oh self timers. how I loath thee.
but! I always will take what I can get.
my grandparents came to see us right after the new year. I haven't seen them in TWO years. toooo long. they spent Christmas at my dads in seattle and we prayed away the blizzards so the pass would open and they drove the 4 hours over to spend a few days with us! oh how I missed them.
it was sooo good to squeeze them. talk with them. to watch my girls fight over who got to be sitting the closest to them. my girls loved them. and I saw the bond of family so strong. my girls haven't really spent... any time with them before now. a few days here and there for lynley, but not the other two. but you'd never know it. I believe that some bonds.. you just come here with them.
when Elaine first saw grandma zaza, we all stood back and looked at eachother like.. what is happening? ells is my most shy baby. it can take her a few minutes to warm up to people she's never met before. but when grandma walked in the door, she looked at her, and RAN over to her with her hands in the air to be held. it was crazy. no reservations, she wanted to hug her. it was like watching a sweet reunion. i'll never forget it.
we played boom boom boom with them and jake. his week trip post Christmas overlapped with theirs a day, so that was really fun!
it was sad to say goodbye.. really sad.
but we have a wedding in march, so having that helped.
I wish it wasn't 8:15 am in these photos.. but 8:30 church, we'll take what we can get. :)
speaking of...
jake came and visited right after Christmas! we basically ate, watched movies, wrestled with kids, and hung out for a week straight. and it was heavenly. lots of Alvin and the chipmunks. lots of inside out. lots of office. because, office. duh.
we did venture out and to go bowling, in which I beat him badly :)
my kids worship him. callie told me a few days ago randomly "mom, my uncle jake is a robot sometimes and he eats caaaaaaaalieeee's" lol.
it has been such a nice "normal" break from the last year and half of cancer. I mean, he's still doing infusions every three weeks, he's still fighting. but he's also been doing normal college stuff. normal jake stuff. he wants to be on a mission more than anything, I know. I want that for him too. bad. but it's a weird transition to start just living today. and to let go of what isn't. and accept and be thankful for what IS. I don't always have that perspective.. but I try. because the alternative is dark.
gotta choose the light.
and week vacations of nothing but chilling.. well that was awesome.
also his curly hair. it's awesome too.
and elaines cheesy grin. that is just too good.
I am the WORST at saying goodbyes. like. so bad.
it doesn't matter if you're here for a month and will be back in a week. I will guarantee cry and wish that you were staying just one more day.
that's just me.
I hate saying goodbye.
I held it together pretty good this time. march isn't too far away. I can do it.
love my baby brother. i'm supposed to look out for my younger brothers, teach them, protect them. he does that for me though. and I dunno how I got so lucky to have such a rock in mine and my girls lives, but we did. and we are super lucky girls.
also. i'm so lucky that tyler is like a big brother to my little brothers. they love eachother, and i'm just happy that that's how life was worked out. tbone + jake = true love ;)
