Grammie and Papa Camp

I need to type this just so it's recorded for the girls and so I remember to never let this happen again to me.

Since I've been sick and in bed for what seems like days and days, the girls have been with my Mom and Dad. They slept in their own beds for the first time in a week last night. While I've been slumbering away dreaming about escaping exploding buildings with Christian Slater, losing Jessica at Disneyland, hanging out doing various things with Mike, freezing on an Alaskan cruise and shopping for myself and all the clothes were sized 4T...my GIRLS have been at Grammie and Papa camp. I'm still exhausted, still unable to do much more than sit, sleep and well, that's it. It's even hard for me to talk if you can believe it. But Katie and Jessica's lives have been full of growth and learning.

Jessica: has learned to count to 100. Can sight read over 20 words and can sound out simple words like can, sit and if. Has learned the words to the songs Tisket and Tasket, I am three three three, Santa Claus is coming to town. She has mastered new games on her Leapster like Clifford, Nemo and Puppy Pal. Her drawing has improved and she is very aware of what time it is and will announce the time to you every five minutes or so. (she did not know any of this stuff a week ago) I've also noticed she's been a lot more service oriented to her sister like getting Sophie for Katie and doing things for others and trying to help. This is not Jessica's natural way of doing things so I know my Mom and Dad have encouraged her to do this and she's really enjoying the praise.

Katie: If she feels like it she can count to 100 but she really has to be in the mood. She can drink 100% out of a big girl cup and knows that when she gets milk on her upper lip it's called a "MOOSTASH" because milk comes from MOO cows. She can also sight read words and sound them out but I don't know how many or what they are because she has to be in the mood to do it. She can sing the same songs Jessica can if she's in the mood. But she will ALWAYS show you her type of Yoga which is a spastic combo of ballet and spinning and hopping on one foot and will also show you Mama's type of Yoga which is the traditional stretching, touching toes and various poses like downward dog. She also has learned to cheat. She and her sister have contests of who can stand on one foot the longest and Katie has learned to slightly touch her foot that is up to a chair or some other stable point and pretend she is not doing it. She is turning into a cry baby if she doesn't get her way but if she wins something she high fives everybody and life is a big party.

My parents are saints. They embody the meaning of family and service and love. They just took over because I could not. They did my grocery shopping, picked up my house, took my kids to the bouncey place, made them Grammie and Papa specials every morning for breakfast, took them to the mall (BRAVE) so they could ride the merry go round, let them nap with Papa and sleep with Grammie in the big bed every night. My Dad made me soup and my parents brought me dinner. They brought my babies so I could hug and kiss them and seemed to know just when to leave as I was getting too tired. I love my parents. I'm an only child. We aren't an I love you, lovey dovey type of family. But they really are my team and my friends and my mom and dad. I told them I could never repay them for what they've done for me. But I promised them that I would be there to do the same for Katie and Jessica one day. I'm so thankful for all the prayers and offers of help. I wish I was better at thinking and I wish my mind was clearer so that I could know what I needed. I'm sorry for that. I think in time, I'll be able to think clearer but I'm still in a fog.

We got to web cam with Mike today which was great. He misses the girls so much and I know this has been really hard for him being away. I love him so much for his support and for his love for all of us. I know he is working so hard and is so tired and I know he wishes he could be here and so do I and just really need him to know when he reads this that I love him so much and I wouldn't ever pick anyone else to be married to and I just wish this time were over.