...Till we meet again

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in a tornado that just won't stop spinning. At 8 months pregnant I learned we were moving across the ocean back to the US. That was stressful. We moved, lived in a temporary house while all our stuff was in transit, had a new baby, started a new preschool, bought a house, and then the week that our stuff arrived from Scotland I learned that my dear grandfather had a stroke and wasn't doing too well. My sister and I booked a last minute flight to California... and I left Josh to handle the move on his own while my mom watched Lydia & Claire.

Sarah and I only had a day to spend with grandpa, but it was well worth it. The stroke left him unable to speak and barely able to move, but he was still fully aware of his surroundings, and was able to nod yes or shake his head no, and make silly faces. I arrived at the hospital really early so that he had no other visitors, and I remember that when he first opened his eyes and saw me he just started crying. He tried so hard to talk. it broke my heart. So I just did all the talking. I told him all about my girls and about Josh and his new job, and our move from Scotland. I told him about church and our callings. Then i felt like that was all pretty boring, and he was pretty tired, so i sang him some hymns.

I had Scarlett with me, and against my better judgement I brought her into the hospital amongst all the germs, but was able to shield her pretty well. I introduced her to grandpa. Scarlett is 6 weeks old, and the 25th great-grandchild. Lydia was born the same week my grandmother passed away 4 years ago, and never got to meet her. I'm glad grandpa got to see Scarlett.

We were in and out of the hospital all day. Here's what I love about my grandpa - even when life was slipping away he was still trying to make me smile. He always wants to make people smile. We talked to him about dancing with grandma, and then he tried to wiggle in his hospital bed like he was dancing! And then he gave us a wink and his trademark sly smile. He still had his swagger.

Grandpa passed away on Tuesday afternoon. He left this world the way i want to...at home, surrounded by his four children who have insurmountable love and respect for him, and who never left his side until he took his last breath.

He is surely happy now that he is with the "Queen of his castle", my grandma Bettie Jean. But its the rest of us who are at a loss because there is only one man I've ever known that is so happy, forgiving, full of love, and downright hilarious as Lawrence Edward Taylor. They just don't make men like that anymore.

I love you so much grandpa, and I wish you were around longer so my girls could get to know you for the great man you are. But I know you'll be watching us.

Pondeleros!
(that's Spanish for "Till we meet again")

and only a Taylor will get that. ;)

Aunt Sarah comes to visit

My sister Sarah came to visit for the weekend! She moved up to Riverton Utah to teach just the week before we moved to Midland. Since we won't be with my family for Thanksgiving, she decided she couldn't wait until Christmas to see the girls again, so she's here!And of course she had to bring BYU gear for the kids :) This weekend Sarah has done a lot of babysitting for us, which we really appreciate as we've been getting things sorted at the house and running errands without kids. The girls have been to the duck pond and watched movies together, and this weekend we went to the Halloween party at the library.

The only dress-up costume I packed in Lydia's suitcase was Princess Tiana, so that's what she went as to the party. Then when we got there she wanted her face painted as a kitty cat. Sure, why not. Claire didn't have anything for a costume except high-heeled dress-up shoes, which only lasted 15 minutes and then she put on her crocs. So yeah, we were a little unprepared (I mean, Halloween is still a couple weeks away!), but the girls had a blast.The girls got balloon animals, but we had to wait like 15 minutes in line for them. All this time Lydia is striking up conversation with every kid around her, and meowing like a kitty-cat.Then we went to the craft room and made treat bags, so we could go all around the library trick-or-treating!
Thanks Sarah for a fun weekend!

Almost there...

This Wednesday, the 2oth, the moving van arrives! We've been busy painting, cleaning, and fixing up the house we just bought, and we're ready to finally call this place a home.





I just have to include this picture because it made me laugh. The house comes with a huge pantry, and the previous owners had labeled every shelf! Who is that organized?? Not me. And only an American would have shelf space dedicated to Jello.

Sneak Peak

Little Helpers

Lydia and Claire are my little helpers. I just love these two munchkins. They are still so little, but they try to be so grown up, especially around Scarlett. They always want to hold her, and help burp her and bathe her, and they even speak to her in baby voices. They are little mommies, who love miss Scarlett as much as I do.

They are also little helpers around the house. We give them some small chores to do, but they always want to take on big projects, like painting.But we know better than to trust them with paint, because inevitably they'd start painting like this:Our family is growing, and growing up. But occasionally there are moments that remind me that my girls are still babies. Claire especially likes to do things to remind me that she is 2...
..like plaster herself and her toys with the "bum medicine."