The week went by like a blurr...not nearly enough time for all the snuggles, hugs and kisses
I needed from this little guy.

What a joy he is! All you have to do is look at him and he busts out in the happiest smile!
And.....

he's super snugly! He will just lay right against you for the longest time. Ahhhhhhhh
right now, if I shut my eyes, I can remember how good it felt.

And this little sweetheart just melts my heart.




When they first got here, she came downstairs and looked around. "Where's great grandma?... you know, your mom?...where is she?"


hmmmmmm .... I pulled her onto my lap and we sat there looking at the empty green comfy chair.


"Well, Olivia... do you remember last time you were here, how hard it was for great grandma to get her body to do the things she wanted to do...she couldn't walk, and had a hard time even talking or eating anymore. Grandma's body was old...91 years old, and very tired....so Heavenly Father came and got her spirit from her body and took it back to Heaven to live with Him.


She is so happy now and can run and skip and dance and is with great grampa again."


Olivia just sat and thought for a minute, then she said "I liked when she would play the Tinkerbell game with me and when she would read me stories"


I'm so grateful for the time she was able to spend with mom...when we first brought mom here, I think Liv was a little bit afraid of her...but after a few days, she warmed up to her and would sit next to her and snuggle on the big chair and grandma would read her stories.Then Saturday morning when Camille and Kellen were packing up and getting ready to go home, Olivia came upstairs and sat on my bed. She had the little stacking doll Josh had brought us from Russia. She loves to play with it. I came and sat with her as she separated all of the little dolls and stood them in a row. She set the biggest one up first and said " This one is Great grandma, the next one is you grandma! Then this one is mommy, and this little one is me.
The tiny one is baby Sam." then she put them all in a circle and said " Let's play a game where great grandma didn't die". Then she buried her face in the pillows on my bed.


I held her and we both cried for a minute. I told her that I missed great grandma too, but If we think about all the good times we had together and remember that we will be together again someday, then it won't hurt so much....that is what Great grandma would want us to do.


Olivia is a smart little girl who thinks about stuff a lot....I know she has been thinking a lot about great grandma. I'm so grateful her parents are teaching her so well about Heavenly Father's loving plan.Dinner at Texas Rhodehouse...can Sam get any cuter? I don't think so.
When we got home, Merrilee came over with a wonderful dinner. She is such a dear.
Camille had just laid Sam down, but got him up so Merrilee could see him. She held him and he snuggled right up to her. We talked for a while and caught up on each others lives. She is one of those people who you know will be your friend forever.Two bald guys snoozingTrying to delay their leavingPlay us one more song.... Pretty tough to say goodbye.