The Wallaces

Our good friends the Wallaces came to visit us over Easter weekend, and can I just say that when you move away from ALL of your friends getting to spend a few hours, let alone a few days, with people you consider dear friends is such a tremendous blessing!!!   Before their arrival on Saturday we busied ourselves getting the house ready and setting up beds for everyone, wondering how 5 kids and 4 adults would feel in or little space.  We discovered soon after their arrival that it felt very much as if we were all one big family, just as it had back home in Glendora.  Everyone settled in quickly and we spent some much needed time catching up and enjoying having our families together once again.  Even the kids picked up right where they left off, except pleasantly with slightly less fighting as I guess they've all grown up a bit since we were together last.

It was so sweet to see these two together again.  They were beyond excited to see one another and it was so fun to watch their little friendship continue to grow.

I must give a quick disclaimer that Andrea took most of the pictures I’m going to post.  She does such a great job! I love that when I look at them I remember our time together just the way I’d want to.  She captures the beauty of the farm and the life we have here, the sweetness of each of our kids along with their unique personalities and attitudes, and all the silliness that is life with toddlers.

We were excited to show everyone around the dairy.  We introduce everyone to Sven and Olaf and all the other animals we met a long the way.

Olaf and Sven

Dave and Titus meeting Olaf.

The Rooster

Eggs we collected.

Fayette and Magic

Riding Burnadette

Pretending Burnadette's a Bull.

 Target

Saying hi to the mommies in the maternity pen.

Feeding cows with Uncle Robert.

Too tired to walk home!

Sunday was Easter so we had a chance to take the Wallace family to our new church and then enjoyed Easter dinner and an egg hunt with my family.

Love the look on his face as the girls twirl behind him.

Ryan feeds calves on Sundays so we also spent some time out in the calf barn on Sunday.

On Monday Brandon had to work and the Wallaces graciously watched Sadie and Wyatt for me so that I could run Cooper to the Doctor.  He'd been feeling pretty miserable for the past couple of days and when I took him in I found out that he had an earache and 4 teeth coming in.  I was so relieved to know that there was a good reason for all of the grumpiness that we'd endured and that I'd get my sweet boy back soon.

While I was gone the Wallaces discovered how much fun kids can have in a big pile of cotton seed.

On a return trip to the pile, after it had been restocked, Brandon showed us that big kids can have fun on it too!

After lunch we took a trip to Woodburn to check out the Tulip festival with the kids.

On Tuesday Brandon took the day off and the guys were able to find a few minutes to do their "guy bonding."

Then after naps we took the kids to an indoor trampoline park.  Everyone, including Dave and Brandon, had a blast and came home worn out.

We couldn't get enough of this little one. Sadie and Wyatt just loved playing with Titus and I didn't mind either.  He's such a sweet and happy little guy.

As Dave and Andrea finished packing all Sadie and Wyatt wanted to do was play with Titus.  In fact I couldn't even get a good morning from Wyatt.  He went straight from bed to playing with Titus.

By Wednesday my happy boy was back.  Yay!!!

These were my favorite pictures from the past few days. The faces in the first two absolutely crack me up.  They were watching something on T.V. but seriously between Titus' hand on Cooper, to the apple in Georgias hand, to the blown up glove in Wyatts, I think they pretty much speaks for themselves.

This one I love for obvious reasons.  I am so thankful to have friends that love our children.  I couldn't stop thinking as I watched Dave read to the kids that I wonder if we'll ever find friends who will make the kind of investment in our kids that our small group down in Glendora did.  I know we'll find friends that will love our kids and I know that we have family now so it isn't a necessity in the same way it was in Glendora, but these friends who took care of us and did life with us down there definitely still have a piece of our hearts, and that was never more felt more strongly than as I watched our families together this week.

As we said goodbye I couldn't help but feel that although my heart was full and I was so thankful for our time together, it was so bittersweet.  They were here just long enough from me to imagine that they lived just across town again and that we could spend time with them again in a few days if we wanted to, and yet I knew that wasn't so.  I also kept thinking about how glad I was that we’d invested enough into one another’s lives that we really could pick up right where we left off.  I've realized that there are some relationships that fade away pretty quickly with time, and others that will always be there whether days or weeks or even years go by between times together.  I also couldn't stop thinking about the special memories we made with our small group in California.  Things like welcoming children into the world together simply cannot be replicated, ever.   So as they drove away I cried.  Thankfully, I had brothers close by to take me out to lunch and make me laugh.  I’m thankful beyond words for good friends and for family!