DEATH IS NOT THE END

     This has been a really tough week. Heaven gained another sweet angel. Roderick was an awesome little boy who was in my class last year. He was diagnosed with cancer and fought so hard for two long years. He never lost his smile through it all. It's always hard to lose someone to such a brutal disease, but to lose a child.... I'm speechless.

     This entire week I caught myself questioning God. Why? Why do things like this happen? Why should a mother have to go through something so horrible and heart wrenching? Believe me, I know the pain, and I just do not understand why God allows this. Life is just not fair; not fair at all.
     I attended the funeral on Saturday, or as they called it, his celebration of life. I kept glancing at his mother. I knew that pain. I knew how awful it felt to sit in that front row watching your child's lifeless body lie there for all to view. I knew the pain in her smile. I knew the hurt in her eyes. I knew the throbbing of her heart. And it absolutely broke my heart in two. It brought it all back to me. I replayed Avery Kate's funeral numerous times in my head. Again, I'm asking myself, why? This little boy brought so much happiness to me each and every time I saw him. I couldn't bare to see him lying there. I know he is no longer in pain, but it doesn't make it easier. The fact is, he's gone. The fact is, his parents will have to bear that pain for the rest of their lives, the same pain that Brandon and I will continue to bear. Why? Why do these things happen to good people? We sang a song at the "celebration" and as I'm listening to the lyrics, "My God is awesome!" I'm questioning again. Is He really awesome? Is He?  I told Brandon on the way home from the funeral that I know we are supposed to have faith and be positive and trust in God, but on days like today... I am just mad.
     So I have to go to Dallas tomorrow for the week and I know I will be very busy. It's for work, and I decided earlier in the week that I was going to skip church on Sunday and just get some rest and start packing. After the way I was feeling yesterday, I decided that I am truly blessed and God deserves my time so I went. As we drove into the church parking lot, the sign read "Death is not the end." So clearly I thought it was a sign meant for me. The Gospel was about Jesus bringing a woman's son back to life. Of course I'm thinking, "Well he didn't do that for me, and he didn't do that yesterday for Roderick's mother either." It was just hard to hear. Then Fr. Keith began his homily. I think he spoke directly to me! I felt like I was the only one sitting in church and he was speaking to me. He said how God is NOT death. He is LIFE. He does not bring these tragedies to us, he is bringing these people to new life. Of course, I begin to feel a lump in my throat, but still, I'm good. Then he says that it is the hardest when he experiences the death of a child. As he spoke about his experiences with parents losing a child and walking that journey with them, tears started flowing from my eyes. I couldn't stop. I was already so emotional, and now I feel as if he is sharing his story about walking with us every step of the way. From the moments in the hospital until we laid Avery Kate into the ground, Fr. Keith was there. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and Honey's daughter in law is sitting right behind us. I don't think it's a coincidence that we were all there together today. I can't believe I almost missed this. When I left, I just felt emotionally drained...and makeup-less! It was one of the most touching masses I had ever been to. I really needed that!

     I will be gone all week, which means I will be away from my family. Hallie is sooo upset! "I'm gonna miss mom so much AND Avery Kate tooooo!" I know I'm going to miss that little thing too! You know a lot of people feel like they need a break from their kids every now and then, and I can understand why they would feel that way, but I can honestly say that I don't. When I'm not with them, I miss them. Even if it's just for an hour. I know it's probably due to the fact that I have lost a child and I feel like every moment I have with these children on Earth is precious. I am just dreading being away from them for an entire week. I know it's nothing like last time (3 weeks) but I hate that I won't be able to hold my baby girl, Aubrey and I won't be able to cuddle with Hallie. Please pray for my family and for me this week while I'm gone. I can always feel the power of prayer and I know it's what gets me through each day. Also, please pray for Roderick's family. I know the journey they are on and I know prayer is what got me to where I am today. We will never "get over" this, but we can grow in our faith in knowing that Death is NOT the End. We will see our children again!

As long as I live... you will live

Last Sunday was Mother's Day, a day that I knew would be very tough. Brandon included Avery Kate in my Mother's Day card and that meant the world to me. I guess I tried not to think about her and to be strong and be thankful for the children that I have at home with me, but the truth is, I won't ever be able to not think about her. She is always on my mind....always. I pray to her in my car every day while I'm driving the many miles for work. So many songs on the radio remind me of her, and sometimes I wonder if she sends those songs to me at certain times on purpose. Carrie Underwood sings a song, See You Again. Here are the lyrics:
Said goodbye, turned around
And you were gone, gone, gone
Faded into the setting sun,
Slipped away
But I won’t cry
Cause I know I’ll never be lonely
For you are the stars to me,
You are the light I follow

[Chorus]
I’ll See you again, oh
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me, oh
Till I see you again

I can hear those echoes in the wind at night
Calling me back in time
Back to you
In a place far away
Where the water meets the sky
The thought of it makes me smile
You are my tomorrow

[Chorus]
I’ll See you again, oh
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me, oh
Till I see you again

[Bridge]
Sometimes I feel my heart is breaking
But I stay strong and I hold on cause I know
I’ll see you again, oh
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me, yeah yeah

[Outro]
I’ll See you again, oh
This is not where it ends
I will carry you with me, oh
Till I see you again
Till I see you again,
Till I see you again,
Said goodbye turned around
And you were gone, gone, gone.

This song totally explains how I feel about Avery Kate. I know I will see her again, I just wish it was NOW. I hate that I have to wait so long. I get jealous of old people sometimes because I know they'll see her before I will; of course if God allows me to live until I'm old and gray. I tried to explain to Hallie that we will see her again when we go to Heaven and she did not understand. She is little and she kept saying, "But we're going to come right back right?" Sometimes I just can't explain Heaven, it's just too non tangible for words. I can't tell her about Heaven from my own personal experience so it's hard for me.
The other night Hallie started crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said that Avery Kate wouldn't answer her. Of course I'm thinking, ummm...does she usually answer you? So I asked her what she asked her. She said, "I just said, Avery Kate are you big now? Are you running around? Are you smiling and laughing up there?" My heart just melted. How does this 3 year old child think of something like this? She remembers her sister, and even when those memories fade, I will keep them alive for her. We talk about Avery Kate every day, sometimes multiple times, but we don't go one day without mentioning her name. Her memory will be kept alive as long as we are alive. We carry her in our hearts all day, every day.
On another note, Aubrey is getting so big! She is 7 months old now. We still use the apnea monitor on her at nighttime. I'm still not ready to relax without it. My biggest fear is that the moment I get comfortable, something terrible will happen and I won't be able to forgive myself for it. I'm just patiently waiting for that day that I just relax, maybe when she's 18? Maybe never..I guess that's the definition of a mother right? I also feel like the older Aubrey gets, the more I lose Avery Kate, or maybe I'm just mourning the things that Avery Kate never got to do? I don't know which it is. I just know when I see Aubrey sitting up and "talking" it breaks my heart. I know Avery Kate never got to do that. Aubrey has her own look now and I guess now that I'm not holding her like a little baby, I feel like I've lost Avery Kate all over again. I felt so much comfort in holding Aubrey as an infant. My arms were so empty and she helped to fill that emptiness. She never replaced Avery Kate or replaced the pain I felt, but she brought joy to my life, a joy that I needed so badly. I am so thankful for her. She is such a breath of fresh air each day. She smiles ALL THE TIME. Aubrey is the happiest baby, and I sometimes wonder if she was handpicked by Avery Kate and sent to us. She's just the absolute perfect baby. Well I am her mother, so I may be a little biased :)
Aubrey did something this week that I've been waiting for for a very long time. She said Mama. I cannot explain how much this means to me. That was one thing that upset me so much when Avery Kate passed away. I never got to hear her say Mama. She did come to me in my dream and say, "I love you, Mama." but I never got to hear those words when she was here with me. When Aubrey said it...my heart...my entire body just beamed with happiness. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I know she was just jabbering, but she said Mama. She said my name. And it meant everything to me. I recorded her on my phone later that day, and I replay it a few times each day. It's just music to my ears.
I know as Aubrey begins to hit those milestones that Avery Kate was never able to meet, I will have my moments. I think it's only normal...right??
I was recently on my computer and came across this video that I made when Avery Kate was born. I look at Hallie; she was just a baby herself. I cannot believe that she remembers her sister, and remembers from her own experiences. I'm just in awe at this amazing little girl. I'm so thankful that she remembers her sister :) Enjoy...
 http://youtu.be/oelF3RvNwOE

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there who have a sweet angel in Heaven. It takes a special person to be the mother of a true Angel :)

If Heaven wasn't so far away

I've been very busy lately with the Easter holiday and learning my new job so I haven't had a chance to update my blog and I've felt it building up in chest. This blog is my release. It's my way to let out my thoughts and feelings and to just be real with myself. I also hope to help people along the way, but ultimately, I'm helping myself.
We have been looking for someone to keep Aubrey for the summer since Honey and Pops only keep teacher's kids during teacher hours. It's been the hardest thing to do since we have been so overprotective of Aubrey since she was born. well, after much searching, Mrs. Kathy offered to keep Aubrey this summer and it just means the world to me. She only keeps kids once they turn a year old, so for her to keep Aubrey at 8 months is a really big deal. It's also a big deal to me for more than that reason itself. Not only do we already trust her completely, but this allows Hallie and Aubrey to be there together all summer. I cry just thinking about this. Hallie and Avery Kate were supposed to be together this year at Mrs. Kathy's. I was so excited for them to be together and that was just another dream for my children that was crushed with her death. Mrs. Kathy has allowed that dream to come true. I haven't been able to tell her about it because I know I could never get the first word out without crying, but it just shows how wonderful she is. I know she was just trying to help me so I didn't have to bring Aubrey to a stranger, but it's much deeper than that to me. I couldn't even type about this without wiping my tears away. Thank you Mrs. Kathy for being such a critical part of our lives. I don't know what I would do without you!
I also had a really tough week last week. Aubrey turned 6 months old on Tuesday. This is the day we've been waiting for all along. The risk of SIDS drastically decreases at 6 months old. All along I thought I'd take her off the monitor at night and she'd start sleeping in her own room. WRONG. My heart was just so soft Monday night. Aubrey had her 6 month check up the next morning and I was just a mess inside thinking of her doctor taking her off that monitor. I just wasn't ready. Not only that, but I was browsing around facebook that night and saw a post from another SIDS mom. She had to bury her second child of SIDS. I even made the mistake of looking at her pictures and seeing pictures of her beautiful babies just gone with no reason. She had captions on her pictures saying how God had given her a piece of her heart back and how blessed she was to have another wonderful baby. The way she felt about her baby boy is exactly the way I feel about Aubrey. And she lost him. My heart literally hurt; my chest felt so tight as I thumbed through her pictures. I just put myself in her shoes and I could not imagine losing two children. I just got really scared and knew that I was not ready to take Aubrey off her monitor. I cried myself to sleep that Monday night. I cried for Avery Kate, and I cried at the thought of ever losing another one of my girls. Please pray for that mom, because I know a few extra prayers can go a long way.
I took Aubrey to her doctor Tuesday morning and he was absolutely amazing and supportive of me. He told me I didn't have to take her off her monitor until I could look him in the eye and tell him I was 100% ready. I hope Aubrey won't mind wearing this to elementary and high school ;) But I just felt the biggest relief when he said that to me. I still can't believe that the day I've been waiting for is finally here, and I'm still as scared and nervous as I was the first night we had her at home. How long will I feel like this? Hallie even asked me, "Mom, how come I don't wear wires at night." I responded by saying, "Because they won't give me any for you!" And I am serious in that response haha!
That Tuesday afternoon I was driving home from work and heard a country song on the radio. "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" by Justin Moore. I lost it. And I mean, completely lost it right there in my car. Thank goodness I was done with work because there was no way I could go into a doctor's office after this. My makeup was awful and the crying was just uncontrollable. Here are the lyrics that got me the worst:
 "Then tell him we'd be back in a couple of days
In the rear view mirror we'd all watch 'em wave
Yeah, and losing them wouldn't be so hard to take
If heaven wasn't so far away"
I just pictured Avery Kate waving to me, Brandon, and the girls. I imagined my face lighting up knowing we would be back in a few days, knowing I wouldn't have to wait this lifetime to see her again. I pictured the fun she is having there, and all of us getting to experience that with her. and it sucks! It absolutely sucks because I don't get to experience any of that with her. That song really hit me hard, and I know timing is everything. I couldn't pick up Aubrey first because I didn't want Honey and Pops to know I'd been crying. So I picked up Hallie first and of course cried at Mrs. Kathy's as I tried to explain the song. It just really touched my heart. But it also felt so good to let it all out. It had been balling up inside of me for a while.
Lately I've been squeezing Aubrey and Hallie and just cherishing every moment I have with them. Life is short as we all know now and I want to remember every second I have with my children. I'm trying to learn my new job and be the best I can possibly be, but I also have to remember that I have a family; a family who is precious. We don't have all the time in the world so the time we do have together should be meaningful. I learned a few other things these past few weeks:

1. Country music stations are prohibited during the work day.
2. Cupcakes can get you anywhere in life :)
3. Do something that makes you happy. Don't stay in your career because you're used to it.
4. No regrets
5. Cherish those in your life, they make your life what it is.
6. Rock your babies, you'll never get to do it again.
7. Take as many pictures as you can. You can never have enough images to capture the present.
8. Have faith, without it, you have nothing.
9. Being alone in the car can be good for soul searching, and for catching up with family and friends on the phone :)
10. Don't eat at Grandma's for lunch if you have a busy afternoon of work planned (boy did I want to curl up on the couch and pass out! roast, rice and gravy, smothered potatoes, veggies, macaroni, salad, dessert...woa!
11. As much as you are your child's hero, they are in turn yours :)
12. If Heaven wasn't so far away... I would be there every single day! Especially since I have a company car with free gas!

Where is the PAUSE button?

I know it's been a while since I've written, but since I've been back with my family I've really been enjoying "living in the moment." Aubrey is growing up right before my eyes. I blink, and somehow she's bigger and meeting milestones that I didn't think she was ready for yet. She is rolling all over my living room, trying to sit up, and almost ready for baby food. I just want her to stay my little tiny baby. I think part of this is the fact that I'm human, and most mothers get a little teary eyed imagining their babies growing up. But another part is that the older Aubrey gets, I feel like I lose another piece of Avery Kate. When Aubrey was born, I felt like I got part of Avery Kate back. I'm not saying that I think she was reincarnated or anything, but that hole in my heart that was longing to hold her, squeeze her, smell her, etc...the physical things that I missed...that hole was filled when I held Aubrey for the first time. And now that she is getting older, I know that I will never feel that again. I love watching Aubrey grow up too, but deep down I always think of what Avery Kate would look like at this age, or what Avery Kate would be doing now if she were here to help Hallie and I cheer on Aubrey to roll over, etc. Lately, I've been surrounded by some friends with babies the same age as Avery Kate and I just watched their kids running around Aubrey and playing with Hallie, and I can't help but wonder what my life would be like if she were still here. I've been dressing Aubrey in some of Avery Kate's clothes that she was never able to wear. Of course I'm the only one who knows this, but Hallie always seems to comment on the outfits, even if it's just a simple pair of pajamas. "Mom! These are beautiful!! Are they brand new?" She doesn't miss a thing that's for sure. It always brings such a bitter sweet smile to my face each time I dress her in those clothes. I immediately smile and picture what Avery Kate would have looked like, and then smile even bigger to think of how blessed I am to have sweet Aubrey in my life. She is without a doubt my rainbow after the storm. I am so thankful to have such an amazing baby in my life. I just wish that Avery Kate could be here to enjoy her with us.
Brandon and I attended the funeral of Brandon's uncle on Wednesday. It was at the same place where we had Avery Kate's funeral, and he was buried in the same cemetery. I cannot even begin to explain the memories that came rushing back to me the moment we drove up to the funeral home. I just kept picturing that day that I had to pick our her casket, bring her clothes for her to be dressed for the last time, the way my sweet baby looked in her pretty pink bow, the hugs and kind words I received, the tears I shed, and the list goes on. I remember it all and it all came pouring back into my memory all at once. Of course I tried by best to block it out, but the brain does not work that way. And then I kept watching Brandon's grandma. Even though our situations were different, I could feel her pain. I knew what she was feeling. I remember being in her shoes and burying my child. I don't think any mother should ever have to endure such a pain. It's not the way the world is supposed to turn. We aren't supposed to bury our children.
On a positive note, I am absolutely loving my job! I enjoy my quiet time in my car each day. I get to do some good soul searching, which is also followed my some major jamming! I know I give those big truck drivers something to laugh at because I just let is loose! I also enjoy talking with people each day and getting to know so many people. Every person has a story tell, and I love being the one to hear it. I also feel so much happier and energetic each day. This was the change that I needed in my life. I miss my teacher friends so much, but I do stop by and get my hugs in when I can. I can honestly say that I have been truly happy these past few months. I still have that hurt in my heart, but I have learned how to live with it. I don't know if it will ever go away, and I do acknowledge it occasionally, but ultimately, I am happy. I have God to thank for that. I also have all the prayers from my family and friends too. I know I couldn't have made it this far alone.
And now to move forward. Six months is said to be the "safe" age. SIDS is most common in babies 2-6 months old. I just am not ready for Aubrey to sleep without the monitor. I am finally sleeping better now and I don't want to go back to that anxiety every night, wondering if my child would be alive when I woke up. I still stare at Aubrey every time she sleeps in her chair during the day, or sleeps in her carseat. I am just not ready for the day where she has to sleep without her monitor. Can she use it until she moves out of the house for college?
I also heard of a six month old baby passing away a little over a week ago. My heart hurts for the baby's parents. I would never wish this pain on anyone. This family's story was very similar to ours, but the baby was older. So of course, as I think I am about to gain a little relief when Aubrey turns 6 months, I'm still just as terrified that I will lose her too. Please pray for this family. I know the only thing that got me through this horrible time in my life was prayers. Even when I had no faith, everyone else's faith moved me closer to God and that's why I am OK today.
Thank you to everyone who has helped me to get where I am today. I am so thankful to have such an awesome support group. Thank you :)

Walking by Faith...

I made it! I made it through my entire three-week training in New York. I made it away from my husband and babies for three whole weeks. I still cannot believe I did it! The first week was the hardest. I cried really hard when I'd talk to Brandon and hear Aubrey's little coos in the background. Hallie would cry on face time, which would make me upset too. The first week was just awful. I absolutely hated it. I was mentally exhausted from all the information being pounded into my brain, and I was emotionally exhausted from missing my babies and the thought of something happening to them while I was across the country. I had visitors on the weekends and that really helped to break up the trip. I am so thankful for such awesome family members and friends. The second two weeks went by so fast! I don't know if it was because I finally got the hang of things, or if I was just so distracted and focused on the training that it went by more quickly. Either way, I'm thankful it did. I even experienced my first snow while I was there, which was really cool.  I also felt like Avery Kate was with me every step of the way. I felt closer to her being there, than I have felt in a while. I know she was with me. I also had a few break downs about Avery Kate. It seemed like she was just constantly on my mind the entire time I was at training. And, the strange part is that Hallie started talking about Avery Kate the day I came home. Brandon said she didn't mention her one time while I was gone. I know it's because she was with me, helping me through such a hard time. I'm so lucky to have my own personal angel on my side. As much as I hated being away for so long, I'm actually glad it happened. It forced me out of my comfort zone, and it also brought Brandon closer to girls. Any time I would leave Aubrey in the past, I had this terrible feeling in my stomach. The anxiety I had was sky high, even if I would only be away from her for 30 minutes. So now that I was forced to be away from her for such a long period of time, I'm OK. It's strange how things work out. Now, I can drop Aubrey off at Honey and Pops, and I am totally fine. It feels so good to feel normal when I drop my baby off at her sitter each morning.
While I was at training, I was asked the questions, "So why would you leave teaching?" "You didn't like teaching?" and many similar questions the entire three weeks. I thought I had it all figured out with needing change since Avery Kate passed away. I felt embarrassed or silly for not being OK teaching at that school anymore. I thought something was wrong with me for not being able to go back and teach there. But then I thought about it. Even though our situations are completely different, the children and staff of Sandy Hook Elementary don't want to go back to that building. It's traumatic, and they don't want to constantly have to be reminded of that horrific day, reliving the worst day of their lives. That's exactly how I feel. I absolutely loved my school and the people I worked with. Those people are the ones who helped me through the worst day of my life. They supported me and were there for me when I needed them. They made my days brighter. And still, I can't go back there and feel normal. I can't go back there and not have that awful feeling in my stomach. I know that everything happens for a reason, and this change will be for the best.
After a long three weeks, I finally got to go home to my babies! Hallie was waiting at the airport for me with a huge sign and balloons. She had the biggest smile on her face. I couldn't wait to hug her! She came running to me, "Mom! I missed you sooo m..... You got a new purse??" She doesn't a miss a thing! We left the airport and went to pick up Aubrey. That was honestly one of the hardest things. I was so happy to see her and squeeze her, and I just couldn't help but imagine the feeling I would have if I could see Avery Kate again. I just kept hugging Aubrey and thinking of what I would do if I could hug Avery Kate just one more time. I still get a lump in my throat just thinking about that.
So now I'm home and back to our everyday routines. It's funny how much I've missed making bottles, doing laundry, bathing kids, etc. I just missed being a mommy. I'm so happy to be back home. I've started my job now and I absolutely love it! I'm so glad I took the leap of faith and the step out of my comfort zone. My friend, Elise, shared a quote with me, "Walk by faith, not by sight." I feel like I have lived that quote to the fullest these last few months. I have faith that God will see me through my darkest times, and he has never let me down. Aubrey has truly been my rainbow following the worst storm imaginable. I feel so happy about my life. I have a wonderful husband, amazing children, and a job that makes me happy... But that scares me. The last time I felt that way, my precious Avery Kate was ripped from heart. I'm scared to be happy again. That's where the faith has got to come in. I'm trying, but I'm still scared.
Here is a quote that goes along with this post:
"Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
I don't see the whole staircase, but I'm OK just taking baby steps. As long as I'm moving forward, I know I'm moving in the right direction.

Here are a few pics from the trip:

HOME SWEET HOME!

Aubrey's First Day

Aubrey's first day at Honey and Pops was set for Thursday, January 3. I had been mentally preparing for that day then she was born. Honey texted me that week and asked if I could bring her Wednesday instead so she could have her by herself and just get comfortable with things before the other babies came back. It was soooo hard! I cried the entire morning but managed to keep it together when I dropped her off. It was really hard. Luckily I had a doctors appointment so I didn't have to go home alone. When I left there I picked up lunch and realized that I could not go home. I had never been there without Aubrey and I my heart was hurting too badly to be able to handle being home alone. So I went to Heather's and stayed there until it was time to pick up Aubrey.
As I drove up to pick her up, I just thought, "I did it!" I was so proud of myself! But when I walked out of their house holding my sweet baby, it hit me. I never got to do this that last day with Avery Kate. I dropped her off and never got to pick her up again. I cried the entire way home. I would have never thought that picking her up would be the hard part! Sometimes it just hits me when I least expect it.
Thursday was a little easier dropping her off. I had done it the day before and I was ok. I went home to finish studying and testing for my new job. I absolutely hated it. I hated seeing her mamaRoo-empty. I hated seeing her bottles and seeing all of her things and not seeing her. I felt just like that night when I walked into our house without Avery Kate. All of her things were there, but she was not. It was so hard to study and focus on my work! I'm not even sure if I learned anything that day.
Finally I had had enough of the silence so I called Brandon's sister to come change out Avery Kate's flowers with me. We took her Christmas tree down and put her some pretty, happy flowers. I knew I couldn't leave town with her grave not taken care of. Then I went to pick up Aubrey. It was hard again, but I made it. I told Honey that she was never allowed to call me if Aubrey was with her. My heart cannot handle seeing that number on my phone if my baby is there. It's just too many memories and flashbacks. Of course she agreed. I know it's hard for them too. It's really not easy to leave her at all, but it's something I had to do. I can't put her in a bubble forever can I? I sure wish I could sometimes.
Well I made it past another hurdle during this journey we call life. There will be many more, but I have faith that I can make it. We don't have to be strong throughout every day, we just have to trust that God will be there every step of the way.

19 days without my family

This morning I woke up at 6:00 to feed Aubrey. I fed her in her room just like I always do. The only difference today was that she stared at me and smiled the whole time while I cried my eyes out. I held her tightly and kissed her forehead probably twenty times. I just had that feeling that I did when I held Avery Kate in the emergency room day. I just told Aubrey... Don't you go anywhere. You stay here and wait for mommy to come home. You have to be here when I get back ok? Again, she just smiled. Hallie cried a little too, but not nearly as much as I did. Brandon and I tried to pretend like it was so cool that I would be away because they were going to have so much fun! I also promised her that I would be coming home. I didn't want her to think that I was going away just like Avery Kate did. I managed to hold it together, but it was sooo hard! I could barely see through the tears in my eyes as I checked in at the air port. But you know what... I made it. I'm half way to New York now and I know I will be ok. That's the good thing about having God on my side... I will always be ok... No matter what. And after all... I get to have one of my babies with me this entire week and I feel her presence.