Saturday: They arrived at the airport and their girl was a hit from the get-go! Putting smiles on all the passers by's faces. Strangers commenting on her friendliness and cuteness. They smiled with pride as they watched their little Girlie win the hearts of so many people.
After the girl chose her VIP sticker they grabbed their hot beverages - a decaf Gingerbread latte for her, an Americano for him, and a kids steamed milk for the girl. They sat and watched their little one explore this new environment; watched her attempt to go through the maze, but after much frustration and then a little fear on her part her mommy and daddy helped her find her way back to freedom.
They boarded the plane and for two and a half hours tried to keep the girl occupied and contained. It was a battle, to say the least. Her bedtime had come and gone and she was now fighting every fibre in her being that wanted her to be sleeping.
They arrived in a land covered in snow just as a new day began. They arrived into the arms of loved ones, the girl's Grandpa and Oma. At the house they greeted more family and chatted away into the late hours of the night before they closed their eyes and got some sleep.
Sunday: He let her sleep in until noon while he got up to care for the girl who slept very little the night before. The house was full of energy from all the little ones, four boys and the girl. Lego was strewn about, video games were being played, the adults sat around the table enjoying the warmth of their coffee as they engaged in conversations.
After lunch the children wanted to play in the snow. They bundled up the girl so thick with warmth that she could hardly move. The cool wind in her face made her wince. Her first ride on a sled made her smile and say "weee". Once the coolness was too much to bear they came inside and welcomed the warmth of the home.
Monday: The girl loves to help. Loves to sit on the counter. Loves to see the world from a higher perspective. Loves to experience new textures with her hands. Her Grandpa showed her how to make the measuring cups make music, so she imitated his movements and she too was making the cups sing.
They were so thankful for such a loving family. A family who understood the changes necessary to keep their girl safe. A family who took traditional family recipes and tweaked the ingredients to omit eggs and nuts. So. Much. Love.
Good friends joined them for lunch with their little one. The two girls studied each other, hugged each other. The afternoon brought new style and colours in her hair. Conversations with her sister-in-law while her hair processed. Watching her nephew crawl and remarking on how much he'd grown since she last saw him.
Tuesday: A trip to the city to visit his Oma. A drive home with a poor, sick, tired little Girlie and hopes for a good, long nap. Coffee brewing, the sweet aroma of ground coffee in the air as she writes about the last few days. Between writing she bundled up in layers and walked outside in the yard with her camera around her neck. Taking pictures of the white beauty around her and the details of a fifty year old workshop. Enjoying the sight of him working on the truck with his father; the trinkets that hung on the walls; the silence of the air around her.
