2 plus 2 equals 4: Friends forever

This week Katie and I spent our last GNO (for the immediate future, anyway) avoiding all discussion of any impending events and instead indulged on hot pumpkin ginger tea (um, yum), sushi and cosmos. It was awesome. We only came near tears a few times and instead enjoyed our evening out without being interrupted, ignored, climbed on or shouted at. We even stayed up waaaaay past our bedtimes!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do without my best girl. She is my rock. She keeps me sane. She is the one I can go to with anything and everything, whether it's wondering aloud about the consistency of my kid's bodily fluids, complaining about the fact that they NEVER sleep or being thrilled with the progress Wade is making in reading. I'm not sure what my kids are going to do without her either. Lily constantly tells me that she doesn't like Ford (all lies), Jack is her friend, but Katie is her favorite. She and Lily's two grandmas are still the only people Lily will willing go to and stay with besides me. I know we will all survive the distance, but it will be hard not being able to set up an after school play date for Sonic slushes at the park or go on a crazy weekend adventure. To the zoo. In the freezing cold with the possibility of rain.

Speaking of crazy weekend adventures to the zoo in the cold:

We really wanted to make one last trip to Sea World with the kids this year. But, lo and behold, THE NIGHT BEFORE (pretty awesome pre-planning, wouldn't you say?), we checked the hours and it doesn't open until noon. Great. There goes our getting up at the crack of dawn so we can be back by midday plan. So we did the next best thing, we drove an hour and a half to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco. And it was wonderful. Not only was the park nearly deserted (maybe because it was in the 30's...?), but it was just the right size, and the animals were super close. Plus there was a pretty cool playground that the kids loved. The kids did great, we stayed warm, the rain stayed away, and everyone was happy. Katie and I only came near tears a few times (what?!) as we thought about the inevitable- that this was going to be our last play date for a very long time. I love these boys as much as I do my own. I hate to think that they will grow any older without me being around to see it. But as Wade explained to Lily in the car this morning, "Ms. Katie has to sit next to Mom because they are friends forever, I have to sit next to Jack because we are friends forever, and you have to sit next to Ford because you are friends forever. That's just how it is." Yes it is Wade.

Doesn't everyone enjoy a little group hug!?

Enthralled with the macaws

I thought these guys were pretty awesome. Can't remember what they are called, but that they are in the guinea pig family and they look just like giant guinea pigs!