Bittersweet is defined as pleasure tinged with sadness

And so it is bittersweet that we are packing up and leaving Grand Rapids on Friday! We are quite excited to be starting the big adventure in our little Lilly Pod that will take us to some amazing places but also sad to leave a piece of our hearts in Grand Rapids! It has truly been an extraordinary month to be able to spend so much time with our first born grandchild and his parents! We will no doubt be facetiming Charlie whenever possible over the next few months as it is remarkable how much he changes on a daily basis! Not that we are biased at all but he is one stinkin’ cute baby! Besides spending so much time with Charlie, we have thoroughly enjoyed the lovely hospitality of Grand Rapids and all the wonderful people we have met – so comforting to know that Gretchen has such a great “family” here in Michigan. Summertime in Michigan is truly beautiful and we have enjoyed all the outdoor activities and the fabulous weather has been a welcome change from the heat and humidity of Florida.

We have also enjoyed some of the cultural areas of Grand Rapids. We toured the architectural wonder of the Meyer May home that was built in 1909 and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Steelcase Company purchased the home in 1985 and spent two years and an unknown amount of money to restore the home to its original condition in remarkable fashion including every detail imaginable. The home is open to the public free of charge with a very educational 90 minute tour that explains every detail of the restoration.

We attended the annual Festival of Arts in downtown Grand Rapids which provided us the opportunity to visit the Grand Rapids Art Museum. The Museum had some beautiful artwork and some unusual pieces as well!

And of course it would not be summertime without a trip to the beach! Charlie may have been born in Michigan but staying true to his Florida roots, he enjoyed his first trip to the beach at Holland State Park and the beach along the coast of Lake Michigan with a view of the Big Red Lighthouse.