Been a long time gone

Here I am again - way behind on blogging and not sure where to pick up. How about a quick recap? Doesn't that sound fun?

As many of you know, Dan & I were able to make a trip back to our beloved OC - home of our Alma mater, more tulips that you've ever seen in your life, and my dear Aunt Linda & Uncle Alan. And this time we were lucky enough to attend and, yes, participate in the Tulip Festival. I was lazy and let other people take pictures for me (and also being in a Dutch costume is not so conducive to toting around a camera), and then left home without said pictures...so I'm at the mercy of my parents to mail me the disc. I promise to post pictures as soon as I get that. If you're impatient to see them, you should probably call my parents and encourage them to send the disc ASAP :-) I'll write more about that trip when I post the pictures. We also visited my Grandma Schoon and were blessed with a few very sweet moments. More on that with the pictures as well.

Afterwards, we headed back to Missouri. Dan had to get back to work and left early Monday morning, but I was able to stay all the way through Thursday evening. It was a wonderful time with friends and family, and it's always fun to share my baby with people who have known and loved me since I was a baby. My Dad had a couple of days off, so Caroline and Papa spent some time together tending the flower gardens and getting to know Scout, my parents' dog. Caroline would get so excited when she'd see Scout that she'd literally shake from head to toe - it was so cute! Now Dan thinks we have even more reason to get a dog. Mommy is not so convinced.

We also were able to spend a lot of time with Paige & Torri, who reminded me multiple times that they are now a senior & sophomore. How did that happen? And more importantly, why can't they move in with me to be permanent baby-sitters?

I also enjoyed some wonderful time with Grandma & Grandpa, but those pictures are also on the disc at home. So I'll just have to save that as well.

I got back to Nashville late Thursday and have been trying to get back into the swing of things ever since. Why does it take so much longer to settle in with a child? I mean, you'd think I'd have been out for a month the way I've been acting around here! To be fair, Caroline has been totally off her schedule, cutting her first tooth, experiencing allergies (poor girl!), and seems to be entering into the throws of separation anxiety (meaning she's not particularly fond of Mommy walking out of her sight...ever). I've been spoiled by my sweet, good-natured baby - all of this fussiness is wearing me out!

Lest you start to feel too sorry for me, I still get plenty of these gummy grins -

Life is good.