A Sister's Visit

I think I'm drowning in unedited photos!  I'm going to get to it all...I hope.  I couldn't neglect these beauties below.  I couldn't believe it when I got a phone call from my little niece Charlotte.  She asked if she could play with Audrey.  I thought she was cute for asking...."Yeah, we'll be there in a couple months to visit and you can play with Audrey then".  "No, Aunt Emily, I'm here!"  "Can I play with Audrey?"  I asked her not to kid me...I might cry.  Sure enough as she promised she was there at the door.  I usually like to prep the house for visitors and get the guest room ready.  Jenn insisted that's why she came unannounced.  We had dinner that night with the missionaries.  She showed up just in time to make homemade tortillas that would have put mine to shame.  The missionaries were as happy to have her as I was.  I was grateful that Derrick was on a business trip and willing to share his family.  

I didn't think I would ever see any of my sisters here to be honest.  It's a long trip and there's not much in this little town. 

I'm grateful Jennifer decided to make the long trip despite how hard it can be to drive on your own.  She came and my home has not been the same since.  Audrey has a made over room and she loves every minute of being in it.  She disappears a lot just to spend time in her room with her old new found toys.  My kitchen is so much easier to bake in with everything at my finger tips.  I guess I got in a rut of putting things in the same place every time I moved regardless of the inconvenience of it. I found myself running to the pantry anytime I needed something and now I'm never in the pantry.  She spent hours making food when I expected to take care of her. I found myself missing having my sisters around.  I don't realize how much I miss it until I find one of them in my home.  I've thought a lot about what it would be like to have her and my other sisters close since she left.  I envision us all on the same street creating together and lifting each other when we need it. But I guess Heavenly Father realizes what a force for good we can be apart and so that may be a pipe dream.

She introduced me to sugar free desserts which oddly enough I loved and blueberry lemon scones which I could eat a dozen of in one sitting.  The scones are truly the things dreams are made of.  

We didn't do a lot outside of the house while she was here but here are a few of my favorite things:

• Riding the Ferris wheel with her girls
• Watching movies Paul would never watch with me late into the evening
• Life talks and much needed lifting from a big sister
• Going to visit the temple
• Amazing food
• Hugs from the little ones
• Helping put my nieces to sleep
• Water balloons together
•  A walk around our lake
• Helping Ruby jump into the pool

Thanks for visiting Jenn!  I might have cried a little when you left...okay maybe a lot!  It was so good to have family here.  You're the best big sister ever!