And away we go...

It is amazing how quickly the week between blog posts passes.  I feel as though I just posted yesterday, yet here I am trying to review almost an entire week in my head.  So let me begin with exciting news.  I have officially purchased tickets for the girls and me to fly back to Orlando!!!   Mike was given the go-ahead by his company late last week and after a few prayers and a few phone calls, Mike told me he would like the girls and me to be there before next weekend, so Wednesday is the day!  We are very excited and nervous and happy all rolled into one.  But before I let my mind wander to all the plans that I must make in the next few days, I will go back and tell you about our last week.   

We started out the week with a visit from Nanny as usual, but this week we went for a swim at the pool. We are so blessed to have such a nice, close community pool to use whenever it is open.

After missing a beach trip on Tuesday because our lack of sleep was a direct reflectin of our lack of manners, we opted to hit the local pool again, but this time with our FNF's. 

The next day, we geared up and headed for the World Famous San Diego Zoo!

I let Macky and Isa each pick a friend to join us.  We had a fabulous time!

 

We started out at the Children's Zoo where Isabelle befriended a very sedate lizard.  There are actually quite a few bronzed critters hiding all over the zoo, but this was the first one we saw and it almost fooled her.  After leaving the Children's Zoo we headed for the hippos where we were fortunate enough to see a huge mama hippo using her sweet baby hippo as a pillow underwater.  Mama's head was actually out of the water, but every so often Baby's head would slowly rise and just his two little nostrils would break the water's surface for a breath of fresh air. 

Next, we were onto Polar bear Plunge and Elephant Odyssey.  We narrowly missed a few arrows from some of the natives in that part of the park.  Here is one showing us her straight teeth. 

 










I purposely left out the insect house that we visited for fear we might actually retain some of the memories and never be able to sleep again.  But we did at least take this cute shot before running for our lives away from the four inches stick bugs, three inch roaches and some sort of tarantula that was the size of a salad plate!

We finished up the week with the best part of all.  Daddy!  Mike flew home late Thursday night after being delayed in Orlando due to a typical evening thunderstorm.  This delay caused him to miss his connecting flight from LAX to Carlsbad, but he was able to rent a car and drive the last leg home.  The girls woke up this morning to Daddy having a cup of coffee!  Ahh, just like it should be.

Mike was willing to join us for a time at our usual Friday park play date.  The poor guy was so tired after being up almost 24 hours trying to get home that he pulled up a piece of shade to try and rest a before heading off to play soccer with the guys.  He was of course shortly joined by Sarah and few other children from our play group, but seriously, how could they resist a daddy on the ground?

Mike will fly out early Monday morning which will give me two whole days to tie up any loose ends, complete the laundry mountain that usually reaches it's peak by Sunday afternoon and pack for an undetermined amount of time away.  I believe I have my work cut out for me.   Hopefully  my next blog will take place from a hotel in Orlando, Florida, across from the entrance to Disney World!!!

Until then, in the words of the alien toys from Toy Story, "We are eternally grateful."  Thank you for sharing this journey with us.  I really feel that God has stepped out before us and that He will choose our path and we will do all that we can to glorify Him.