A WONDEFUL Week

Big sister Emma pulling Bela on our nightly wagon ride. Seriously, this usually takes us about an hour to get around our apartment complex because Emma INSISTS on pulling Bela most of the way (she can't resist the pile of rocks on one corner and drops Bela immediately, and she always wants to run up the hill with daddy, so she drops Bela at that point too!)

Daddy is on a business trip again, so I thought I'd take this chance to update the blog a bit :) We girls are home from our week long sabbatical in Michigan. It went wayyyyy too fast and we didn't get to see everyone that we had hoped to see. But my girls loved getting to spend such quality time with those we did get to see! Emma of course hopped onto Grandpa's lap (and shoulders) and didn't want to leave. She would ask "Want to watch 'Credibles Grandpa?" (Disney's Incredibles) thirty times a day. And each time he would humor her and sit through it all over again. What a guy! We had a whirlwind week, going to the petting zoo, the cider mill, the great grandparents' houses, and just hanging out with Aunt Jamie (which is a whirlwind in itself with all of the forts and tents she builds!). In fact, Emma is Aunt Jamie's little clone and thinks she is about the coolest person in the world. Ohhhh boyyy!! :) She spent as much of the week sitting next to Jamie just looking up at her in absolute admiration. It was hysterical! And our little Bela has really taken to Grandma and became her best buddy for the entire week! She especially liked that Grandma gave her REAL FOOD!!!! and lots of hugs and kisses that made her giggle!
The final morning we were in Michigan I told Emma we were going on an airplane to see daddy and she gave a look that just told me she understood. She got so sad and refused to put on her shoes or go in the car, begging for "Gwampa come too". It ripped my heart in two......but I realize that these girls have a very special relationship with their Grandma and Grandpa that will never change and will continue to build through the daily phone calls and sight speed conversations (a.k.a. Emma's personal dance parties that she invites grandma and grandpa to). And maybe it's a little because of the distance- we take NO moment for granted, not a single one! We went to the bank yesterday that was right next to the airport and spent 15 minutes watching planes land (which is awesome by the way!) And Emma started chit-chatting on the way home about seeing Grandma and Grandpa and Great Grandma (both!) and Great Grandpa and I realize that the distance has little effect on her. She doesn't get that there are miles between us. She just gets the phone calls and daily contact with everybody (which we are so grateful for by the way!), so she doesn't see any difference.......well, maybe she likes that she's a little more spoiled! She still talks about going to Great Grandma's for the "yummy popcorn" (candycorns!) like she's down the street.......so really we aren't all that far away. Y'all are still such a HUGE part of our lives (that's for all of you who are saying I'm picking up a Southern twang!), maybe even more so now since we take nothing for granted and every moment is so special.

Props to my good friend Deanna for the new purple hair! She's such an artist! Can't wait to see you at Myrtle Beach next year- we're counting the days!

Quick funny story: Emma and I have started practicing French every day now and have a cute book tailored to the toddler. Well, Emma calls it her "French Fries book" Niiiiice.......and is so like Aunt Jamie and gets so mad at me when I start speaking French. She'll argue about whether the picture is "un gateau" or a "birthday cake". And instead of listening to me and repeating what I say, she gets that certain Emma punk look on her face, smiles, and runs around the room saying "Bippity, boppity, boo!" So much for bi-lingual Emma. Well, there's always Bela.....

Another funny story- today in our mad rush to meet our house closing requirements, I had to take the girls to the bank. Emma insisted on taking her plastic pumpkin with her and I figured some things are just not worth a fight. I guess I didn't realize how silly she looked when she walked into the bank looking like a trick-or-treater.......I've let a looooooot fly since moving down here and having to take them everywhere by myself! It's funny how common silly things like this are......

Things are continuing to get crazy as I work to put together a fundraiser (MK Christmas shopping party!) for Turning Point, an incredible domestic violence shelter I've been working with since starting my Mary Kay business a few months ago. The invite list is over 1200 people! So say some prayers that this will really help benefit these wonderful women and their children!