We will miss you Amanda and Iris!!

Over the last weekend my sister Amanda, one of my best friends, moved to Texas with her daughter Iris. And I wasn't expecting this to happen but as soon as I start typing this post, tears are falling down my face. I already miss them so much and it hasn't even been a week. These last few years that Amanda has lived here we have finally had that relationship that every person wants to have with a sibling. I am so grateful to have her as a sister and as a friend. Amanda is so kind. Somehow whether it was her lack of words or quiet response I could catch myself when I was talking unkindly about someone else. She seemed to inspire kindness in me, simply by not encouraging unkindness. I love too that Amanda is sentimental. I don't know if everyone would see that in her, but I love how she gets so excited about seemingly small things or intensely analyzes a situation. I think we need more people in this world who are open about how they feel instead of worried about making too much of things. I think we all would be happier if we allowed ourselves to get excited more often.

And of course we love Iris. Dallin and Iris have been such great friends although Iris is four years older. She is such a great cousin and so patient and nurturing with Dallin. Dallin adores her!! Whenever I told Dallin Iris was coming over he would literally jump for joy.

Earlier that week some of my sibs got together at Bethany's to have a car-washing fest. The kids played in the water and the mud and Bethany, Amanda, and I vacuumed and washed our cars. I need to get copies of pictures of them in the mud, all I took with my camera are the after-shots. Here are the four cousins enjoying OtterPops after they'd been bathed: Dallin, Iris, Adam, Daniel

Iris reading to Dallin:

(This bay window, by the way, is where Adam had his little accident, as described below...)
Iris got to spend the night our house the day before they moved. We made a big deal out of it: popped popcorn, had ice cream cones, and we all slept in the backyard. Well, Adam slept in his bed, and he was pretty sad about it, but Dallin, Iris, Mark, and I slept outside. We have had some great times with more to come I am sure, just sadly, farther between.

We love you both!