We're Home Again

A few pictures from our journeys:


Simon and Cassie taking a nap in their 'car seats'






Cassie wasn't ready to smile when the auto-timer snapped our picture with Aunt Debbie and her son Austin



Calla, Cassie and Gus in Atlanta




We girls all pose with our maternal Grandmother Keenan

Cassie and me in between 2 of our favorite Bryants, Aunt Judy and her son Trey!

My baby at the W for the first time! Somehow I don't think she gathered the significance of being on my old campus! Maybe she'll appreciate it more next year (ha!).
Playing peek-a-boo at the Dairy Queen in Flowood, MS!

Cassie poses with her Great Aunt Ann
July 3 Celebrations: Pool visit and then a car-ride to the Fourth of July dress rehearsal

Day 2 Atlanta with Pictures

Shanda's birthday yesterday was super-fun for us all! We left the 3 kids with "Uncle 'Rad" and drove into Newnan for our bithday girl day. Lori Jean met us at the Dollar Tree and then we piled in her car to hit Red Robin. At lunch Beka and I surprised Shanda by covertyly asking the waitress for the "birthday treatment." The staff came out and loudly annouced Shanda's special day. Pretty funny. After lunch, we went to Michael's (craft store). Next it was pedicures for the ladies with Beka, Shanda and I getting a super-sparkly 'diamond' star on our right big toes (LJ opted out of that fun since she's the only employed member of our group and felt she should maintain some professionalism on her toes). Target was next and THAT was a very long visit. Purchases included sunglasses for LJ and me, sandals for Cassie, PJ's for Beka, matching shirts for Calla and Cassie, etc. I used a giftcard so I didn't technically "spend" anything! We split up after that with LJ and I driving to Shanda's house and Beka and Shanda making one last stop at Starbucks (Shandy got a free drink cause by that point we had forced her to wear a special tiarra in honor of her 35th birthday). Can you believe I've been in the South THIS long and haven't had one single trip to Sonic!!?!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Brad had all 3 kids under his care. When we left around 10:30, I had just put Cassie down for a nap (she asked for one too..."nap, Mommy. Sleepy"). She slept until about noon and then got up to play with the other kids. Our little girl is very sensitive...at one point Brad and Calla were sitting on Gus' toddler bed while Gus and Cassie played with the train-table. Gus decided he'd join his family on the bed and then Cassie was the only one NOT on the bed. She must've felt left out cause Brad said she started to cry--just cause she was alone. Brad got everyone up on the bed for a brief moment before Gus climbed down and Cassie followed him (she's his shadow and will go ANYWHERE he does. If she doesn't see him, she asks, "where's Gus?" and goes on a search. Gus does the same for Cassie though so it's almost like they're babysitting each other). Next sensitivity episode occured when Brad was carrying Calla out of Gus' room and Cassie reached up to Brad to be carried as well. He picked them both up and cuddled them on the couch for a long time. Both girls just sat next to him peacefully watching cartoons. Eventually, Calla climbed down (she's incredibly agile considering her broken leg!) and proceeded to get into mischief with Gus. Brad sternly told both his kids "no" to what they were doing...his reproof must have upset Cassie though because she put out her little lip and started to cry...then she started coughing and...well, you know the rest. She threw up all over which gave Brad his 'to do' list for the next hour (clean up couch, Cassie, clothes, etc.). All the kids slept from 1:30 to when LJ and I got home at 5. It was so very sweet to creep into Cassie's room and wake her up...she was out cold! I wanted her to get up though to see LJ.

After Beka and Shanda got home they cooked a bunch of pizzas and we all ate dinner. LJ ended up staying until after 9pm when we began giving kids baths before bed. We had a great chance to chat--I told her all about the stuff I've been learning and how I was applying it to my life. I wish I had heard more from LJ, but she seemed to be in a 'listening' mood so I didn't want to pry or push her to talk. Anyway, it was SO good to have all of us together out in the yard, watching the kids play (well, Calla "sorta" played but more sat with the adults and watched...again, tough to interact with a broken leg). Their yard is huge and really allows Cassie the chance to explore "far off places" by herself. Back home in DC I'd never let her wander so far from me/an adult, but here in the big fenced in yard she has the chance to see what life is like outside of Mom's arm-reach! Cassie's biggest love is not Mommy, Tiaboo or Gus, but the swing (as further evidence of that statement, Cassie just woke up a little bit and over the baby monitor I heard her ask for the swing)! I pushed Cassie on the swing for a long time while LJ was showing Beka pictures of her house-redecoration projects. While I pushed, I played a little guessing game with Cassie using the signs from Signing Time. After I had totally exhausted all my sign language vocabulary, I told her it was her turn to think of a sign for me to guess. She thought and said, "Umm...how 'bout.." and put her fingers together in a tent shape--I had FORGOTTEN that sign and so she really did come up with a legit and challenging entry to our guessing game! How cool is it that she's beginning to play WITH me! ;)

Don't expect me to send an update like this every day...I just thought I'd write since I haven't been able to talk to any of you very much. I know it's not easy to find time to read this much text, so thank you for making the effort to get this far in my writing!

Atlanta, Day one

Greetings from the great suberb of Atlanta: Senoia! This is the third annual trip to Atlanta that Beka, Cassie and I have made to visit Beka's best friend from high school, Shanda (the first year, I was pregnant with Cassie).

We arrived Saturday afternoon around 3pm (left DC around 4am). Here's what happened yesterday: Drove to Atlanta...made great time and HAD a great time. Cassie is amazing. She was the teensiest tiny bit fussy...like for 30 seconds every 4 hours...but was easy to distract and redirect. She colored some, read her Bible, listened to OUR music and her own, looked out the window and dozed some too. I can't believe we just did an 11 hour car trip with so little pain on either mom or kid! THAT, my friends, is a miracle! I didn't even remember to pack my sewing (although I think I may swing by a wal-mart to pick up a crochet hook and yarn).

We listened to two sessions from Captivating (Eldredge book-themed retreat we downloaded from Ransomed Heart Ministries: http://www.ransomedheart.com/store/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=12) and played DJ with our MP3 players. Mostly, we listened to childrens'/Cassie's music (at the end of the trip especially) but that wasn't bad because we are careful not to expose Cassie to annoying tunes we can't stand! Are we smart or what!?!

Seriously, it was a FANTASTIC trip! I was even able to keep my potty stops to a minimum and thereby reduce Beka's annoyance with my small bladder! :) We stopped for gas about 3 or 4 times and did a Chick Fil-a stop around lunchtime. Cassie had a 'milkshake' which was a bit of ice cream mixed with her Ensure. You can imagine how happily she sucked down THAT treat! Beka and I got drinks and ate our wraps at the outside eating area. B's Chihuahua, Simon, of course, was fine throughout...went potty in appropriate places, slept in Beka's lap and even sat in the back with Cassie for a little while. He was only interested in me when I was eating. Oh well.

When we got to Shanda's, Riley (Shanda's younger brother) and his family were there visiting. They came by to give Shanda her birthday gift and left after 30 minutes or so. Then we let Gus (Shanda's 4 year old son) and Cassie play some more before putting them both down for a nap (Shanda's daughter, Calla-age 2-was already asleep).

Beka showed Cassie some super-special attention though once Gus was in bed and took her out to play on the swingset in the Kennedy backyard. Can I just say Cassie was in HEAVEN to have such a magnificent playground at her disposal! She reluctantly came inside and settled down for a 3 hour nap (estimate...I didn't have a watch/check the time). We adults visited and chatted while the kids slept, although I started to slip into oblivion from lack of sleep.

I finally went to bed with Cassie around 9pm and I was glad to enter into unconsciousness--totally exhausted and I didn't even drive!! Before bed, Cassie threw up all over Beka. Not sure why cause she acted fine before and after but man, was that some stinky throw up (yeah, note to self: no more Ensure with ice cream)! Beka is now officially a "Mom" because she's been thrown up on! Boo and Roo took an immediate bath and got all fresh and clean before bed...but we'll have to work on the smell in the carpet. Ugh!

This morning Beka and Cassie are watching 'Veggie Tales' in our bedroom (Cassie's pack and play is in there with us...she went right to sleep for both her nap and her bedtime!) and I'm in the other room. Shanda and family are later sleepers (not hard to be in comparison with me and Cassie!).

The plan for today-Shanda's birthday-is to leave Uncle "Rad" with the kids and for us girls to head into town for a birthday celebration. I hope to meet up with my best bud from college, Lori Jean, today but am not sure when or where.