North Carolina

So back in March, I got an e-mail from my brother-in-law wanting to know if we wanted to visit my sister in Charlotte for a week in June. Well DUH.... OF COURSE. Then came the catch. "Your sister will have NO IDEA you are coming. I'll be leaving for FL on Tues for a conference. That's the day you get there. On Friday you will drive Tonya to the airport and get her on a plane to join me for the weekend (she will also have NO IDEA about this until you tell her.) **Great, so I was going to be the one to tell her that she was going to leave her 4th for the first time** You and Gerald will stay home with the kids...." HUH???? We needed some time to think about this. As much as I wanted to see my sister and my nieces and nephews (We don't get to see them nearly enough) the thought of G and I taking care of FIVE kids for THREE days was somewhat overwhelming! I didn't immediately jump at the chance. After some discussion and finding that Donnie's sister would be at the house some to help out (she's living with them for the summer and volunteering/interning at their church) we decided, WE CAN DO THIS!! So off we went on May 31st. We boarded a plane from Lubbock to Dallas, and then Dallas to Charlotte. Jake's FAVORITE part about that trip was the tram we got to ride from gate to gate at the DFW airport. He is sooooo into trains these days!!

He was a champ the entire time. He really travels well!! He crashed in his stroller as soon as we got off the plane and didn't even flinch when we moved him from the stroller into the car seat. It was good for him to get in a little nap before arriving to see his cousins.

Soon we arrived at the house. I was so excited that we had actually pulled this off!! Luckily Jake woke up right about the time we turned into their neighborhood.

That was PRICELESS!!!
Obviously Tonya was SHOCKED to see us there and took the news of her Friday departure VERY well. She was so excited to have a little kid free get away with the hubs! The next day was filled with Monkey Joe's (a jump-house place) and Fro-yo that night with the kids and Aunt Coco.

Monkey Joes in NC from Gerald Miller on Vimeo.

Before heading off to Palm Springs, FL, my sister treated me to an AMAZING pedicure. We had a good time being pampered together. Wish we could do it more often. 

After that we didn't get many more pics or videos. We stayed busy having fun though, with soccer games...

                                                             (On our way to the game)

                                                                         (Sweet Erin)

(Waiting for the game to start. Best cousins!!)

 Going to church, playing Wii, bike riding, walks, playing with computers, cars and trains...

 more Wii, meals together, bedtime stories

and just a lot of laughter rough housing and pillow fights.

Oh, and of course following Jake up and down the stairs. He maneuvered them like a champ by the time we left. We survived the week as "parents" of 5. Of course it helps that my sister and Donnie have raised their children with such integrity. Joshua is their helper and has such a servants heart. He could run the house as well as any adult. Caleb is their comic relief, HA! He wants to be like his big brother and does just about 21anything Josh does. He is tender-hearted and LOVES his sisters too. It's so sweet to see him and Ella play together. He is just FUN to be around. Ella is their princess. She LOVES her big brothers, but also has her girlie side. She was a good "big sister" to our Jake-Man. She always made sure he was where he needed to be. I think she's going to be a good leader as she gets older and will grow into a beautiful woman with great faith and also a big heart. Sweet Erin is just that, sweet Erin. She's very different from her brothers and sister, but that just shows me that the Lord has AMAZING things lined up for her. She will have her own special place in their family. I believe she will grow up to be their bold one. Bold in all that she does. I can't wait to watch her blossom.
We were blessed to be around those kiddos for a week. I hope as Jake grows up they can grow closer together and all become amazing men and women of faith!