Things have been very calm and laid back. That is a bit unusual for me. It is a very strange feeling; one I think I am really enjoying. I have found that I have much more patience and calmness. There is something about Florida or my brother's house that just puts a calming "balm" around me. I can't figure it out, but there is something. We have been here since 9:30pm Sunday night. We have spent 3 days doing nothing other then sit by the pool and watch tv and relax. We did make a trip to an outlet mall for a couple of hours, but that is about it. I tried to take the kids to the beach, but Jacob and Emily both insisted we not go. We will be spending Friday-Sunday on the beach in a condo, so they just wanted to hang here and relax. My neice and nephew are at a camp all week long. They don't get home until 3:30 every day, so it is kind of quiet around here. Elizabeth and Ri have discovered the joy of Faith's Littlest Pet Shop animals. She has a container full of them and a house that they can go in.... they have spent hours and hours playing with them.

Emily has been blessed with an opportunity to earn $500.00 while we are here. She has been hired by friends of my brother & sister-in-law to babysit for 5 days. She begins tomorrow. She is very excited. The family has a gorgeous home, a pool and a hot tub in their backyard, she has access to their car and a golf cart. The kids are at camp Thursday and Friday and Monday during the day until 5:00 and they go to bed at 9:00. Emily is so good with young kids. These 2 are in 2nd and 3rd grade. I think Emily will have a lot of fun.

Sam is really missing not being here. I feel so badly that he and Mark can not come. I feel bad for Erin as well, but part of the reason the other 2 can not come is because Erin had to be dropped off at a soccer camp on June 28th. There was no flexibility. We were going to all come at the end of July; everyone would have been able to come then. It was Mark and I's decision for Erin to attend the camp. In fact, we almost insisted she go. So, it isn't really her fault; but the end result is that neither Mark nor Sam could come. I even went so far to see if I could get Sam and Mark here on a one-way ticket. Unfortunately, Mark can NOT get off work until July 13th. We are coming home July 11th.

I have not been able to speak with Erin much, that has really been hard on me. I only recieved text messages for the first 2 days and none of them encouraged me. I got a very broken cell phone call and I couldn't tell if she was in tears or if the reception was so bad that I just couldn't understand her. So... I have been aching, hoping and praying that her week went well. The heat in Alabama is incredibly more intense then she has ever played before! But I spoke with her last night and felt much better. I finally heard the spark in her voice and the excitement behind her words. I am anxious to hear more.

Elizabeth and Emily both seem to be suffering from swimmers ear. I think I will be taking them to the doctor tomorrow. So... that covers a little with our trip. We are looking forward to more time with my family in Florida. When we come home, we will have a week with our very special friends from California! I am so looking forward to seeing them!