Utah Trip, Saturday

We got up this morning, got cleaned up, and drove up to see the kids. We stopped and got some pizza and headed over. It was SO SO SO good to see the kids and Mindi again. I miss them SO MUCH! It's crazy to see just how much they have changed in 6 months. Bubzy is SUCH a good older brother. Anytime Autumn would cry, he was picking her up and comforting her. He's growing his hair long, and loves to play soccer. What a kid!

Justy hasn't changed at all as far as personality. He's just as funny and likable as ever. He's also growing his hair out. He told me he's trying to look like Troy...from High School Musical, duh!!! (I didn't know that, he had to explain it to me).

The one who's changed the most is Jewlsey. She's gone from a toddler to a full blown little girl. She was talking so much and it just made me smile from ear to ear to see her. She kept saying, "I love Baby Autumn. I love Lisa." I can't even tell you how much that made my heart melt. I LOVE these kids and miss them so much!

It was fun to see them all together and how cute they interacted. They treated Autumn as if she's been living with them for the past 6 months and as if we haven't been away at all.

I have to also say how incredible, amazing, unbelievable, courageous, benevolent, and heroic Mindi is. She and I are good friends, and I am so thankful for her. She truly is one of my heroes. She is raising 4 little kids on her own, she makes things so nice for them, she is such a good mom, she helps them to be the great kids that they are, and she does it all with a smile on her face. I'm sure there are times when she struggles, but I've never seen it and I wish I could do more to help her and to be there for her. I truly wish that someday I could be half as independent and strong tenacious as she is. What a great example she is to me.

What an enjoyable and rewarding way to spend a few hours of our trip. I so wish we could have spent all day together. I hope the 3 kids and Mindi (and Baby Angel) know how much I love them all and how grateful I am that they are part of my life and that Autumn & I get to be a part of theirs.