Top of the World

Isabelle and I are back from the Top of the World. Literally. #100, Top of the World Drive, Middle-of-nowhere... No, actually we were in Pigeon Forge but after (not-so-wisely) following Garmin's directions, I felt like I'd ended up in the middle of nowhere! Just to give you a clue, when Tonya called to see where I was, I had just passed a guy who had tied his goat to his outhouse and was trying to navigate the hairpin turns of a two-way mountain road that was barely wide enough for a single car!

Seriously, though, we spent a week visiting family and then headed to Pigeon Forge to reunite with some of our Casa de Luna friends! Tonya, Lori, Valerie, and I were all together with our kids at Casa de Luna Bed and Breakfast in Guatemala last April and then Tonya, Lori, and I were together again over the summer.

This time around, all four girls are HOME! Praise the Lord! It was wonderful to have the girls together again and to get to visit...although I must admit the visiting is a LOT harder with walking, talking, exploring toddlers than it was when we were all just sitting around most of the day holding babies and taking turns with the bouncy seat!

We had a cabin (and yes, the address was Top of the World) and it worked out perfectly. Saturday we had perfect weather to match! We had grand plans of things we thought we might do, but other than a bit of shopping and eating out a couple of times, we ended up spending most of our time hanging out ... and watching a bit of Elmo ;)

I'll let the pictures tell the rest...

Okay, so can I just say the views from our cabin were SPECTACULAR!!!

Kim, do you have this shirt yet?
Thankfully the rails on the balconies were really big and the openings were small, because all the kids really loved running around outside...and the grown ups enjoyed all of the rocking chairs!

Here's Arabella now ("then" pics are below...). She makes absolutely the FUNNIEST faces!
Arabella modeling for us
Valerie and Maria Jade enjoying some sunshine

Here are all the kids (minus Valerie's son Mason, who was go-carting with daddy). Tonya brought her sister and niece (back left) and then the two other "big girls" are Lori's two other daughters. L to R little kids: Bethany, Maria Jade, Isabelle, Arabella

That is now...this is a year ago! Valerie holding Maria Jade and Tonya holding Arabella April 2008

The stroller gals in July 2008 (at Casa de Luna again). L to R:

Tonya (and Arabella), me (and Isabelle), Lori (and Bethany)

Bethany and Isabelle. I didn't get any great pics, but it is amazing to see the HUGE grins Bethany gives out now! She was not fussy or anything when we were in GUA, but she didn't have the same sense of joy that she clearly does now! It was so much fun to see!!! On this trip, Lori and I were visiting but Tonya was bringing Arabella home. Lori and I were so happy for her (but soooo jealous!!!)

And here are the stroller gals now (with the addition of Lori's daugher Vivienne)! (same order)

We topped off our time together with a trip out to lunch yesterday - yummy!!!

Isabelle got going with her napkin and was HYSTERICAL making faces and stuff...
It was a fun weekend having everyone together and an incredible testament to God's blessings and faithfulness in all of our lives (incredible miracle in progress, but I better not say anymore...)! After having spent such emotional times together in the past as we all worked to bring our kids home, it was amazing to just be together sharing "normal" family time. Tonya, Lori, and I all have birthdays in the next week or so (Happy Birthday Tonya!) and are thinking this might be a good annual tradition...