The girls

We've grown up together. They were present the day I was born. We played together as children and still do even now as adults. As I sit and type at this late hour they sit and continue to play around our dining room table. The house is full of laughter and even though we are no longer children we enjoy laughing, playing, staying up past our bedtime and just being together. How blessed our home is tonight. For the first time since the birth of our sweet Ashley my sisters, the girls, my best friends, are here with my nieces and nephews to celebrate the first week of summer vacation. Ash is finally strong enough to be surrounded by those who have loved her and prayed for her since her very beginning.

Its an amazing relationship. Love, support, help, encouragement, words of wisdom, advice, giggles and games. The two of them are some of my very favorite people in this world, and tonight they are here. Close enough to feel their arms surround me as they hug me tight. Please tell me I'm not dreaming. I have missed this SO much!

One of the harder parts of Ash's life has been the separation we have had from our extended family in order to protect her. Mine and Dave's best friends are my three siblings and their spouses. We love them so much and have spent the last 15 years of our married life hanging out with them at every possible opportunity. Along with my siblings comes my nieces and nephews. Lots of them. Amazing, beautiful, talented children who we have watched from the days of their births as they have grown up. My heart is over flowing tonight as the children run from room to room slamming doors. There is lots and lots of noise in our house tonight and it sounds so good to my ears.

What joy it brings me to see my sisters reach out to touch Ash's little hands. To listen to the words they say to her as they make "friends" with the baby they spent so many years praying Dave and I would be allowed to parent. They love her so much and long to hold her and touch her. They will have an entire week here with us and my hope is that during that time she will learn to trust them enough that they might actually have the opportunity to hold her close.

Ashley has been very entertaining. She is happy and silly. Stubborn and spoiled. Sweet, sweet, sweet. The girls have laughed a lot as our little Ashley Kate showed herself all day long. I'm sure by the end of the week they won't think watching Blue each and every moment of the day is half as funny as they used too. They have no idea what they are in for!

I am looking forward to sharing my baby with the girls this week. We have so many fun things planned. I still can't believe they are actually here. Wow, God is so good and I am so blessed.