Our Illinois Trip

The trip to Illinois was awesome! Bobby and I left on January 30th (Friday). He stayed through the weekend and I stayed until the next Friday to catch up on all my family. The main purpose of going was to finally meet Vera...our new niece, adopted from Russia. And we definitely got some Vera time in, which made me so happy. Right after we got off the plane in Peoria we met my sister, mom, dad and Ryan (and Vera!) for lunch...so the first few pics are from that lunch. After that we went to Nikki's house that night for dinner, etc....and I finally got to see Kiara as well. Since they couldn't come to the wedding because of the adoption, it was so neat to see Kiara and give her her flower girls gifts. She put on her dress for me that she would've worn (and can wear for Easter now hopefully instead!) and I brought her flower girl basket with some rose petals she would've thrown. She practiced what she would've done for us and it was so cute...she was so serious about it...I can only imagine if she was there that day how seriously she would've taken it! Vera was such a cutie...her hair is much more blonde than red from the pictures. She seemed to go to me and take to me (and Bobby too) right away, which was completely endearing for us. Both Bobby and I completely melted each time she held out her arms to go to us and then put her head on our shoulders! Ugh...too cute!

Yah! Vera and I's first visit...and she lets me hold her and play with her!

So big!

Kiara's flower girl dress

She's so cute...I'm glad she got to have a little flower girl time!

Cutie! Excuse the orange nose...she was fighting a cold and in pictures it showed up orange!

Um...excuse me Aunt Dani...but what the heck are you doing? =)

Pa and Vera

Bobby doesn't like me for posting this one...but it's so cute!

I know this may look like child abuse...but she was having a great time, I promise!

It's always dress up time with Kiara!

I LOVE this picture...not sure why...just think it's precious!

Saturday, Bobby and I got to sleep in a bit and then we hit one of our favorite Illinois eats - Flattop Grill. Yum! After that we went and spent some time at Nikki's again and ate dinner at a pizza place with the family. Stayed and visited for a while, and then Bobby and I even got a little karaoke time in with my friend Sheri in East Peoria. We had a great time.

Pizza time!

Vera loved Bobby

Sunday was a day at mom and dad's...watching the Superbowl, especially since our Arizona Cardinals were in it. Great game, even though they lost. Nikki, Ryan and the girls came over for the whole day, so we got another day of cuteness from Vera and Kiara.

The new family

Vera couldn't grasp that we were taking our own picture =)

Sisters!

This was so funny...again, I promise she loved it. We thought she looked like a little baby Joe Dirt!

Monday, I took Bobby to the airport. After that I stopped by Nikki's for my Vera fix for the day. More cuteness and warming up to me...which especially makes me happy since I am so far away from them and worry that she won't really know who I am. After that I got to go to my cousin Leah's house to see her two twin boys, Ethan and Lucas. Abby, Leah's sister/my cousin, was also there...so I am so happy I got that opportunity to spend time with them all...it had been waaaaay too long! The boys love TRACTORS...they are almost two and can say a lot of words...but TRACTORS and BOM-BINE (combine) are definitely their favorites! It was adorable. Alissa (another cousin) had wanted to come to mom and dad's that night for dinner, so we ate dinner with Lis and Travis (her bro, my cousin). I was happy she suggested coming over...she was at the wedding with her boyfriend, Jim, and they had the best time exploring the Phoenix-area/Arizona. They went everywhere. It's neat to see Alissa so happy! =)

Cutie Ethan!

Twin Cutie Lucas!

Aunt Abby with the boys!

The next day my mom and I went over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house (literally...no lie!). We stopped at Grandma Betty's first and visited and showed her the wedding pictures. Her knee is still hurting her, which is not fun for her...but she seemed to be in good spirits and it was great to have some time with her, especially since she wasn't able to come to the wedding. Next to go to was my Aunt Marjie's house...my cousin Bryce's kids were there - Brookelyn (7 months) and Lexi (2 1/2 years). My cousin Travis was there, along with Uncle Dan and Aunt Marjie (they flew out for the wedding too)...it's always too short of a visit...but I am so happy to have had at least an hour or so with all of my family. Mom and I went to see my other set of grandparents (on my Dad's side) after that too. Luckily everyone is very close together! Again, great to see them and show pictures and talk with them some that day. After that, mom and I went to Morton to pick up Kiara to spend the night at mom's that night. She was excited to come and we headed back to Chillicothe for a night with Kiara! She wanted to sleep with me, which I wouldn't have minded at all...I had started to get a sore throat...so mom got her normal duty of a sleeping partner with Kiara! She's so cute...we had a great time together.

Brookelyn and Katie - sisters!

Does she have some blue eyes or what????

Sisters...love this pic!

Let's see...the next day we woke up and spent some more time with Kiara...then mom and her were on their way to Morton so that Kiara could make it in time for the bus for school. I headed out to see my best friend Jen, who is at about 37 weeks in her pregnancy. She's been ordered to take it easy, so I just went over and spent a few hours with her...looking at sonograms, she looked at wedding and honeymoon pics...and the baby's nursery (which was freaking adorable, by the way!). It was soooo good to see her...I am so sad that I won't be there for when the baby is born though. I know Jen feels very pregnant and large at this point, but she looked so cute fully prego! =) Later that night, mom, dad, and I went to Metamora to see my Aunt Sandy and Lori (cousin)...she just gave birth to Kamryn Grace about 5 weeks ago...so it was great to see them and the new little girl! Also, great to spend time with Jack and Payton (her two other kids). Scott (another cousin, Lori's brother) and Travis ate with us too...and then we went back to Lori's and talked for a while. Another great visit that I am so happy we fit in to the week.

Jack, Kamryn and Payton

Thursday was the last day before I left, so I went over to Nikki's early afternoon to get some more Vera time in. I got to officially be her first babysitter so that Nikki could to the grocery store and get caught up. I tell you what...that child is the easiest baby to watch. Give her a drawer to open and close, with a few toys to put in and out (and in and out)...and she is good for at least an hour! She moved on to the cabinets in the kitchen and rearranged a few things there for Nikki =) but she still just concentrates and is so into moving stuff from one place to another and then back again. Works for me! =) Kiara came home from school....and then dad and mom came over too...and we headed to Cracker Barrel to eat...after that, it was goodbye to Kiara and Vera. This was the hardest time ever to say goodbye! Kiara is just at an age where she will break your heart with the cute stuff she says about seeing/missing each other. And Vera is just at the beginning of me knowing her...and everything was so great with her and I over the week that it was painful to think I couldn't do that whenever I wanted. In the end...I peeled myself away somehow! It's amazing how quickly you can love a little person...the whole adoption thing is different obviously than what we know with Kiara...but instantly there is love there that makes it like she is just like a blood relative. Don't get me wrong, I was hoping that this is how it would be and thought we'd get there down the road...but you just never know since you have never experienced it...and let me tell you...Vera may not be genetically the same as our family...but she is our family now 110%...it is soooo easy to love her.

Sorry about my voice on the video the whole time. I wanted her to show her little belly...sometimes if you ask, she'll raise up her shirt and show her little outty belly button...but not this time! Vera was still as cute as ever though...so I had to post it.

I love these pictures!

Even with all the fun that I had and the family I saw that week...I was still pretty darn excited to fly back on Friday and see Bobby and the girls! I missed them a bunch. I was actually the first person off the flight, so the first to walk through the door and see Bobby waiting there...my bag came really quickly and we were headed home already. I had been sick...not awful, but not feeling great for a few days...so the air pressure in the plane stuffed my head up pretty good...I was pretty much useless that night...and I am still fighting this darn thing. My sister and I both have it now...on the same schedule. Both Vera and Kiara (and my parents and Ryan I think too) have had this...so it makes sense that we would get it...Nikki held out for a while though!

The family is planning on coming at the end of April for a week...so we are definitely looking forward to that! The girls and Bobby and I are headed for their Spring Break to San Diego in March for four nights. SUPER excited about that....I have never been to California and have wanted to go to San Diego for a while now...and I found a great deal at a hotel right across the street from the beach at Ocean Beach. So...we have lots to keep us busy in the upcoming weeks and months!