Appreciation

Who doesn't take things for granted, right? I know I surely do! But after having my husband gone, I have a new appreciation for a lot of things. And a lot to say thank you for!

Thank you to the sisters-in-law who checked on me via emails, texts, phone calls, and invitations to do things!

Thank you to friends who brought me dinner and came to hang out at my house even though they had newborn babies! Thank you to the friends who invited me over for dinner and then sent me home with leftovers!

Thank you to friends who came and cut our grass and to the countless others that offered! Thank you to friends that monitored the dryness of our grass and instructed me on how to operate the sprinklers. Thank you to the world's greatest edger! Thank you to the dad who gave the yard one last once-over the day Doug got home.

Thank you to parents and inlaws who helped with Katie when I thought I needed to jump off a cliff.

Thank you to the sweet friends who understood and didn't think I was crazy for never mentioning his absence on facebook or the blog so that the world of "bad guys" wouldn't know I was home alone.

Thank you to friends who let me cry a few times when I was just plain tired and easily irritated.

And what a new appreciation I have for my husband, my partner, my best friend. Man - he does SO much that I never paid attention to or said thank you! Thank you for always making sippy cups, for always feeding Jack, for always getting me up in the morning, for taking turns bathing Katie and putting her to bed. Thank you for being such an amazing dad that your daughter missed like crazy.

Never in a million years would I have thought Katie would understand that Doug was gone. But boy was I wrong. She said every day that Daddy was far away, that he'd taken a plane to get there, and that he'd be back in a few weeks. She loved skyping with him and talking to him on speaker phone. She was sad that he wasn't there and knew that I was sad too. She missed him so much that she wanted me to pretend to be him by talking in a deep voice or chasing her like Daddy does. She was so happy he was coming home on Saturday. She started saving up kisses on Friday and would only give a few away since she had to save most for her daddy! She had been planning on running to him or letting him chase her or tickle her - but was clear that she didn't want him to get her toes!

We picked up Grandma Jones Saturday afternoon and made the drive to Charlotte. Grandma Jones let Katie bring the Elmo camera so she could take some pictures of her daddy when he got off the plane. She practiced a lot!

She also got to wear some lip gloss! She wanted to look good for her daddy! (I found myself pondering what to wear that day too...It kind of felt like a first date!)

This is how Katie "looks" for things. Instead of using her hand like a brim of a hat, she lifts it up like this. Too cute...looking for daddy!

Daddy's coming down the stairs and Katie bug is watching so intently!

She froze when he got to her and just stared at him! Finally she gave him the kisses she had been saving along with some pretty awesome hugs!

They were inseparable after that. She would not let go of him. She helped him find his luggage and talked to him about taking her to Bouncerrific when we got home.

And this is her souvenir from Scotland. A stuffed animal version of the Lochness Monster named Nessie. Nessie has gone to bed with her and pretty much everywhere else since she got her!

We are more than thrilled to have Doug home. I'm exhausted from parenting alone for three weeks but it's all fine now that he's home! We love you Doug and missed you more than words can say!