Tying up loose ends

So these are the last pictures that I will post from our trip home. We were there for 16 days but had a summers worth of fun.

I got to spend some real quality time with my kids, which I loved. I realized I need to do more of that at home. Cleanliness may be next to godliness but so is spending time with your kids.

I have three incredible little spirits Heavenly Father trusted me to raise and nurture. They deserve nothing but my best. And they'll get it.

We got to spend some much missed time with Ben, Megg and Kate. We miss St. Louis terribly. They are one of the many wonderful things about St. Louis.

Thanks Ben and Megg for taking my girls to Jerry's for sno-cones.
My kids love to play dress up. Mammaw and pappaw have a special dress up closet off the playroom. And what better excuse to dress up extra fancy than a special FHE dinner.
Kate and Joseph were born the same summer. They played beautifully.
Mammaw and pappaw's jacuzzi tub is a hit with the grandkids. My kids take a bizarre number of baths when we go to visit.
Joseph got into the dress up spirit too. He particularly liked this pair of mammaw's shoes. Notice he has a car in each hand and a well fed tummy. Life is good at mammaw's house.
What's a trip to Memphis without venturing down to Beale Street. My girls are very into Elvis lately (we visited Graceland but I didn't get any pics). We always stop into A. Schwab on my eternal, and thus unsuccessful, hunt for an A. Schwab t-shirt in my size. I'll keep trying. If you're ever in Memphis, stop in. Its a cool, OLD, little place.
The worst part of a trip home is having to go home (to where I actually live). It is always made more difficult not knowing when we'll be back. At the very best it will be next summer. How sad, I don't get to go home again until next summer. We'll just keep busy doing fun things and the time will fly.

My dad said the sweetest thing the other night after telling bedtime stories. He told the girls how much he missed them then said he thought the house was sad without them there. After two weeks of the house being full of kids and fun, going back to just three grown ups must be sad. Thank you, mom and dad (and Sam), for making us welcome and for loving us so very much. We miss you terribly.