Getting Back to Normal

It seems like we've been waiting furever
For things to get back to normal around our house.

And
Honestly
We're not even quite sure what normal is anymore.

There are gobs of things all around
Things our Moma enjoys Looking at
Touching
Holding
And Moving around.
Reminders of Christmas that's already happened.
Hints of Christmas that's yet to come.

Gifts and Pressies
Cards and Treats
Real Special Stuff
Lots of it

 From all around the neighborhood.
From all around the country.
From all around the world.

There are so many things
She helped us make a Smileybox thingee
So we can always remember them.
'Cause eventually she's gonna have to put them away
Or we'll end up eating those that have been tempting us for days now.

If ya look carefully
We bet you'll see some things
and some friends
you might recognize.

Nice stuff, huh?

We feel like really lucky special wires.

Still

One important thing has been missing.
Ever since we got home.
And finally
We got to remedy that situation.

Moma loaded us into her car
(Our Girl's Car)
and up the mountain we drove.
Straight up the highway up the mountain
 On a beautiful blue sky day.


After we left the hiway

We headed up the dirt road winding ten miles further up the mountain.

It was a bit different than the last time we made this trip.
Before Christmas.
In the dark.
In sub-zero weather.
When the car wouldn't make it clear up the winding hilly road.

Now the little bug has something called studded snow tires.
No Problem.
Right up the road we went.

And

There she was!

Smiling and happy to see us!

Our Girl

We quickly learned

She has become VERY responsible

and quite the rule enforcer

and

Dogs (that'd be us)

Had to stay in the car.

So we waited.

Patiently.

Looking out the back window.

Checking out the pretty sights around the Lab School

Meanwhile

Our Girl and Our Moma

Redecorated Our Girl's little corner of the world

The place she's gonna live

for the next several months.

It started looking like Our Girl's special place.
(You'd think with all those beds
Just one could be allocated for two special wires.
But no.)

Finally
NinaGirl came out with the last of her stuff to take back down the mountain
For the weekend.
A weekend with us.

And we were ready to head home.
To the real Homecoming.
The one we'd been waiting for for almost three weeks.

There weren't any rules once we got home.
We were back in our Girl's arms.
And lap.
With no real desire to have it any differently.

If ya study the pictures well
You'll see that WE weren't the only ones
Who got cleaned up right after arriving home.
Seems girls think they get stinky
When they're away from home
Too.

What a weekend we had.

Finally
We got to share stories of our separate holidays
and
finally
We got to open the pressies that had been waiting for our Girl's arrival.

More about that later.
Right now we're happy to cherish the memories of our Homecoming.
It was very special.
We've gotta hang on to the memories
'Cause she's already gone back up for another week
Without us.

OK.
We'll admit it.
She loves it up there.
But we can only say that
'Cause we are secure in the knowledge of the fact
That she loves us.
A lot.