Knowing the Knolls: I left the children

... for a weekend in Omaha with Momma & Ginny!

It was Ginny's bridal shower, thrown by all the ladies on Ryan's side of the family. And, may I just say, they're lovely & fun, and I'm glad that they'll be in my very-extended family.

Here's how most of the weekend went down, Midwest-style, and NOLA-style.

First, the kids were in very good hands on Friday while Dylan was still at work, and I was en route and en tears. I missed them already! The village-effect of Algiers Point took over, and dear friends cared for Paul and Ada
a) at the garden for kids' weeding + snacks

b) during their Flubber Friday art class

c) for swimming (during which I was sent several precious videos I watched & re-watched)

d) for lunch

and then when Dylan picked them up, this happened:

Huge thank-you to Stacy & Rena for the heartfelt watching, swaying, swimming, feeding, and loving.

Off I flew to Omaha, where I'd been once before in a U-haul for a mere 12 hours with Dylan and Ryan while moving to MN. Needless to say, I was looking forward to seeing a little more of it and in the daylight. I met Mom and Gin at the hotel lobby for an amazing HH before heading out to dinner. Then sleeeep. Except being away in my own bed without children to wake me made absolutely zero difference to my sleep, and I woke anyway, had coffee with breakfast, and kept on keepin' on. Saturday was the shower! It was for noon. And it was the first thing, besides breakfast, that we did that day. Now, that's different than being at home, for sure. Ginny's shower was at a restaurant in the cute, cobbled Old Market quarter of Omaha, and there was a yummy spread with mimosas, a cute cake, and lots of chatting with Ryan's aunts and cousins. A lovely midday! We left the shower and walked the shops and barhopped, more than I had in, well, I dunno, all the way through dinner and we were back at the hotel around 11pm. Late! The next morning, we had Mass at the beautiful Cathedral of St. Cecilia just a little outside of the downtown. It was precisely because it was a little ways out of town that I felt a connection to the Midwest much like I had never felt before ... it all looked just like St. Paul! The sloping front yards, the architecture, the type of grass and trees. And it was so comfortable outside. Like, 72º, sunny, and breezy. Without mosquitos. No mosquitos, y'all. Of course, Mom made sure to remind me about "yeah, 6 months from now, though" ... but Dylan and I never really found it all that bad. We had a great weekend together, & I loved it ... and I didn't want to leave!

Except for these kids and their Papa!

Papa takes the kids to the zoo and gives them ice cream for lunch. "Dad is great, he gives us chocolate cake!"

They were back in NOLA waiting for me, and once I did say goodbye to Gin and Mom, I just wanted to blink myself back - to the hot, the 90º, and, yes, the mosquitos. This is where we are, together, it's home, and I love our family.

And here's a little of their shenanigans this week, being back together.