Home Sweet Home

It is bittersweet to be home without the rest of my family.  Savannah and I have been home for one week now.  I can't believe it has been a week since I saw Jack and Chris.  I miss them so much. 

Our flights back to Omaha went smoothly.  Savannah was an angel and she really impressed with me with how quietly she sat on my lap, content to play with a few different toys for a total of about four hours on two different flights.  My mom and Christina were there at the airport to pick us up, and we were pleasantly surprised to see Greg, Roxanne, Anne, Patrick and Nick all at the airport to welcome us home.  It was wonderful to see family and I couldn't wait to get back to our house in Marshalltown.  It was so great to be home, yet weird at the same time without Jack and Chris.  It is strangely quiet and I keep thinking I will hear him ask me to vacuum or something!  I went into Jack's room on Sunday night (last week) and that was a big mistake.  I started to tear up right away and I wondered how I was going to make it through nearly two weeks if I couldn't make it through one day!!   Mom is staying with me and watching Savannah while I work.  She has been wonderful, keeping our little miss happy and teaching her new things while I am at work.  Savannah is crawling much better, and is really starting to get around.  Mom taught her how to clap her hands and how to kiss.  So if you say, "Savannah, pat-a-cake" she will look at you and smile so big and then clap her chubby little hands together.  It is so sweet.  She is also starting to learn to put her face right up to yours and plant a wet one right on your mouth if you say "kiss!"  Mom is working on it, along with a few other things!  We have been staying busy, planting flowers, finding outdoor furniture, cleaning, laundry, and going for long walks.  I feel like if I stay really busy the time goes by much faster.  My week at work went well. It was great to see my coworkers again and felt good to get back to some dentistry. 

I have talk to Chris and Jack several times a day on the phone.  Chris says that Jack asks for me every morning but gets over it quickly when I am not there.  I suppose I should be glad I have such an independent tough little boy who doesn't cry for his mommy!  I love hearing his voice on the phone, yet it actually makes me miss him more.  I can't wait to read to him and do our bedtime routine again every night, and to sing and snuggle in the morning.  I am actually excited to hear his little voice say "Mom, mom, mom" a hundred times! Chris says Jack is doing well with his therapy and was so excited to get his cast off.  They took it off on Wednesday and now they are concentrating on doing therapy activities with both hands working together. 

Joe and Nick went to Baltimore to visit and Chris told me that Jack was so excited to see his uncles.  I know Chris is very happy they came as well.  Chris is homesick and it doesn't help that I keep telling him how much I miss him.  Having his brothers out there to talk to and laugh with makes the time go by faster.  Nick and Joe are wonderful brothers and great uncles to take time off to go to visit Jack and Chris. They have gone back to the Aquarium and have been out to the mall and I hear that Joe and Nick explored the Baltimore nightlife on Saturday night.  Hmmmmm..... I have yet to hear details about that night.  They fly out on Tuesday, so I keep reminding Chris that he will only have one more day in Baltimore, and then he will be home!!

This week we are going to clean the house top to bottom, working from the basement to the main floor to upstairs so everything is sparkling clean when Chris and Jack get home.  I am going to change the sheets on everyone's bed and a special meal is in the works (mostly for Chris) for their first night home.  I am prepared to play BASKETBALL, vacuum, and even run the mower in order to see Jack smile all night long.  I just want everyone home, safe and sound, under one roof.  Please pray for safe travels for Chris and Jack, and Joe and Nick.