When Bethany Visits

This is my sister, Bethany. She and I are 12 years apart. She is an amazing wife, mother, sister, and friend. She is creative, energetic and talented.

And this is Blaise. He's the youngest of her three, and the first one I have met. He charmed me completely.

Bethany and Blaise came to visit in September and it was wonderful! I can't express the joy it brought me to look out my window and see this - my children playing in the yard with their aunt and cousin. 

It had been seven years or so since I had seen my sister. Waaay too long! It was so good to catch up. We joked and looked through old photo albums. We laughed as baby Blaise chased Joey through the house.

We did stuff. Ordinary stuff. We talked. We had dinner toether. We picked apples, fed the ducks and chickens, and hung laundry on the line. Tico played with the baby. We ran errands. And we took pictures... lots of pictures. Most of the pictures were taken by my sister. She has a knack for making the ordinary appear special.

Some of my favorite pictures were taken on the evening of my birthday. I knew the photo shoot was designed to keep me distracted while party preparations were made, but I didn't mind. Bethany took photos of me with some of my favorite people and it warms my heart to see them.

Annie came out long enough to tell me I wasn't allowed in the house.

Mary is my little sunshine girl.

Alex is far too amused that he's now taller than I am.

 

David is a dork. That's why I like him.

Joey hugs are the best.

All too quickly our visit was over. Bethany and Blaise are back home in Virginia, And we are here, not in Virginia... I miss them.

Sisters

I think I'll just have to win the lottery and move all of my family out here. Yeah. That will work.