This Is Why!

"I tell you the truth, whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me." Matthew 25:40

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Girls Trip 2010!























































































































































Each year Iris and I go on a "girls trip"...just the two of us...this year we went to Gatlinburg(thanks to Gail and Benny for letting us use their condo) and we had such a good time! Every year I have a good time with her but this year was a little different. Now she is at an age where I can really see what type of person she is turning into. I love just watching her and seeing what she enjoys. I'm not out to be her best friend...but I do want us to be as close as a mother and daughter should be. I want her to know that she can come to me no matter what and spending this one on one time with her gives her a chance to open up to me without all of the outside interruptions we have at home. There will probably be a time when I will be the last person she wants to go on a vacation with...but for now she loves spending time with me...and I will take it while I can. Before we left for our trip I asked Iris what she was looking forward to the most and she said "sleeping with you 3 nights in a row"...how sweet is that!!

When Iris is a mother herself I hope she will remember all the times we spent together and will want to do those same things with her children. Childhood memories are some of the best things we can give our kids...I know that some of my most happy and vivid memories are when I spent time with my parents when I was a child...I want Iris to have those same types of memories. Luckily my daughter has not become "high maintenance"...not yet anyway! When I asked her what she wanted to do on our trip she mainly just wanted to hang out at the pool, shop a little(and I do mean a little-she walks into a store and within 5 minutes she has picked out 1 or 2 things she wants and she is done-she gets that from her Dad), have our nails done, have lunch at our favorite Tea Room, eat pancakes, and curl up each night and watch iCarly! That's my kind of vacation! There are so many attractions in Gatlinburg...but thankfully she's not into all of that...but I'm sure that day will come. Just spending time with Iris was so special to me...it was nice not having any computers or video games around...just some quiet time together!

Our favorite memory this trip was that we got to see a bear. In all of the years I have been going to Gatlinburg I have always wanted to spot one. Iris and I were on our way to lunch on the last day and there on the side of the road up on top of the retaining wall was a bear! We were so excited...it made our trip extra special to share that together!

I love you Iris Anne-you are growing up so fast and I am so proud of the person you are becoming. I hope we will always take time out of our busy lives to spend some quality time together!