Mike and I visited Abe, Jenny and Cassie over the Easter weekend. We had a wonderful time. Only thing missing was the rest of the family, but we can't always be together, and I realize that. We were just at Michael and Meghan's a couple of weeks ago, but it already seems like months. It looks as though Michael, Meghan & Sydney spent their Easter with Meghan's family, so I'm really glad they could all be together.
We made the long drive to Litchfield the Wednesday night before Easter, staying overnight in Greenfield, IN and driving the remaining 4-1/2 hours on Thursday morning. As we drove up to the Loveless house, Abe, Jenny & Cassie had been out working in the yard. Abe mows the grass on a riding mower and Cassie "helps" him while sitting proudly on his lap.
We all went inside for some lunch. Cassie didn't take long to make up with me. I got a huge hug right away. She always takes a little longer with Mike (I think it is a man thing). He brought her two soccer balls to play with, so they spent some time kicking them around. We also had an Easter bag for her and a Barbie guitar, which we gave her that day. Certainly wasn't going to wait until Sunday. That's a grandparent's joy - to break a few rules. She loved the guitar. Just her size, and now she has her own guitar when her mommy and daddy play Guitar Hero.
Friday, Jenny and I were really busy. She makes cakes for people and had promised 12 dozen cupcakes to a woman for pickup on Saturday. Not only that, but they were six different flavors, all iced with different pastel buttercream frosting, and then each had a decorated flower in the middle with leaves. Her Grandma Jo Jo would be very proud of her. I helped with the frosting and decorating, but it took us most of the day from 10:30 in the morning until almost midnight. We took a few breaks, but not many. The woman she made them for seemed very pleased when she picked them all up.
Saturday was a fun day with Cassie, but it rained, so we spent the day inside. We played hide and go seek (although I don't think Cassie quite has the hang of that yet). She loves playing it, but wanted to tell me where to hide. When I didn't, she pretty much told me I'd made a mistake. When I would hide somewhere else, though, Bailey always gave me away, so Cassie always found me anyway. Cassie loves to color, so we did a lot of that. She can entertain herself for quite a while just with crayons and coloring book. Here's a tip for future gift-givers: Get the wash-off crayons.
Saturday night we went to see Celtic Woman at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. This was a Christmas gift to us from Jen & Abe. What a treat! We loved it! It was a long night, however and we got up really early Sunday for church, as their church starts at 9:00 and is in Carlinville (a 1/2 hour's drive from Litchfield). Jenny is a wonderful mother. She has everything timed so well. Got up extra early to get herself ready and then had Cassie all dolled up in her new frilly Easter dress, white patent shoes, and pink sweater and hat. So cute. Cassie loves to be all dressed up and the click-clack of her new shoes on the floor was expressing her delight with it all. The Federated Church is where I used to go when I lived in Carlinville, so I know more people there than I do here. They were all very welcoming, and it was a delight to see all the little ones all grown up over the past 13 years that we have been gone.
Sunday afternoon after lunch, what a joy! It wasn't raining and the Easter Bunny (Mike) had hidden around 60 plastic eggs in the yard. Papaw Mike carried the bag while Cassie found all the eggs. She was soo excited! She just couldn't wait to find another and another. It was so cute to watch. Once found, we went inside where she opened each egg to find candy and stickers inside. As she opened the ones with the candy, it got consumed immediately. After about 4 or 5, we decided probably enough candy for a while. It did have a negative affect on her later in the day - a little too hyper, and she didn't want to nap. Jenny says no more chocolate for the rest of her life! I predict that won't be the case, but perhaps next year an M&M inside instead of a whole piece of chocolate might be a better choice.
Monday morning early we said our goodbye's to start on the 10-hour trip home. As always it is so hard to leave. We should NEVER take our family for granted, because when separated from loved ones, it is so hard. When our kids are little we think this phase of our lives will never end, but it does end all too soon.
I hope everyone had as blessed an Easter as we did. We miss everybody!
Love,
Mom
Litchfield Visit
Re: Litchfield Visit
Thanks so much for making the long trip to Litchfield! We had a fabulous Easter! Looking forward to the next time we can get together.