Isn't She Lovely: Thankful post number one

My children are the luckiest. I mean, how many little girls can say they have more women to look up to than they know what to do with? I get nervous sometimes about not working. I wonder if my kids will see me differently because I didn't fight for a career or climb a ladder. And who's to say that can't still happen? In the mean time, the sheer volume of examples of successful women (yes, I am really popular) that I am friends with will have to do!

I have talked countless times about these amazing women. In this week of being thankful I want them to know they mean the world to me...and to my girls.

Here are a few examples of funny ways these ladies enter our day with or without them knowing it:

1) This is aunt Kimmie...she became a doll in Lila's doll house rather quickly. Lila talks to her frequently. The picture below aunt Kimmie would be mommy and daddy.

2) Aunt Meg (and uncle Skip too) - Meg is due to have a baby here pretty soon. They don't know what they're having but they have names picked. When we pray for everyone (and I mean everyone) before bed I usually say "and thank you for Meg, Skip, and baby Emily". Seth usually says "and thank you for Meg, Skip, and baby Cole Trickle" because Seth has nicknames for everyone. Lila will add in (at least with me) the one that is left out. This may get confusing when the baby is actually here and she has to stick to one name. I think they should cross their fingers it's a girl or b-dub will be called "baby Cole Trickle" every time it sees Lila.

3) Aunt Josie (and aunt Vicky - Josie’s mom) - Ok, so this is what I’m talking about. How many of you have friends that haul their one year old and their mom to your house to babysit your two children so you can go on a date? I’m guessing not many. Not to mention they juggle two screaming babies and change sheets when diapers leak completely in stride. Lila is still asking me when Josie is coming back over.

These three examples are seriously just a few. I pray every night that my girls find the kind of true friends I have found.

All of this being said, Lila and Evie's real aunt, Sara, moved to NYC about a month ago. While all of these other women are so important and wonderful, no one can replace Sara. She watched Lila the whole first year of her life while living with us. I knew when Sara moved away it would be tough. She knew it too. The day before she left was really difficult. But, I keep telling her that she is so lucky to be having this experience. I often regret that I have only ever lived in Georgia. She is getting to experience so many new things at such a great time in her life.

AND, technology makes it easier than ever to "be there" when you can't actually be there. The first few times that we tried to video chat it was a bit of a train wreck. Lila didn't want to stay in front of the camera so it was mostly Sara and I talking while I may or may not have been holding Evie. But the few times so far that Lila has really engaged it has been priceless. Lila has read books to Sara, tried to brush her hair through the computer screen, and tried to feed her play food from her kitchen. It's just adorable how the mind of a two year old works. When Lila told Sara she wanted to brush her hair Sara was about to say "you can't" but couldn't get it out because Lila was already leaning over "brushing" the computer screen. We miss you Sara but live it up for us ok??? **Side note - take a look at Sara's blog...I have to say she kind of reminds me of....me :-) www.sarabateman85.blogspot.com .

I'm going to leave you with the latest installment of the best shots from our last go at photo booth...I'm pretty sure initially they were like "wait, what's the point of this again?".