Missing those Girls

My girls...those silly and giggly girls, those loud and rebellious girls that drive me crazy! 
I have been missing them for 4 weeks. (they come home this weekend! yay!) They get to spend 5 weeks with Dad each summer.  And it's getting harder to do the summer thing the older they get. 
It was CRAZY hard to send my itty bitty girls - 6 months & 2 yrs off for the weekends it was hard to send them for a whole week at 4 & 6 yrs. and it was REALLY hard when they were 7 & 9 yrs, to send them off on a plane for spring break (that was doubly hard because I was induced the next morning for Tallen). 
But now that they are 13 & 15, it's even harder!  They have friends to see, places to go and obligations to tend to. Sariah wants to get a summer job. Miranda needs to start getting conditioned for fall sports.  They have Youth Conference and Girls Camp to prepare for.  Oh, and did I mention that I miss them?  I miss the loud laughter and girl-stuff they do in their room (curling hair and make up and talking of boys :o) ) I don't miss the arguing so much and am not looking forward to that again, but I guess it's kinda part of the FINDING ONESELF during the teen years, that goes on.
Anyhow, I was looking around on YouTube and found this song. "Walking Her Home" (good song. you'll see)   It especially makes me think of my girls. My sweet growing up “thinking of boys” girls.  I want them to have a good experience with love,  THIS kind of love.  The kind that lasts all those years: through the kids, the work and lay offs, the injuries and offenses, the in-laws, the good and the bad.  This song makes me think of my sweet Steven and the love we found and now share (and hope to continue to share as we head into the twilight years of life.)  I want my girls to grow up and feel the love of a GOOD man. A strong and upstanding man, To build a life and a marriage to the Glory of God.

Missy - a year later

Missy has been with us a full year. Today, in fact, marks that milestone. One year ...wow.  Here's the post from a year ago.

Missy June 29, 2011

Today, she is healthy, happy and content. Her fur is fluffier and healthier.

Missy TODAY

 
(cruddy phone pictures)

Her smile is bigger. And so is mine. She is my shadow and my {almost} constant companion. You can see her hanging out with me - in the car to early morning seminary, and to school if the bus is missed, to the bus stop morning and afternoon.  We walk together. When I get up from one place and walk to another, she is right there.  EVERY place. She sleeps next to me.  (Steven has to ask for his spot back when he comes in.)  She is dear to me and I to her. And I can barely remember life without her.