(no subject)

Brad made it in and we had a lovely evening as a family. He left yesterday morning for Minnesota with his parents to go to his cousin's wedding and...took Zoe with him! It was so strange. All along we were planning to see if Mari wanted to go. Brad's mom actually suggested it first. We all thought she would love getting to go on an adventure with her daddy and get so much undivided attention from her grandparents, but when we proposed it to her on Wednesday night she said she absolutely did not want to go. I was very honest with her about what they would be doing, riding in the car a lot, sitting in a restaurant where she would need to be on her best behavior and then in church for the wedding and then in the car again. But I also tried to make it sound like a special treat to go with daddy. She said no, several times. I'm still not sure why, but she told me yesterday after they left that she didn't want to leave me. Which is strange because she spent the last three weeks telling me how much she missed her daddy and I really thought she would jump at the chance to have him all to herself. Well, Zoe was listening to this whole conversation and she suddenly threw her little three year old body at Brad's feet and burst into tears, begging to go with him. I said no (with explanations) right away. It never occured to me to say yes, actually! But Brad picked her up and looked at me over the top of her head with these pathetic puppy dog eyes and I instantly changed my mind. His parents were not thrilled, I think they think Zoe is too young for such a situation. Honestly though, Zoe is more likely than Mari to be still and quiet during the wedding and not get rambuctious and knock her plate off the table at the restaurant. If I had to pick one of them to take into a situation like this, it would have been Zoe, but Brad's parents were not convinced. Brad was adorably convinced though and would hear no arguments against it. He wanted to take one of his babies really badly apparently. So Zoe is in Minnosota and I'm away from her for two nights in a row for the first time in over two years. I miss her more than I would have thought possible for such a short time. However, having just two urchins, and two that get along amazingly well, is like a vacation. I swear I had to do practically nothing where they were concerned yesterday. They didn't even WANT me involved. Luci followed Mari all over the house, copying every single thing Mari did all day. Mari asked me why she was doing that a few times and grinned to split her face open when I said it was because Luci thinks she is the coolest thing on the planet. It was fun to watch. I sat around on my duff and read books all day. It was heavenly. And I still felt like I got more one on one time with both of them than I usually do.

I don't know if you will get this far or not, Tina, but Brad brought the books you sent with him and THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I've never read either of them and got about three quarters of the way through Little Altars Everywhere yesterday. Do you want these back when I'm done? It was so sweet of you to send them!

I had a wonderful evening with Amy (justamy) last night. My mom watched the two girlies I have left here, and Amy made me dinner and we discussed the painting of her apartment and then we discussed everything else under the sun. I'm so glad we can still really talk. I don't get to do that very often and it was really, really wonderful.