I'm baaaAaaack....

well, it went like this:
Jake suggested we leave a day early
I was a day behind anyway (thought Christmas was on Friday, not Thursday so when he said 'leave on Christmas Eve' I thought 'leave on Thursday' - we left on Tuesday.)
There was no time to blog - before we left or after we got there
I thought we were coming home on Saturday, we came home on Sunday.

I don't know what my problem was but I'm glad I was wrong.

GREAT TRIP!

it was a 14 hr drive there and a 12 hr drive back (don't ask)
but it was Texas
doesn't that make up for it?

people, we are talking 81 degrees on Christmas day ;-)!

Emily is doing awesome and I feel like I jammed as much 'help' into three days with them that one person could possibly jam.
Freezer full of meals, a few nights of extra rest without kids, time alone for Luke to clean up the Christmas that puked in their house, bottles made, kids bathed and babies loved on.
It wasn't just me, of course, Jake and his entire family were all there to lend many hands.
There was so much more I wanted to do but still I 'think' we helped.

She looks, acts, and is just doing AWESOME. It's a miracle and a half. They have amazing stories and she (quote) "feels honored" to be going through this "not enjoying herself" but "honored". Love that.
She walks with a walker and still has some fluid issues in her abdomen but other than that, it's just a matter of regaining strength.....THAT'S it.
Miracle miracle miracle.


The girls did amazing. As is typical on long trips.
I brace myself for the worst and they do the best! I'll take it.
Nora and Sophie even had some sort of nasty croupy cold but still, they did great.
Samantha puked three times on the way home, but still, she did great.
Lydia hit a new level....she turned '13' on this trip and it is hilarious!

Noah, 6 and Lydia, 4 were having theological debates about where God was - in the milk? in our hearts? under the chair? is God dead? was He a baby when He died? neither one would budge and neither one thought the other worth talking too and yet they just kept going ;-0!
A little session with a decorative cross, a barbie doll and some blankets for a grave cleared the whole thing up! Those two are going to be quite the pals, for sure.

Samantha went by "Queen Lucy" the entire trip and wore plastic dress up shoes, her purse and a crown 24/7. Apparently she and Mr. Tumnus were going to a wedding? (and for this occasion she donned a veil attached under her crown and over her face?)

Nora and Sophie - well, they are twins, they are two, they are playful/cuddly all at the same time and they have awesome hair....they got a lot of love.

Jake ping ponged it up, rocking chaired it up, hung with his brothers for a day, helped a TON with the nine children under foot and had a blast.

I worked....like a dog....and would do it all over again.

GREAT TRIP!

My favorite parts:
getting to rock Nora and Sophie (separately) on Christmas day and let them take a nap on me (rare around this chaos ;-)
the opportunity to do so much for Luke and Emily
watching Samantha in her dream world for so long
seeing all the cousins get along SO well and just love on each other
Lydia's animation
and the bed (it was really really comfy!)

NO PICTURES......STILL.
I don't want to even talk about that - sore spot.

Anywho - I'm back and raring to blog - really, I went through withdrawals!