Summers with Bessie

We've been slowly ramping up to our regular schedule. Each morning we wake a little earlier, and each day we gradually add back some component of our routine. It's the traditional school year again, and we are trying to return to our regularly scheduled programming. There's only one problem...

Bessie's not here...

Each summer and short spurts of time during the school year, we get to be a whole family. Bessie makes her way here from over four hours away and we all relish in her presence.

Gracie enjoys the privilege of sharing "sister-time"...staying up late and having someone to burn the midnight oil with (the girls think we don't know:).



Sumo enjoys having someone around who doesn't mind playing with his toys and helping him to create imaginary scenarios.



Kano enjoys having someone who doesn't mind holding him as long as he wants to be held.





Even the cousins miss out on playing with both of their "big cousins".



We all miss her.

The peril of a blended family. Try as you might, things are never quite right. Either one parent or the other misses the child caught between two homes. Blocks of time pass and from one visit to the next we've missed two inches or a shoe size. It's not easy.

We are so blessed that God has done such a wonderful tying of the heart strings. Every summer we go through withdrawal. I miss our late night talks,




Gracie misses having someone to laugh with at comedy TV after the littles have gone to bed, Sumo misses his buddy,




grandparents miss opportunities to dote,




and Daddy misses his chance to catch up on the life of his little girl.




Bessie is a one-of-a-kind, made-to-fit, can't-be-replaced, member of our family. We miss her....even the quirky parts....


(She's gonna kill me for including this picture)

So Bessie...I know you are reading the blog...This one's for you. You are loved and you are missed.