My bride picked up the phone a couple of days ago to find an unfamiliar voice. My grandma Nevada. Nevada was the foster mother of my mom. My sister Amie and I grew up knowing her as our grandma of course. We didn't see her nearly as much as my dad's mom though.

Nevada called us to let us know she had come across some photos that she was getting rid of to see if we wanted them. She said basically that once her and my grandpa Don die off, there won't be anyone around who knows who all these kids are. They raised many foster kids. Those foster kids had lots of kids. I had a different cousin pretty much every time I went over there. All loosely connected...all a little confused.

So I called Nevada yesterday and I drove Allison, Ava, and I over to meet up with them. We sat around and chatted for a while and reminisced. It was certainly bittersweet as I only realized just how long I've been away as I was walking through the door. It's been about 9 years since I've connected with them. How can you be so close and just drift away for 9 years?

I picked up some photos and it was so exciting because I don't remember any of them.

My mom and dad together...and looking happy:

My sister before the drugs, before the accident, before her innocence was ripped away:

Looking forward to everything:

Mom (she called me yesterday and she sounded straight.):

Apparently mom had something to do with the church...I always thought she was lying:

I was 14, Amie was 13:

It was a good trip to my grandparents house. It boggles my mind to think of just how introverted an extrovert can be. I've got to make time for the important things in my life.

We watched Juno last night. I liked it. I didn't know if I liked it at first because it made me uncomfortable...but it was good. I reminded me of real life and how things happen. So many people want to look deep to find where problems come from...so often they're just a result of boredom or the chips falling in the wrong direction. Juno was worth seeing.