There's No Place Like Home

I made it back from California. You guys know I love children, but...on the plane ride back, there was this little red headed baby girl who cried, no screamed the entire three hours. And where did she sit? That's correct, right in front of me. As if plugged up ears aren't bad enough, my head was pounding! However, Rina was a doll and enjoyed her big day. She really didn't care about the presents, but she liked her Elmo cake, I guess because she had been telling me about it all week. Her MiMi came on Wednesday and trimmed some worn overalls for her in red (Elmo colors) that she wore with her Elmo socks. She would have nothing to do with the matching hair clips. When Rina says "no" she means it. She was excited that her friends Sara, T.J. and Parker came as well as a host of others who I don't remember. When we went to Sequoia National Park to see the oldest tree on earth we also saw a bear. I was asking Georgeanne to come get in the picture with me and when I looked over her shoulder I saw a bear. I calmly said "Oh, there's a bear" until I realized that there was nothing between me and the bear except Georgeanne. Then it turned to "There's a BEAR!" Rina talked about the bear the rest of the week. She's never seen her Mommy, Poppy, and NayNay hustle that fast to get in the car. It was a fun week with my dear friend but I was ready to get home. I was greeted with lots of slobber kisses - no, not Steve but the puppy dogs. Then this morning they all busted in bright and early. All four of those little dolls - Reed, Blythe, Blaire & Turner. Of course NayNay had surprises for them all and they stayed occupied long enough for me to finish my coffee before the real work began.