Home At Last

Today was our first full day at home after being gone for 12 days. Tim was back in the area for a few days to work but the kids and I stayed at my parents' house during that time to let him have a chance to have full nights of sleep before our big trip to Virginia. I am exhausted in just about every way possible and the fact Noah only took a 5 minute catnap in the car today (can you believe that, Carrie?? After days of playing so hard!) did not help much. He was so overtired tonight that bedtime was the worst night ever for us. He ended up exhausting himself to sleep while trying to fight it.
I can't believe how much has happened since I left: Tim and Christina move tomorrow morning. I said good-bye to them last night and everything in me felt like I should cry since they are such good friends...I just don't think I had the energy to. I also was telling Tim that I remember when Jack and Kelly moved to Indiana and I thought I would be much more emotional at the time. Unfortunately, it didn't really hit me until I realized I couldn't just drive down to Kalamazoo to see her when I wanted and that it was more effort to plan a visit.
Matt & Jeana officially have a daughter now! We can't wait until June 6th, when we get to meet her for the first time. We have been following their blog and things seem to be going well.
I had a nice time while at my parents'. It was great to get their help with the kids and to have a chance to get some extra rest when possible. My niece, Kailyn, was staying with them for 3 of the days we were there so I had a chance to spend some time with her. She and Noah love to play together so that is always a good thing. She is a charmer. Anytime she knew she should be disciplined for something she just looked at me with this adorable look on her face and, if I didn't have a son who does the same look, I could have easily been suckered by it. She's a smart one, too, so there were many songs she and Noah could actually sing together or play together even though there is a year difference between them. My mom spoiled us as usual and the kids came home with some summer clothes and I received the "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook which I am so excited about.
Our trip was fantastic. We stayed with Tim's cousin, Jeremy, and his family which consists of his wife, Carrie, and their three boys: Carter, Luke and Brayden. Carter is 5, Luke is 3 and Brayden is 1 so Noah was in heaven being able to play with other boys fairly close to his age. They are all early risers and as soon as breakfast was done it was a boy tornado through the house and then outside.
This is only the second time I have seen most of these family members, so I thoroughly enjoyed my visits with Carrie as I got to know her a bit more. Brayden is an adorable little boy who was born with some handicaps (you can check out their blog to the right - Jenkins family - if you want to know more) and I admire how normal their household seems to be. Noah has missed his cousins over the past couple days and is having a difficult time adjusting to our routine and boring life again. =)
The wedding was beautiful. Both the ceremony and reception were held at an old plantation. The food was good (although does anyone know if beef tenderloin is supposed to be served cold? We weren't sure if they just didn't heat it up enough or if that's the way rich people eat it? Everything else was warm and tasty.) The weather was perfect. I was happy with how I looked, so I would call the night a success.
The next day we all went over to Tim's Uncle Warren and Aunt Ellie's (the bride's parents) house for the afternoon. I think Warren has fantasies of being a farmer and as a result has built a chicken coop in the past year. He has three different types of chickens, I was told, as well as guineas (which are pretty ugly.) The little kids, Warren, Jeremy & Jonathan (Warren's sons) and Randy were checking out the chickens. While I was heading over to see them and check on Noah, word got out that they had found a snake. Deidra and I booked it over to tell our kids not to touch it when we ran into Jonathan, who told us they had all already pet it. As I walked over to find Warren holding a very long black snake (but don't worry - not poisonous), I saw Noah with part of the snake's body in a death grip in his fist. "Look, Mama!" he cried. "I pet the snake!" (Jen- think of how he tries to pet/grab your cats' tails...that type of grip.) After petting the snake he headed over to the chickens to show them to me. He ran around the pen with his arms stretched wide, trying to corner the chickens in an attempt to pick them up. "Come here chickens. I hold you," he informed them. Of course, this was not ok with the chickens who just ran around and by him. He ended up petting a chicken that Warren was holding for the kids and soon after I marched him back to the house where Tim took him inside and helped scrub his hands clean. Noah loves all animals apparently.
It was fun seeing my niece, Wyndham. She is so entertaining at the age of three. She informed me with hands swooping in the directions of the kids, "These are my cousins. I have many cousins." She also informed those around her that she is afraid of snakes...while petting it. And she's just so stinking cute that you can't help but laugh.
Ellie had her 1 month appointment today, although she will be 6 weeks on Saturday. She weighs 10 pounds, 1 ounce and is 22 1/2 inches long. That is almost 3 pounds and exactly 3 inches more than what she was at birth! The doctor said everything is looking great. She is in the 75th percentile for weight and 95th for height...so opposite Noah who was always in the 15th or 25th percentiles for the first year.
There are so many stories I would love to share but right now my bed is calling to me. Maybe over the next couple weeks as I think of them while blogging...