Bon Voyage Emily!

Madi's sweet soulmate, Emily, and her parents are moving up North. We are sad that they will be so far away, but we take comfort in knowing that they are a short flight away AND they have plenty of family in South Florida that should ensure they come back to visit once in a while.

I decided to take a spontaneous journey with the kids to visit them in Land 'O Lakes over the weekend knowing this would be our last chance to visit them there. I was slightly concerned, given the condition of my knee, but the trip worked out perfectly since my driving hasn't been affected and we were accompanied by two helpers, Julianna Debonis and Madison Ulvenes. They were a huge help at the rest stops!!
 
Ed and Clare, as usual, rolled out the red carpet for us, cooking yummy meals and making us feel extremely comfortable in their home.  The few hiccups that occurred mostly involved me feeling out of my element with Charlie's mobility and my lack thereof. He was fascinated by their staircase (I was afraid that would happen), and for me personally it was a bit stressful chasing him with my injury. I was so nervous about falling down the stairs with him, but thankfully Clare and Emily were usually around to help with that. Despite the stress that I put on myself, it was so worth the trip for Madi and Emily to have time together. They really are like sisters. It was a great opportunity for them to get to know Charlie. He took right to Ed and Clare and spent two days tugging at their pants legs and moaning for them to pick him up. He obviously sensed their affection for little kids:)

Speaking of little kids, the Maloney's have a toddler of their own. But their toddler is humongous, very furry, and loves to lick faces. In fact, Maggie, their white Golden Doodle puppy, adored Charlie and would lick his face clean every chance she could get. Charlie was in shock, at first, by her size, and he would fall apart when Maggie would take his toys, but they became fast friends and began learning how to share very quickly. He became fascinated with her, and her food bowls of course! We agreed that our little ones are both high maintenance!!

We wish the Maloney family well in their new ventures. They will always be a huge part of our lives. We know we will always remain connected by our two little beauties...