We told Sam bye in Orlando on Sunday, May 1st...she went back to Miami to take her last final, and we drove home. Unfortunately, her exam schedule didn't go as we wanted...we were hoping she would be done with school and could ride home with us and just buy a one way plane ticket back. But since it didn't work as we had hoped, she took her final on Monday, and I worked...then I drove to New Orleans to pick her up for a two week visit in between her spring and summer term.
One happy "momma" to have her with us for two weeks!!!
At the end of every visit, I make her give me the pictures off her phone...oh the memories my kids will always cherish with her. If you cannot tell, they LOVE her and have SO much fun when she is here with us.
Sam is so good about spending time with the kids and typically individually doing things they each like. The mosaic shop happens to be a favorite of Anna Lauren and Sam...just one of the things they enjoy doing together.
They obviously needed donuts for a snack after the mosaic shop...
This particular day Cooper got to skip school and spend the whole day with Sam...this was the first picture she sent me. Yes, boys will be boys.
I think they were at the pool by 9 AM...and yes, it was freezing cold. Pretty sure Cooper couldn't convince Sam to get in and swim with him.
Headed to the Reservoir for a little afternoon fun...
Sam managed to fit on Anna Lauren's bike so they took bikes with them...
Like I said earlier, boys will be boys...
If only we knew what was going through his head sometimes...he has such an imagination...
One afternoon Cooper wanted to run with us...I'm always up for a run with anyone...my favorite!
Hmm...wonder what we are discussing?
Someone was SUPER happy when she got picked up early several afternoons...
Think Sam got to watch three baseball games...
We tried to take a family picture at church. Elliot photo bombed and Emmy is behind Anna Lauren pulling her hair. FAIL!
We had much better luck at lunch. Happy Mother's Day to me...couldn't have been happier than to be with all of my most favorites!!!
I by no means am perfect at being mom, but I sure wouldn't trade it for the world. Thankful God gave me these three blessings!
This is a little more "real life"...we are typically a hot mess!
After a nap, we went out for a group run/bike ride on the trail. I could not have picked anything I had rather do on Mother's Day afternoon.
Just another baseball game...
This game was a little "redneck" because they played on the football field. They were just trying to make up a game they had missed because of rain. They are five...they don't care!
At 5, you slide into every base...Matt was confirming he was safe...ha ha!
Pretty sure it was just Cooper and Sam this night...think the rest of us had something else going on.
He may have even convinced Sam to swim this night...think she swam in her clothes so she wouldn't freeze to death. The water was still so cold.
She did this just for Anna Lauren...however, we had to show her how to put it in her hair. Pretty sure bows were never her thing.
Then there was lunch with my work friends...they always want to see Sam when she comes for a visit.
I sure do miss being able to take her to lunch...
On her last day, she picked the kids up early and took them for sno cones...
After Mexican for dinner, we went to play mini golf...trying to soak up every last minute we had with Sam.
Not the best picture, but here we are on our last night before Sam left...love my family and all the memories we make together.
Saturday we went to Cooper's baseball game, dropped the kids off at Nanna's, and then Matt and I took Sam to the New Orleans airport. We know without a doubt she is in the PT program she needs to be in but it is always sad to see her go.
