Home safe and tired

We spent every minute that we could with Jessica the whole week we were there. It was precious time, and we tried to make it count. It was everything we hoped it would be, and still not enough. On Friday we took her out to dinner and then to see the Shaggy Dog. Afterwards, we had to say good-bye. It was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do. We all kept hugging her goodbye, and we were all crying. I haven't been able to post about it because it is still so raw. It was so wonderful to see her, and we cannot wait to all be together again. I think it was good for all of us... I don't think it was just a reconnection, I feel like it was a strong bonding for all of us as a family. We cannot wait until June so we can see her again, and hopefully by then we will be able to all be together on a really regular basis. It was so wonderful to have had this time together.



On Thursday we went to the park again to take some new pictures. I have a lot of others on my SLR, but I can't get to those discs right now. I am just uploading some from my digital camera at the moment. The next time we are there, we want to get a really nice family photo where we are all wearing coordinating clothing!




There is very little to do in the town Jessica lives in. We drove around the historic downtown one day to see the old buildings and sites. Todd loved the "Superman phonebooth." We took the kids back to play at the park while we waited for Jessica to get out of school one day, and I caught this one of Jack and Beth on the slide.



On Saturday morning we headed up further into Arkansas to visit our good friends Billy and Johanna. We got to their house, and then took the kids into town to meet up with Billy for dinner. We were tired from the drive and the emotional week we just had, and I think having a chance to spend some time with such good friends was exactly what we needed at that moment. (I am sorry we didn't call yet, Johanna! Time got away from me today!)




On Sunday morning the kids had a blast playing in the mud with Sarah and Rachel while exploring Billy and Johanna's acreage.
!


Driving home was an ordeal of sorts. The kids did NOT want to get back in the truck for another 20 hour excursion. Mapquest gave us the wrong directions, so we ended up popping into Missouri for a few minutes before we could get turned around the right way. We drove through some high winds and thunderstorms that became a couple of tornadoes a few hours later. When we got into Oklahoma, there were wildfires that were making the air thick and hard to breathe. We pulled over for the night, and when we went through Texas the next morning there were still a lot of residual fires that we passed being brought under control. We crossed over into New Mexico and found piles of snow and the roads covered with a lot of black ice. We pulled over again for the night since it was so hard to see, and finished coming home today. Before we left this morning, I let the kids go out and play in the snow a little bit. It was funny to me that I had taken pictures of them making mudpies one day, and snowballs the next. Maybe I am just too tired... :0) We are so glad to be home safe and sound, and now that the crazy weather is behind us we are laughing about it. A tornado hasn't been in that area in 36 years, and the day we make an offer to buy a house there one makes an appearance!

I had an assignment due tonight, so right after we got home I got to work to get it done. I still have to pack and get all my paperwork for my job in order to leave tomorrow. I am heading up to Portland for the show. I am anticipating sleeping all the way to Oregon! :0) I am looking forward to seeing my friend, Sarah, and I am hoping she has her baby Elise tonight or tomorrow so I can see her too!

The page I made today will be up on Scrap Village in a day or two most likely. I used some of the photos I took of Jessica this week, and it was wonderful to scrap about her again using current photos! It will be in the City Planner feature if you want to check it out while I am gone!

Have a safe weekend! See you when I get back!