Thanks to our recent close quarters...

these two are thick as thieves.

End of summer

L:  I thought the apartment complex pool might be a little bigger.

E:  Me too.  The fountain is a nice touch though.

Moving and Missing

We're almost there!  We've almost made it!

We have been living in temporary housing for the last 6 weeks which has been cozy and fun.

We have not had internet access but I've managed to sneek out to a Wi-Fi spot

 about once a week to keep my sanity.

We are headed back to Mississippi this weekend to begin the move that will last all next week.

The girls don't really understand the whole plan yet but finally feeling settled is on the horizon for us.

This weekend, we are hoping to hug necks and enjoy some of our favorite places

 in Columbus one more time.

These pictures were taken at our last visit to our favorite restaurant, Proffit's Porch.

I love the dipping sauce, Brad loves the turkey sandwich, the girls love to play in the sand, and we all love to watch the hummingbirds that love to come there too.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder for sure.

I already miss many things about Columbus and I'm still missing many things about Decatur.

My heart is full of cherished memories and friendships though and I am thankful for that.

Fantastic Fair

First week in our new town, Union City, we were welcomed with these..

and this...

and even all these...

oh, and these too...

All for us?!

No way Jose!

All for the County Fair of course!  Which just happened to be the first week we were here.

Which just happened to make the girls like this place a little more.

All (blue) smiles here!

One night at the county fair was just what we needed as a welcoming party.

Bright side

The best surprise we got when we found out we were moving was that we would be much closer to my family.  I havn't lived closer than 5 hours to my Mom or Dad in 15 years!

Anyway...while we are very sad to be further away from Brad's family (and expect lots of visits!) - it is a blessing to still have family near by.

So a few weeks ago, we went to Murray and got to see lots of family and friends.

My Dad and Wil came, Aunt Corky, Uncle JE, and Cousin Connor did too, Aunt Kitty Cat lives right there and we stayed with Ya-Ya and Marshall.

Dad and Wil had a mini celebration for Miss L's belated birthday.

She and Ellenie loved it!  They also loved being back on the boat with Aunt Kitty Cat!

Marshall surprised Lillianna beyond her wildest dreams with a new pet!

(Second birthday in a row she has gotten a pet on her birthday!  No tradition here I hope!)

Two of the cutest, most low maintenance frogs ever!

One is bigger than the other so she named them...

Lillianna and Ellenie.

how original....and cute.

We got to spend lots of time with this hottie...I mean cutie.

Connor is growing up so fast and is going to be the best big brother to his new little brother ocming in a few months!

We are looking for all the bright sides in this move.

One of the brightest, by far, is that we will be closer to family that we've been far away from for a long time.

That is a very, very bright side.

School-itis

This morning I took the girls to school.  Week 4.

Miss L goes four mornings a week and Miss E goes just two.

Lillianna likes it.  She has made a few friends and her teacher reassures me that she's doing fine.

Ellenie is another story.

  In her words from this morning, "I don't want to go to school.  I don't like it none at all."

I can handle the sadness and the fits.  It's hard but I know it will pass with time.

I just wasn't expecting it with Ellenie.

This whole last year she loved to talk about going to school, loved going into LaLa's classroom and so I thought she would be different from her big sister.  Lillianna had been so shy at two that I had expected her to have a hard time at school.  Because Ellenie is so much more gregarious than L at that age, I had expected her to be excited about school.  But when her first day came, her excitement declined with each passing minute.  She was ok for the picture with LaLa outside the apartment...she was still dry eyed when we walked into the school...and even ran into her classroom and started playing with this truck.  Then, when LaLa and I waved goodbye and started for the door, it was a whole new ballgame.  A whole new Ellenie.

My little girl learned she could throw a fit with the best of them and she has been ever since.

This is the sad picture I took after coming back to check and make sure she was ok.

She was and though it looks like she's looking at me, she wasn't.  I actually think she's glaring at the teacher standing by the door, scheming how to get past her and back to her Mommy.

It's heartbreaking right now to see Ellenie so upset.

  She wakes up every morning and asks if she has to go to school that day.

  I DREAD the days when I have to answer her honestly with a yes.

This too shall pass.

Transitioning

We are in transition mode.

We have transistioned to a new state, a new town.

Brad has tranisitioned to a new job.

The girls have transitioned to a new school, new friends, and new beds.

We left Columbus, MS on Lillianna's official birthday and moved into an apartment in Union City, TN.

Before we moved our things in though, we had to celebrate Lillianna "officially" turning 5.

They thought it was a hoot.

And it's a bit of a tradition since we celebrated Ellenie's 1st birthday

 the same way when we moved to Columbus on her official first birthday.

I'd love to keep the Sombrero tradition...just not the moving one.

When we got back to our new home, Lillianna got to open her present from Mom and Dad.

She had been so patient waiting and didn't mind a bit that it was wrapped in a sheet since real wrapping paper had been forgotten in all the craziness of moving.

She loved her very first Barbie dolls.

Mainly because they were all Princesses.

Now, all of them line the bottom of her bed, in a specific (only known to her) order with 15 other princesses.

They hardly get moved or played with...by choice. 

She would rather stare at them and keep their beauty perfect.

  Of course, her sister would rather they gallop on horses, switch dresses, and get their hair done regularly.

the princess is in the pool

It was the best Princess Pool Party she could have asked for...

It's great to be Five!

Happy Birthday La La!

Dear Lillianna,

I can't believe you are FIVE!

Recently, the thought of how fast you and Ellenie are growing up makes my chest tighten, tears come to my eyes, and a panic rise up in my heart.  Then, I look at these pictures or recall my favorite memories and remember that it has been five VERY FULL years.

Five years

Full of laughter and full of learning

Full of sweet, sweet, sweet moments

Full of hugs and kisses...

and tantrums and time-outs

Full of walks and treasure hunting

Full of tea parties and hand-holding

Full of naps and bed time stories and singing songs.

Five years...

Full of loving more than I knew was possible.

Full of watching you grow and grow and grow

Full of bursting with pride and drowning in humility

Full of realizing I know very little and yet learning so much

Five years...

Full of princesses, pink, and pretty, fancy things.

Full of cupcakes, cookies, and "special treats"

Full of old friends, new friends, and precious memories with both.

Five years...

Full of incredible, beautiful, amazing

YOU!

I love you sweet girl and couldn't be more proud of you!

You are a gift every single day.

Love,

Mama