This past weekend I cut shapes out for collages, splashed in the pool, made ice cream cones out of play dough, and pretended to be the coolest aunt ever to three of the coolest kids I've ever met. Enter the Sorensons. During my last two years of college I lived with this amazing family and watched their three kids on the daily, so to say it's been tough without them for the last two years would be an understatement. I've only gotten to see them a handful of times, one of those times being our wedding, and it kills me that I live an hour plus from them now. I love them
so much and miss them like crazy. I decided I needed to relive the amazing days I had with them and you get to too.
Friday night was spent catching up, eating pizza, and watching movies; but Saturday was filled to the brim with excitement and adventure. First Sallie and I cut out pictures, and fun shapes to make a collage for her camp trunk before breakfast. Then we pasted the whole lot to the lid and ate pancakes and bacon with the two other littles.
After breakfast we played in a sandbox, swung for an hour, and enjoyed the cool morning air before the hot noon sun hit. Aggie was crawling when I first started watching the kids, so it was amazing to see how grown up she's become and self contained. For the fist time ever I didn't have to change her diaper! I loved how much she talked and how vivid her imagination has become,
Sallie was a ball of nerves because she was leaving for camp in just a few short hours, so we tried to keep her entertained with pogo stick challenges, and talking about her upcoming middle school days this fall. She's a full blown pre-teen now.
These were kind of precious moments for me watching the girls, while Jack rested inside for a bit. Precious because of all the time I've known them, and all that's happened between us, and how we can be apart for a long time but come back together like not a day has passed. They are truly family to me.
Sallie in particular has grown to be so strong and brave. I watched her hugging her siblings goodbye and not shedding a tear as they grabbed at her trunk begging her not to go to camp without them. It meant the world to me that she paused to say how much she loved me too and how happy she was that we got to spend some time together before she had to leave. I too teared up just a little watching her pull away in a friend's car all packed and ready for a new chapter of summer to begin.
Pool time always helps heartbreak and so Jack, Aggie and I went to the pool for the afternoon. It helped ease the pain of missing their parents, and having to say goodbye to their sissy just an hour or so before. I don't have access to a pool myself so this treat was as much for me as it was for them.
Saturday ended so suddenly with a heaping bowl of ice cream and laughter. I must have taken a hundred pictures of just the porch this weekend, trying to freeze time and all the silly faces and jokes that come with eating ice cream.
Jack is most himself when eating and has always loved a good turn of phrase; he had Aggie and I in stitches over a couple of jokes about food. He too is such a big boy now, and so helpful. He scooped everyone's ice cream and served it to us like a gentlemen, never once complaining or asking for help.
Sorry for the picture overload but there was just so much to share. You are getting a double or triple dose if you follow me on twitter (@bekuhdoo) or instagram (@bekuhdoo) because I posted a lot there too. Feel free to relive those moments too, I know I will.
These pictures will have to hold me over until I see them again. I just hope Sallie isn't driving by then, and Aggie in middle school. Do any of you have a special connection with the families you babysat for? That is if you babysat. It's funny when you're not blood related to someone yet feel like you'd do anything for them, even step in front of a bus.
big kiss, bekuh
