SHE WAS ALL THAT AND MORE

Last week was our beach vacation.  This week is another story (but will post about that later)

I finally MET HER....My first blog friend and the blogger that inspired me to start blogging.... I read her blog a year before
I ever even considered blogging myself. 
Most of you know her as Kat from Just a Beachkat!
If you don't read her blog......you should...She is as real and authentic as her blog reads.  She is a JEWEL!!!

She was everything I expected and more....GORGEOUS, FUN, and Full of Life. 

I felt like I had known her forever.  Just wish we had an entire day to visit.  It was the most fun part of my trip.  We met in Pensacola at a cute little restaurant and then we shopped for a little while.  She was  beautiful inside and out!  And do NOT ever believe her when she says she needs to lose weight.  

She is the perfect size....If you read her blog I hope you get a chance to meet her some day. 

On to this week.....This is the week we had to say goodbye to Parker and Jack as they left the beach for their new home in Katy.  This is the week we have dreaded for three months.

We drove back to Baton Rouge with the boys and Amanda and Micah and had a great dinner at TJ Ribs. We all spent the night (and Jack stayed with us in our room where I snuggled his as close as possible and cried and prayed and got as many kisses as possible.  He owns my heart....  I dont think I slept a wink.   Early Sunday morning Parker came to our room to get him as they were leaving.   The rest of the day is a blur.  All I could do was cry... 

I don't have to tell you what kind of week this  has been.  Jack and I are still not home.  He has a summer cold and is miserable.  We found a 5 star hotel for a  an unbelievable price...you really would not believe me (less than 50 a night)...and have camped out all week.  All the sand filled toys are still in our car.   

We have cried and talked...I have decided if one more person tells me to just "get over it" they may get hurt.  They have no idea what the last 13 years of our lives have been.  The bonding with little boys that was as close as our own children. 
 It feels like we have lost our jobs in life.   I wake up with that deep pit in my stomach and  wonder if I will ever feel happy again.  I know all the  facts.  I know it will only be a four and half hour drive.  I know we have the freedom to visit often...
But I also know we will not be a big part of their lives, I will not have them spending the night several nights a week and they will not be a few minutes away.    I will miss Amanda...She has never lived away from us.  I covet your prayers these next weeks as I try and find a new normal. 

I wanted to post daily at the beach but our internet left a lot to be desired.  We had a fabulous house right on the beach....

We had two bartenders (Ha) some good cooks, late nights on the beach, lots of swimming, ate at some fun places....slept late (me), watched a lot of kid movies for the 100th time, had lots of snuggles with little boys.  Had wet towels by the hundreds it seemed, few naps, just a lot of happy little men....

I read a great book....the story of Bernie Madoffs daughter-in-law,  Amanda and Dana read a popular book...that I won't talk about.   Jack read his normal 4 books...He loved reading on the porch overlooking the kids playing in the ocean.   Overall it was a great trip and we made a MEMORY.

We are family....the good, the bad and the ugly...We are just walking a painful road right now.  A year from now I hope I can smile at this post and not shed a tear. 

Some snapshots from the beach.....you know my family so I am not even going to label them.