The terrible 2s and a fun girl's weekend

 Last year some of my best girlfriends, Julie and Rachel, and I flew to Louisiana for a surprise trip to see our other friend Rachel who was about to get married. This year, she is expecting her first baby (a day after me!) so we decided to go see her again, this time in Georgia where her parents live. It was a shorter trip but the time spent with dear friends, minus kids, was priceless. Of course the subjects of conversation rarely veered away from our families, even though we were states away from them. I drove down to Charlotte Friday morning and the three of us spent a girl's day in Charlotte, a little shopping, a pedicure, and a yummy dinner at The Cheesecake Factory before heading to Columbia, SC, where we spent the night. The next morning we got up and drove the rest of the way to GA in time for Rachel B.'s baby shower and a few hours of visiting. I am so happy for Rachel and Reagan as they get ready to welcome their first little blessing into the world! They will be wonderful parents and are in for a good time. Here we are below at her baby shower, showing off our bellies!

The kids stayed mostly with my wonderful mother-in-law since Steven traveled to Richmond, VA, to speak at a youth rally there. They got to go to Charlotte and stay with Aunt Leslie, which is super-fun, especially since it included a soccer game and Chick-fil-a, as well as some amateur wrestling between Eli and Leslie's youngest. Since they got home Sadie has been saying that she doesn't really live with me, Eli is her cousin and I am her aunt. She also has a dog named Hooch (coincidentally that is Leslie's dog's name). She has not let up on her dog pleas, lately she has been promising that she will take care of it all by herself. The other day I told her I didn't have the money to pay for a dog and she immediately responded with "Daddy has money to get a dog, he takes all your money so he can buy a dog." I laughed for awhile at that one. She has actually been pretty grown-up acting lately, and Eli has been my handful. I should never have bragged about what a good sleeper he was....because he is starting to show his true colors with fussy bedtimes, early waking up, and faking naps. And of course, poor sleeping = whiny 2 year old. I was beginning to wish I could cap him out at how many times he can say "Mommy" in one day, especially with no real request. But then I laid down with his exhausted little self and watched him fall asleep and realized anew the blessing it is to raise a child. Or two, or three. God bless all you mommies! It's trying at times but wonderful all the same. Thank you, Lord, for the honor of raising these you've given me, for now. Goodnight!