Surprise!!!

I had a small bag of items that my niece and nephew left at our house while they were staying with us a few weeks ago. I had kept forgetting to hand it over during the times when we've seen one another since their departure. So yesterday I finally had a break in the action that corresponded with me remembering about the bag and drove it over to my sister-in-laws house.

My SIL and my niece who had been hospitalized at the beginning of the month took the entire week off to rest up from their week of sleepless hospital nights. My niece will return to school at the end of the month (due to our break). It was so nice to see her answer the door with a smile, no tubes, no pain, just her "real" self back!

I had swung by close to the time that I needed to leave to get my kiddos from school. It turned out to be great timing as on a whim I asked if my niece wanted to hop in the car with me and surprise my kiddos - and stay with us for the evening.

I was happy that it did not take more than a second for her to make up her mind with a Yes, Please! Yay - this was going to be FUN! And it proved to be as my girl's eyes were that of shock and awe as she saw her cousin sitting in the front seat of our car, totally not expecting her there. And my son who stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his cousin picking him up too. It was awesome!!!

The kiddos hung out the rest of the night doing kiddo things. Talking. And laughing. With bits of girl screams here and there about girl topics boys. Sigh (wink).

It was so fun to squish around our little kitchen table as a family and have her sitting with us for dinner. It was fun to hear her laugh. To hear her stories. To see her Smile!!! To not have to worry about her health. It was an awesome night!

Thank you, M, for spending the evening with us ad-lib style. We love you so much, and we are so thankful that you are feeling back to normal. Smooches!!