Whirlwind Visit

Last weekend I went "home" for a wonderfully busy weekend, filled to the brim with family and friends! And food. Ohhh so much food! I still call Ohio "home" because its where our families live, its where we grew up, and its the place where we plan to eventually make our own home when the time is right...

But truth be told - Atlanta is really what feels like "home" to me now. Its where my hubbs was while I was away for the weekend. Its the only home my kitty has ever known. Its where our friends live... the ones who have really become more like family to us. Its weird to be back where you call home, visiting with the people you miss most of the time... and at the same time be missing your other home and the people (and pets) you are anxious to get back to.

Despite missing my little family, and feeling like I needed a whole week to recoup from my busy busy weekend, I had the greatest time with my fam and friends! I caught up with my high school besties over breakfast, celebrated my little SIL's birthday over brunch, saw Water for Elephants with my in-laws, laughed until I cried with my mom and sisters, ate my favorite Mexican food with my real family and so-close-they-might-as-well-be-family neighbors, and went on a date w/ my daddy. I got hardly any sleep. I read less than a page of the 200 pages I needed to read for school. And I'm pretty sure I gained at least a few lbs. It was awesome :)

The highlight of my trip - the real reason for my long weekend trek up to the Midwest - was that we celebrated my mama-to-be cousin, Erika, and showered her with gifts for baby Rylie Lynn due to arrive on the scene in July! This lucky little girl is already loved by soo many people and I can't wait to meet her!

I have never seen so much pink in all my life. It has been a few years since I was at a baby girl shower so I think I forgot just how overwhelming all that pink can be! In the cutest way possible, of course! All the itty bitty outfits with their ruffles and bows... and the sweet pastel bedding... almost made me wish we could have a little nugget of our own! Almost. Then I snapped back to reality and reminded myself how much I love sleeping til 11 on Saturdays, and lounging by the pool all weekend, and skipping class for a mani/pedi when I feel like it. And sushi. And wine!

But it sure was fun watching my cousin be showered with gifts, and love, and well-wishes! And I can't wait to meet the chubby-cheeked doll when she makes her debut this summer! Even more fun than watching her open miniature pink gifts? Spending the afternoon with my mom, sister, aunts, cousins and grandma! Without this little lady, there would be no me. And no sissies. Because there would have been no dad! There also would have been no Ryan (my cousin) to marry Erika (mama-to-be)... and no baby Rylie cookin' away in her belly. Crazy how that all works out...

I'm so thankful for this lady. She is the quintessential little grandma and has touched the lives of so many people just by being who she is. Rylie Lynn will be her eighth great-grandbaby. How many people can say they are a great-grandma to 8 (and counting) babes?! And what lucky little kiddos they are!

So much fun and so much love packed into 4 short days! My heart is full... and I'm counting down the weeks until I get to see all these fabulous people again next month!