Better late than never, right?

Last May we all flew out to Michigan to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. My brother and his family were able to come from Chicago and we had such a fun trip. The BIG highlight for Bryce (he STILL talks about it) was going to 12 Oaks Mall and playing on the play place. He said the other day "Remember 12 Oaks Mall in Detroit, Mom? THAT is the best mall EVER... I wish we could go back there forever." Ha ha We are always sad to leave. We are spoiled by my parents every trip and my kids just love and adore them! I loved going to the zoo and going downtown. I forget I have been gone 17 years until I go home and see all the changes. It seems like yesterday I was eating at Senate Coney Island (My FAV.) for my 3 hour lunches from the Endodontist office. I have so many good memories of growing up in Michigan. The trees, the amazing thunderstorms (they are WEAK here), Frankenmuth, hearing the locust in the evenings and the lightening bugs. I often wonder if I had stayed what my life would have turned out as. Many of you know my past of an abusive marriage and that is why I came to Utah so many years ago. To start over. If I had stayed I would have ALWAYS been looking over my shoulder in fear and that is NOT a good feeling or a way to live your life. I KNOW without a doubt my ex would have made my life hell if I had stayed. When I moved here he came out and landed his butt in jail for beating me in my apartment. I remember I had these sweet, innocent sisters as roommates at the time and I think they were more shaken up than I was because they had come from a small town in Idaho and had never seen anything like that before. And I got prank calls up until 2 years ago and I called him out on it and I never got another one again... (it had gone on for months at that point). Now I have not always made the best choices in my life over the years, but I am so thankful for EVERY trial. It has made me stronger and I love the person I have become today. My life is full of joy and peace. And I am married to the most amazing man who is so completely in love with me and our life that I sometimes need to pinch myself to make sure it is real. OR he is so competely insane to put up with my madness!!!!! Ha ha ha ha Either way I am so thankful EVERY single day for the guts Marc had to walk over to my house in the middle of mowing his lawn (he lived accross the street from me) to find out my story. Funny thing about that is 3 hours earlier I was talking to my mom on the phone and she said "I keep praying the right man will knock on your door". And sure enough knock, knock and there is Marc standing on my porch....
Now... many years later every trip to Michgan I still go and see my ex's father and brother. My mom does not understand why I do it.... but growing into the woman I am now I have learned to forgive. And I have forgiven my ex... do I see him? Nope. HOWEVER if I did run into him there is no more fear there. He has no impact on me. And his brother Thomas I will love forever. He gives the best hugs in this world (other than my kids) and never ceases to crack me up!!!! And he still calls me his "dister~in~law" (can't say s) and calls my daughter his neice. He has a heart that is pure. A love that is unjudging and never ending when the family ties are severed. I think if more were like him this world would be a better place.... And that is why I go see him every trip. It will be a sad day in my life when Tom is no longer here to visit.
So this sounds more like a journal entry today! Going thru these pic's made me nostelgic and a little homesick!!!!! So Tay and I are going to try to visit ASAP!!!!