A night with Maddie & Maci

I'm on a work trip to Des Moines this week... It's the first trip I've taken in months and I had mixed feelings before leaving home. I have become so comfortable at home with Mike - we have a nice routine every day and I love it! I need my hugs every day and when I'm on the road those hugs are hard to come by.... BUT, I got to spend the night with Maddie & Maci last night and got lots of hugs to last me through the week!

I went with Amber to pick up the girls from Jen's yesterday and as I got out of the car Maddie came bursting through the door, running to me...right through the yucky muddy sidewalk without shoes on! She was yelling, "Shelby's here! Mommy's here!" - she jumped up into my arms and wrapped her legs around me and gave me the biggest hug and kiss ever! If that doesn't make you teary I don't know what does.

Then for Miss Maci. Boy oh boy...she is a MOMMY'S girl! Her big brownies look at you, but not without scanning the room to see where mommy is first. She wasn't sure what to think when I picked her up - one of those "hey, you kinda look like my mom, but not exactly...." looks. But I managed to hug and kiss her without any crocodile tears (that's what Amber calls them!) before we left Jen's.

We spent the night hanging out and playing...lots of piggy's (piggy back rides) and hide and seek. And Maci can put away some serious mac n cheese! I have some great pictures of her with a cheesy nose! Gramma and Grampa came over for pizza, too.

People always say to me, "boy, aren't you glad you can play with them but then send them home to their mom and dad?".... I think I might be one of the few that actually don't feel that way.

Now for another reason I love Mike: I love it when we visit Amber or Andra and I can hear him in another room with one of the girls and he's making them giggle. I have never had any doubt since the moment I met him that he wouldn't be an incredible dad.