These are my favorite moments, getting to spend time with Lily and Aubrey doing mundane tasks and chores. After all the travel I’ve done in my life, this is what feels like home.
“Baby girl, we’ve gotta get going, Ms. Anna is waiting for you.”
She runs out from her bedroom in a princess dress, with her new t-ball pants on underneath, and her pink helmet for hitting.
“Weady, Mommy.” She grabs a tennis ball, and her magic wand before slipping on her favorite sparkly jelly shoes.
“You are just prepared for anything, huh?” I grab our bag before opening the door for her to head out.
“Ms. Anna pway basebaw wif me?” She holds up the tennis ball we’ve been practicing catch with ahead of her first game.
“I bet she will. Did you get your glove to catch with?”
“Nooooo!” She runs back to me, pushing the door open before I could lock it. “Got it!” She’s breathless upon her return.
I lock the door and we head out toward the trail that leads to the inn.
“Will I see Coopa?” She asks, taking my hand.
“Not today, remember he’s at work? We won’t see him until tomorrow.” She looks up at me with her pouty little puppy dog eyes.
“No Coopa?” The tears shine in her eyes.
I rush to comfort her before the waterworks start. “We can call him tonight before bed though. We’ll get him on video and you can tell him all about your day with Ms. Anna.”
“Otay.” Her head drops, and so does my heart.
She’s already so attached to him, it makes me a little nervous about the future.
“Look at that princess!” Anna calls out to us from the front porch and Lily takes off running to greet her.
When I reach them, I drop the backpack with all her things in the mudroom at the inn. “Are you sure you don’t mind watching her?”
“Never. I love spending time with her! Plus you’re going to helpmybaby girl.” She winks at me.
“Well I better get going then. Can I have a hug goodbye, my love?” Bending down with my arms open wide she runs to me.
“Bye, Mommy. Wuv you.” She plants a big kiss on my cheek before she runs back to Anna.
“Love you, baby. Have fun and be a good girl.”
“She’s always a good girl.” Anna squeezes her hand. “We’re going to bake some cookies for Mommy.”
“Thank you so much!” I wave on my way out the door.
Opening the door I practically run into Emma. “Oh, hey! I was just on my way over to the barn.”
“And I was coming to meet you!” She loops her arm with mine and tugs me down the stairs. “I’m so happy you agreed to do this with me. You are so much better at planning than me. I might be a little nervous that I’ve bit off more than I can chew with this whole wedding thing.”
“You do great with the themed weekends. I bet you’d do fine on your own without any help.”
She levels me with a stare. “I have to plan a whole weekend of events! A welcome dinner, the rehearsal, the wedding, a goodbye brunch. And activities throughout the day! It’s Balsam Cliffs, what are they thinking we’re going to do?” Her hands fly up in the air in exasperation.
“Oh! A Jack and Jill barbecue the day of the rehearsal would be so fun!”
“Seeeeee, you’re already so much better than me.”
“Well, I don’t know the couple like you do. But let’s come up with some ideas and then we’ll run it by them today. Why don’t you tell me about them?” We open the barn doors and I follow her to the office in the back.