Incredible People

My plan: five seats across, put boys across the isle, sit with the girls.

My reality: six seats across, Ben and Alida plopped down away from me, Nicholas and Elaine sat with me.

Alida sat alone over there the entire flight. Every once in awhile she would look over and find my face, then she would stick out her tongue and smile. That was all I heard from her on the trip. Some poor man got stuck with the seat next to Benjamin, and he was kind. He spent his flight picking out his favorite Hot Wheels with Ben. I maintain this was probably better plane conversation than some I've had.

And we arrived.
Grandma and grandpa rented a van with a DVD player to haul us around in and had borrowed car seats. We traveled with one backpack and one suitcase; I sent the kids' clothes home with my parents last time they visited Memphis.

We hit the park of my youth.

Strange. Strange to be there with my four.

They really can't seem to pull it together for picture time.

But get Alida alone, and she charmed.

We went to church Easter Sunday. The ladies went to nursery without a fuss; the boys, even more incredibly, went to church with us without a fuss.

There was an Easter Egg Hunt, a great meal, and beautiful weather.

They couldn't stay inside it was so nice out. And this snake in Ben's hand was hands-down the favored toy of the weekend. If we'd planned on it and had four there, they would have ignored them I'm sure.

There were Easter baskets from grandma and grandpa.

Not too terrible.

Beautiful.

Monday was cooler but we hit the park.

Alida clung to that horse like her life depended on it, face plastered to the side of his head. But she would not get off.

They are just incredible.

We had a great visit.

Elaine quietly played with her dolls on the ride home.

Nicholas was delighted with the plane picture but was sure not to lower his tray table until after the plane was in the air. He had out the safety sheet before we took off. When the stewardess came through to show them the masks, he let her know that he had already read about them.

Alida, farthest away again on the ride home. And just as content with the catch of an eye and a sticking out of the tongue every once-in-awhile. Well and she spent some time doing her nails with that pen.

And Ben and I sat and chatted our way home all the way to our useless van.

We got home about 11 Tuesday evening, and they went straight to bed without fuss or fanfare.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I would do it again.