What Happens In Utah...

The girls stayed in Utah with Joe's parents while we were on our trip. We arrived home last Monday, and that Friday Joe's parents came for a visit. We have been enjoying their visit, and feel blessed that it has been extended a few days longer than anticipated. The girls have been lucky to spend so much time with their Grandma and Grandpa Chiara.

Joe and I have had a good time hearing about their time together in Utah and what they all did together. Baseball games. Birthday parties. Dinosaur Museum. Jumping on the trampoline. Dinner with cousins. It sounded like the girls were well behaved and everyone had a real good time. Joe has two brothers that live near home and so the girls were able to spend a lot of time with cousins that they don't see very often. I'm sure grateful that everyone was willing to help out and care for the girls the way they did.

We have had a unique situation with having Keith and Carol here in our home so soon after the girls spent time in their home in Utah. The girls are comfortable with them and Keith and Carol know the girls pretty well. We can't help but tease them a little bit and blame every sour look, every loud scream, every disrespectful tone and all bad habits on "something they learned in Utah." It's been a running joke to exchange looks across the table or around the room when the girls do some sort of misbehaving. We all start laughing because we all know what we're each thinking. "That's something they learned in Utah." It's been cause for a lot of laughs. Keith and Carol have been good sports about it. We're only just kidding, but it has been pretty funny.

Then yesterday we went to the Farmers Market and I had my camera. Ever since Gabs was a little girl, it's been hard to get her to look at the camera when I'm trying to take her picture. I don't care if she doesn't smile, but I would at least like to get a few pictures of more than her looking down, or the side of her head, or her running completely away from me while the camera is pointed at her. I bribe, threat, and act crazy trying to get pictures of her. Hardly anything works.

Well, the Farmers Market is in this historic part of town, and I really loved this weathered door into an old abandoned building. I didn't even try to talk Gabriella into going near the door. I was trying to get pictures of Gwen. All of a sudden Gabriella came cruising over and started doing this:

Now I don't know if this new model posing thing is good or bad, but I most certainly know that it is something I have never asked her to do, or expected her to do. Last night when I downloaded the pictures and told Keith and Carol that she has never done that before, there was a little pause and Carol said, "It must be something she learned in Utah." And it was funny.

To all who sent their well wishes regarding my father-in-law, thank you. I'm happy to report that we were able to bring him home from the hospital on Monday evening and things have been carrying on almost normally. His speech is improving and the clarity of his words is getting better with each day. It must be frustrating not being able to come up with certain words and have to pause and think of the end of your sentence. But Keith is keeping in good spirits. He's actually been really funny and both he and I have said that this has been one of the best visits we've had together. We all have really enjoyed ourselves and we feel so grateful for his recovery and the blessings that have come. Thank you again for the love that we all felt.