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YAY! We're finally back from or 3 1/2 week trip to Texas. BOY were we glad to get back into our own beds and get back on a real routine.

We arrived back home just in time to say goodbye to my dear friend, Lori. She and her family are moving across the state--about 8 hours away. *sniff, sniff* I am terribly sad to be losing my daily walking buddy.

On a complete other topic I thought I'd mention that yesterday I took my kids and Lori's son to the park to play. While we were there a bunch (at least 6) of other little kids--all looking to be 2 and under--were there playing, too. I was running back and forth between mine--helping them climb, showing them how to use things, making sure they didn't fall off the slide, etc. Then I quickly discovered that the other 6+ babies were part of a daycare. However, the two teen-looking gals (maybe college-aged?) watching them were sitting and reading magazines they brought to the park. I was ASTONISHED because I was so busy keeping up with mine, keeping them safe, teaching them new skills, etc. I watched one of the other little boys fall from about a 4-foot landing and at another time there was an angry scuffle between two of them involving hitting/shoving. But the young ladies didn't notice any of it.

Let's just say that whenever I go through those times where I miss adult interaction or money-making work and begin to wonder if my being home is making much difference, I'm going to think of today and remind myself just how blessed I am to get to raise my own children and keep them safe and loved all day long. I will always be their best teacher if I do my job right!

Let's see...what else. Ah ha! This morning my daughter said the prayer at the breakfast table. We all took hands and before my husband or I could start the prayer she busted out with, "Thank you for our house. Thank you for our food. We're out of nanas (bananas). Amen!" We both had to stifle our laughter a bit--we didn't realize she had heard our discussion about being out of bananas before we got breakfast on the table. Lately she's repeating everything back to us in different conversations. Its amazing how much they learn by watching mommy and daddy every day--our priorities, our dreams, our values, and even our disappointments. It just reminds me more and more just how I must work every single hour of every day to instill the best values and the most love that I can.