The Girls are coming! The Girls are coming!

You can hardly contain the excitement at our house. My mother, Mimi, is bringing my three nieces, Conlee, MarySelle, and Elizabeth to visit. They'll be here tomorrow. We can't wait. When we found out they were coming the children were thrilled (as was I). They asked me everyday, "Are the girls coming tomorrow?" Being that it was a few weeks away, I decided to make a paper chain for them so they could tear off a ring each day. This would show them visually how many days and maybe stop the "are they coming yet" questions. They have loved this. Each day Mae or John Russel tears a ring off without reminder. As the chain has grown smaller their excitement has grown to a giggling mass about to burst!

Now it's almost time. Only one link left on the chain! Mae has enjoyed helping me clean and she has placed the toys she says she and the girls will play with in a special spot in her room. John Russel has arranged his dinosaurs neatly on his shelf among his new rock collection. They can't wait to show them their new park, swimming pool, and all the cactus. They are so proud of their new house and surroundings.

Today as we tore the next to last link off the chain Mae proclaimed, "The girls are coming! The girls are coming! (Girls sounding like Gulls) Will ran around in a circle saying, "Mimi, Mimi, Mimi!" We will pick them up at the airport tomorrow morning and we have lots of fun activities for them. The main one being a lot of nothing! The children, I know, will have a blast just being together, as they usually do. I can't wait to hear all the stories of what's going on back home especially in a southern accent!

The thing I'm most looking forward to is just being with family. Although we have been blessed with meeting new good friends, a great neighborhood, and fantastic weather, I can't wait to sit and visit with "kin". This is one thing I didn't know I would learn when we moved here---The importance of a close knit extended family.

So, if you're reading this, and you haven't made your plans to come out west. Get out your calendars and set a date. We'll even make a paper chain!