One Cool Visit: Carrie, Sam and Nephew David

I'm still flying high (although exhausted) from seeing Carrie, Sam and Nephew David over the weekend.  They arrived Saturday evening just when the heat wave finally broke. We were so excited to go out after dinner for a StRoll. 

After a long day of traveling and hair full of mustard, it was time for a bath. I can't believe how much bigger David is compared to last time he was here for bath time.

We hung out and watched 'The Show' (The Muppet Show), which I haven't seen since I was a little kid, before David's nap Sunday afternoon. He napped for 2 1/2 hours!

During David's nap time, Sam relaxed with a good book and Carrie and I got in some much-needed girl time. She even painted my fingernails for me while I reclined! I felt so pampered. Every time I look at my pretty painted finger nails I think about our lovely visit.

Nothing is the same as being together in person to have meaningful connection with friends. What a HUGE blessing to have 2 1/2 hours together just to talk about anything and everything, catch up on things we don't have time to over email, or discuss more intimate things that are hard to capture in email.  Having this kind of time with my closest friends is something I miss tremendously.

Time for some goldfish crackers and apple juice with Dad after nap time. Just as David was waking up I was heading to my nap. The biggest thing that made this visit go more smoothly than usual for me was that I actually slept the night before they got here, the night they were here, and napped. Usually, my ANS is so wired I can't sleep and I'm struggling even more to get through a visit.

I tried to savor the time I did have with them, rather than feel sad about the amount of time I needed to spend resting to enjoy the time that I was awake. 

Carrie and Sam are so low-key and easy to have as visitors. Mom cooked up an amazing menu of foods all fresh from the local market, so we ate quite well.  Thank you Mom! And no, I don't have a single photo of her from the weekend! Darnit!  

Carrie has been here so many times over the years and seen me really sick, so I am learning with each visit to let go more and more. To accept what is, and not resent what is not. I know that Carrie will accept me in whatever state I am in when she arrives. And since she has been here so many times, she knows where everything is and the routines of my sleep, naps, eating, etc.  This really helps me to let go of my desire to be a 'hostess' and just let her come visit and spend time with me.  I haven't quite gotten to this place with any other overnight guests yet!

Dave-O loved his new Fozzie bear that he got before the long car ride here. David is such a bright light. He is confident, content, social, smart as a whip, cute as a button, and incredibly happy, joyful and well-loved. It's so much fun to see how his personality has bloomed since his last visit here. 

One of his favorite questions? Ask him if you are "Cool" or "Nerdy". He will giggle and shout "Nerdy!" It seems we're all nerdy, and no one is cool!

He is also a charmer. Still. Just like he was when he was here at seven months of age. 

When you ask him to say "Cheese" and smile for the camera he likes to look at the picture on the camera to see how it came out! 

How can one not feel happy with this little guy around? My heart absolutely melted when he arrived and said "Aunt Emily". I loved hearing "Aunt Emily" all weekend long! Carrie and Sam have made such an effort to make sure that, even though I don't get to see David often, he knows all about his Aunt Emily. This means more to me than I know how to express.

The farm animals and wooden puzzles Mom got from the library were a BIG hit. Here he is posing with the cow. He thought this picture came out quite well.

Given how I have been feeling I could not have asked for a better day with Carrie, Sam and David. I did better physically than I could have ever even imagined I would. My body really rallied. I had had an abdominal migraine a week before they arrived, and had been having a great deal of trouble recovering from it. But I finally did, just in time for their visit. 

I think, given my energy level, I had just the right amount of time with David, but we really didn't overlap much with his awake time and my awake time. I would have really liked to have had some time with him just to play and do puzzles, but I didn't get that.

It is very hard to get David to look at the camera long enough to take a photo! Sam caught this moment with David sitting on my lap in The Rolls. I love it because I think it captures how happy I felt. This year I've struggled just to find some sense of peace and contentment. During this weekend with Carrie, Sam and David, I experience feeling joy and feeling happy. Amen!

Having such a wonderful visit can be bittersweet. I know I won't see Carrie, Sam and David next summer, so it may be two years before they are able to come again. So, unless I can travel there, I will go quite a long time without a cuddle and kiss from David or a hug and face-to-face talk time with Carrie. After they left, I just cried because I miss my closest friends soooo much and I hate being so far away from them. I hate that I have to miss out on so much!  I already knew I missed Carrie, Sam and David but after such a wonderful weekend I think I miss them more now! 

Still, I wouldn't trade those 24 hours with them for the world. What a sustaining way to start heading into my next big Lyme battle with the increased Rocephin.

This might just be my favorite picture from their visit--our Sunday evening StRoll before we put David to bed, and spent our last bit of time together before they headed out Monday morning. I never heard them leave, but at some point I remember waking up to the joyful sound of David's feet pounding the hardwood floors as he ran through the house. 

David loved riding next to me in his stroller. He didn't last too long on my lap in The Rolls though! 

Carrie, Sam and David: Thank you for the blessing of your visit. How can I ever thank you enough for the gift of your time, your friendship, your love, and my nephew? Thank you for the joy and love you bring to my life.

According to David, we may all be nerdy, but that was one cool visit!

Blessings,

Emily

Photos: Lots and lots of photos from the absolute highlight of my year!  Starring Sam, Carrie, and David.