The Family Rice

It's 8:39pm as I type this, and I am listening to the sounds of a toddler calling out sweetly from her bed, to be freed. She went to bed at 8:10pm.

"MommyDaddy come and get me out of hee-ah!"

"Daddy come hee-ah"

"Let me out!"

Sorry, Carly. That's life, baby girl.

Yesterday, we had our first Christmas gathering with the Rice family. The kids were very well-behaved, with no naps at all. My counselor brother-in-law commented that around 6:45pm when Caleb was prancing around and shaking himself and making strange boy noises and acting like a three-year-old running on fumes inevitably does, that it would be immediately followed by a meltdown. We proved him wrong on this one, and Caleb was just the sweetest little boy ever. All day long! What a trooper! Carly was herself and entertained everyone with her want-what-I-want-when-I-want-it attitude, but somehow cute at the same time. I definitely have been blessed with two polar opposite personality children who bring unspeakable joy to my life.

[insert photos here when you get a chance to get them off the camera.]

Our good friends, the Darlings, should be boarding a plane any minute to come HOME from three years of living in Aviano, Italy. Brian is in the US Army, and Tiana, Kennedy (almost 5), Missy and Rusty (the pups), have made a life for themselves over there. I know she will miss her friends she has made, but I am selfishly very glad for her to be back in the States. North Carolina is still too far away, but at least I can afford plane fare to get there. I am only a little disappointed I never got to visit her in Italy and do the Europe tour. Someday we'll have to go back and she can show me around, and I won't look like a tourist because I'll be traveling with an expert!