-laws Thursday after work and that drive was pretty scary.
The storm was insane and we couldn't even see while we drove.
When it finally began to clear, the sun and then a rainbow greeted us.





My in-laws were suppose to stay at the campsite Thursday evening but because of the storm, electricity was knocked out
and basically the campsite was a muddy mess.

So we headed to the campsite Friday at 10am in hopes that the campsite was not a disaster.
A little muddy (oh and still no electricity!) but nothing we could not handle and it turned out to be a beautiful day.







I attempted to be all festive with my cake baking. I did two vanilla layers and in the middle I placed red frosting. Well, the red frosting spilled over onto the bottom layer and I ended up having pink frosting. #FAIL! Oh and then on the drive over the cake toppled over (in its container) and I was sure that it was a sign that we shouldn't have my cake. Well, in the end it didn't look that bad (just some frosting missing on top) and tasted great.




The campsite is absolutely stunning.
As you will see, I could not stop taking pictures of the view.
















Yes, I agree.
It's time to start adding some pictures of my niece and nephews.



























My sister and nephew are here!
Not sure why he looks so "thrilled" here.
And then so excited.



My sister calls him dramatical.
He so is!






OK, I'll stop here.
I agree that it is a bit much.

I hope that you all enjoyed the long holiday!
♥