Home Sweet Home

Shannon arrived home safe and sound Saturday, after a long day of traveling. The girl's and I waited at Concourse A, watching all the people straggling around the bend, wondering when it would be our loved one coming. Then Lillie gets up and starts running and Ainzli and I are looking at the people coming toward us thinking, "who is she runnning too?" Then Ainzli recognized him and I was last. Of course, all of this happened in a 30 second time frame, but really, I didn't recognize him. He had on his new hat (very dapper), hockey jersey from the Mochengladenbach team (bright and busy does not even begin to describe this thing) and very tired eyes. It was such a sense of calmness, all of us back together. (chaos always insumes not long after, a much loved chaos, for clarification).

Earlier in the day, the girls had made him posters for his welcoming home. Lillie wanted to be stealthy and make him find hers. She had me hang it in the top of his closet, he will see it every time he opens the doors.  I just thought that was genius. Ainzli took hers with us. She wanted him to see it first thing, she is always looking for ways to make people feel special. I love that about her.

So the family is all back and into the flow of regular life. Yeah!

The girl's love to do a project. They both were given money for Halloween instead of candy from grandparents.    (I just love that!) So they compiled their money, stuck to the budget, and bought all they wanted for the "Welcome Home Daddy" posters. 

 For the "spreadout" projects we always turn to the trusty folding table. It has been in the kitchen, garage, four seasons room, even in the backyard, and now we have christened the front room. I know it won't fit in the bathroom, but there is no doubt in my mind Ainzli will try to get it in there. 

Elmer's School Glue:
                                                        The company was originally part of the Borden Company which introduced the first consumer white glue in 1947. Under the trade name "Cascorez Glue, " the glue was packaged in glass bottles with "ice cream pop" type wooden sticks attached with rubber band. Shortly thereafter, the glue was repositioned under the name "Elmer's Glue-All"after Elmer, the spouse of Borden's famed corporate symbol, Elsie the cow.     

 I love kid art. Their pure joy with the finished product, the way they are able to explain every aspect, and the improvision of things they have not yet mastered. (case in point here, daddy's fingers). What an absolutely perfect Saturday morning.