When Daddy's Away...

Today Sam flew out to NY to meet with the people who helped get him Maggie. So seeing that we had a weekend, the girls and I decided to make a quick TN trip to visit with my in-laws. Today is Dad Schultz's 55th birthday, and we wanted to surprise Mom Schultz.

So bright and early at 6am Sam and I were up getting ready. We opened the door to the girl's room and announced time to wake up to go see Mamaw and Papaw. Sarah sat up and announced she did not want to see anyone and then dove under her little pillow and tried her hardest to fall back to sleep.

...seriously, do not blame her...

...not many people I really want to see that early in the morning :).

We went to Chik-Fil-A for breakfast and enjoyed our morning together.
 Sarah walked in and said, "Kissit pweese", that translates to biscuit please :).

Soon we were off to the airport. Sam and Maggie were safely deposited and the girls and I hit the road. The long 4.5 hour drive.
I was determined to not stop, so I made sure both girls were fed and dry. The drive was nice, no traffic really and we cut about 30 minutes off our time.

We surprised Mom Schultz at the house, which was great. Then we had a dinner party that night for Trevor and Dad Schultz's birthday.
Sarah had been so excited to see Papaw on his "hirfday" that she had been singing "happy hirfday" from the moment we left to go to see them.
 Saturday morning we went to see the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge. That day in history has always interested me. Going through the museum and seeing the artifacts pulled from the ocean floor and walking up a full scale of the grand staircase is always surreal to me. Me, with my very vivid imagination, could close my eyes and visualize myself in 1912...walking down the grand staircase; unbeknownst to me that the Titanic would sink within the first few days at sea. The only time I had such a surreal experience was when I went to the Flossenburg and Dachau concentration camps in Germany. It is just a heavy feeling that is hard to explain unless you are there yourself.
 Sarah also picked out her Titanic bear in the gift shop. I found out that there is a children's book about the Titanic bear that is based on a true story...

Since we had left for TN Sarah had been asking to ride a horse. Some moments the asking was to the point of tears.  So Papaw and Mamaw took her to ride on the carousel at the Island, Pigeon Forge. It was about 20degrees that night, but seriously felt like about 5. We bundled up everyone and took Sarah to ride. She laughed and giggled the first few go arounds, and then started shivering uncontrollably. So the next go around she rode in the carriage with me. While the carousel was going around she laughed and said, "This is UHHH-mazing!" After that she looked at me and said, "Mommy, horse pooped". I laughed and asked her, "It did?". She wrinkled her nose and said," Yes, it stinks". haha...my kid.

Sunday morning we went to Tim and Kristi Mitchell's church. This church they recently took over and is small in number, but not small in spirit. I was glad we could go and be a part of their service. Sunday afternoon was quiet, and the girls and I got ready to head back to get Sam. The girls slept most of the way home....and we were all glad to get home. We love seeing family, but nothing like your own bed...and blankets :)

"She ate my hotdog"

Sarah and Maggie having one of their in-depth conversations

Today was a very cold, very grey day. Sarah had woken up crying last night because she was "hungwy". I laugh now, but at 2 in the morning it was not remotely funny. She was genuinely hungry. So I made her a snack and some milk, and she snuggled up on me and told me the story. If you have spent any time around Sarah, her fill in word is "nananananananana". So between the "nanana's" I got that Maggie ate her dinner. (The story I tell you Sam actually filled in the gaps). She was apparently eating her hot dog at her little table when Maggie came up while Sam wasn't looking and stole it from her. Both dogs are not allowed in the kitchen while we eat, so Maggie must have moved pretty stealthily around the corner to where Sarah's little toddler table was. When Sam had originally asked her what happened and Sarah sometimes gets yes and no mixed up and she told him no. Poor kid. Although I would have loved to have seen her face when Maggie just walked up and grabbed it.

Natalie went to work with me today. She always makes anything so much more enjoyable. She is such a happy girl, as long as she is on me. Babywearing is definitely one of my passions. I think it does both mom and baby wonders to be in contact as much as possible, plus it makes getting things done easier.

             On the off chance that I get to put her down, she usually entertains herself.

 I am just so thankful that I have a job that I can take my girls. To be able to work and contribute to my home financially, but at the same time still be able to be a mom is everything to me.
 So on this gloomy day I chose to look around and see the beauty in it. So even though I was up feeding a 2.5 year old at 2am, she was so funny and happy. Natalie keeping me entertained at work, and coming home to see Sarah's smiling face. Walking in the door hearing her say, "MAMA! I HAVE YOU!" makes the day beautiful.

"Mama, I fly!"

 As I sit here in bed as quiet falls in the house, I think about all the events of the day and think, "It was a great day".  No, nothing major happened. I spent the morning home and an uneventful afternoon at work; but today Sarah learned she could "fly".

 

 As a mother, and one who has always had a vivid imagination, I have always hoped my children would use their imagination to the fullest (healthiest) extent. So to see Sarah start to show fruits of that brings great joy to my heart.  She will color a circle and tell me it is a "frog" or a "horse", or she will act out scenes and sing songs from her favorite movie when the TV is not on.  So today when she started running in a circle, belly laughing and screaming to the top of her lungs, I knew something magical was happening. 

My beautiful, red-headed girl was running small circles in the living room and giggling. She said, "Mama! I runnin'" and I smiled and said yes. My simple acknowledgement fueled the fire.   She took of spinning and spinning, raising her arms up in the air. I watched as she spun until she was on the floor, a pile of laughter and smiles. She looked at me and said, "Mama, I fly!".

Just the look of pure excitement thrilled me. She was so proud of herself, and I cheered her on.  The more I cheered, the more she "flew". This went on and on until she finally decided flying was interfering with her princess duties, and off she went on another adventure.

Oh, this moment has passed...but what a memory it made! She discovered in her world of imagination that she can do anything. That is the confidence I want both her and Natalie to carry through their lives. That they can do anything, accomplish anything, be anything! God created them beautiful creatures, and their paths in life can take them anywhere!

 Sarah will go on to discover something new tomorrow. But I will never forget the day that I saw her fly.