sometimes i get way
way
wayyyyyy
behind in blogging events.
and then i feel overwhelmed.
and i just quit.
so when i finally decide TO blog,
i'm blogging about things that are
734984399 years old.
annoying.
i know you, me, and everyone's mother's dog
is so over
lover coming home from afghanistan.
but i have to document this.
or my kids will wonder what happened.
and then they'll get old and write a book
about how terrible of a mother i was.
so let's make this quick and painless.
ready?
let's go.
so when i came home from seeing my Lover in NC,
we had to wait about 2 more weeks
before he could come to texas
and see the kids for the first time.
it was only a few days before the long wait was over,
and the kids were so excited and ready to see dad.
so i told them the plan.
on the day he flew in,
we would go to the airport after school
and pick him up.
i lied.
instead.
i was going to surprise them.
so we got the house all ready.
and decorated the yard.
we made the car all pretty and fancy.
and hung yellow ribbons on all the trees.
we hung two signs.
one from the kids
on the gate into our neighborhood.
and one from me
on the front door :)
i even had some special preparations
for myself that needed to be taken care of.
and then late one night,
after the kids were all in bed,
i snuck out to go pick up my sessy Lover
at the airport.
ok really they weren't in bed.
and they kept calling me all night
because i had told them i was going out
with mia.
which wasn't completely a lie.
i just forgot to include
we would be with two hot guys as well.
oops.
dinner was a blast
Lover finally got to meet the girl
who got me through the last 7 months.
and mia finally got to meet the guy
who got me through the last 12 years.
win. win.
after our late night rendezvous was over,
i had to go back home without my Lover
who was secretly staying at pops' house.
but not before we decided to
park in a vacant lot.
and rearrange the car seats.
for no apparent reason at all.
ahem.
wow. that was awkward.
when i got home
the babies were all fast asleep
and had no idea what magical moments
were in store for them the next day.
we woke up the next morning,
just like any other morning.
i got the 3 big kids off to school,
and then came home to wait patiently
for my Lover to come and surprise the babies.
okay.
so that's not even close to "any other morning"
from the past 7 months.
it was pretty much awesome.
isaak and gus both were so happy
they were speechless.
i was actually expecting much less from them,
especially august.
but they both went straight to him
and hugged him so tightly
as if time had stood still since the day he left.
it made my heart melt.
then we all loaded up in the car
to head to the school
to surprise the 3 big munchkins.
aaaaand
we may or may not have had
about 3 different news stations meet us there.
yes.
we were on cbs, nbc, abc and wfaa that evening.
no biggie.
we went to each classroom separately
beginning with miah's and ending at jakob's.
each moment was special
and individual
and exactly how i wanted it to be.
my sister came with us
to take some amazing pictures.
and my dad too, to video the whole event
and make me
love you daddy and amy :)
finally.
we were whole.
lover was only able to stay for 2 weeks
before he had to go back to nc and the daily grind.
we also had to wait to finish school in texas
so these 2 weeks were going to have to
get us through another month and a half.
blah. i know.
but we made the most of it.
we ditched that school
and went out to eat
making Lover stay in his dress blues
so we could show off our marine.
we spent the next few weeks
just being normal.
ahhhhhhh normalcy. you felt so nice.
we ate lots and lots of yogurt.
and i enjoyed the new scenery.
mmm. man.
we even got brave
and took the whole family out for breakfast.
and then we remembered
why we don't do that.
Lover and i had fun
"playing mom and dad" again.
reminiscent of our 11 days alone in nc.
but then remembered why we don't do that either.
one of the very best moments
of the entire 2 weeks was,
kora being baptized.
in the lds church, we are baptized when we turn 8.
since kora turned 8 while Lover was away,
she chose to wait until he got home
so he could be here and baptize her himself.
finally,
after waiting so patiently,
kora was able to be baptized by her father
on saturday, april 23, 2011.
she shared her baptism date
with her good friend chandler.
her dress was very special
and handmade
i sent valinda my wedding dress
a long while back.
and asked her to
replicate a mini version of my dress
for kora's baptism dress.
here is my wedding dress.
and then made from
the very dress i wore on my wedding day,
kora's baptism dress.
it was identical and perfect and beautiful.
she loved it.
we topped it off with
french braids from mia,
a sparkly tiara
and a pretty smokin dad
and it was picture perfect!
being the day before easter,
we took some cousin shots
with everyone in their matching cuteness.
except aidan.
apparently he tried to pass off his high-waters
as manpris like the lowe boys wore.
sister...
*headshake*
lauren was stunning.
and cousin love was in full effect.
we even got a visit
from emily and michael's sweet family.
isn't jacob a doll?
actually,
i only posted this picture because
my legs look good in the background.
sorry little jacob.
you sure are cute though.
('cept your name is spelled wrong)
and we would have scored a new family picture.
except the stupid wind
decided to make me look really bleck.
thank you wind
for screwing up everything.
the next morning was easter!
we had our traditional egg hunt
to find the baskets in the morning.
everyone was quite pleased with their loot
i must say.
and then the afternoon was spent
with more cousins!
we hunted.
and hunted.
and then ate and ate.
till our bellies were sick.
isn't that what you're supposed to do on easter?
our two weeks flew by faster than ever
and before we knew it,
it was our last night with Lover.
and like the selfish mom i am,
i stole it for a date.
because really?
who could resist this piece of hotness?
you wouldn't want to share either.
we skipped away to dinner
and ate yummy crab macaroni and cheese.
while we talked about
how awesome our past two weeks had been.
we also day dreamt about the upcoming summer
where we'd LIVE together.
as a FAMILY.
wow. crazy concept.
and then before i could say,
"Lover",
he was gone again.
poop.
BUT.
i must say,
the next 6 weeks flew by pretty fast.
and it makes a world of a difference
to be able to
text. or call. or email your Lover.
anytime you want.
and that brings us to today!
in nc.
as a family.
in a house.
together.
and loving every minute of it!
:)
