Her First Makeup, Saying Goodbye, a Long Drive, and the Chicken Pox Scare

How's that for a long title?  I know,  a lot to take in.  I'll lead you little by little.

So we woke up in the Billie Jo B& B and it was Heaven.  I did not take any pictures but have to remember forever

* Billie Jo flipping pancakes on the grille

* Peyton setting the table and making sure that Flynn and Abigail were next to each other.  Also making sure Anna was happy where she was sitting.

(Have I mentioned yet how kind this whole family is?  They make issues that I think are big deal seem like nothing... no worries.  Sometimes I get nervous when a new family meets our family.  I mean, when we drive up, yikes.  We are driving up with one child who can't eat a single thing in your house.  So we cart food everywhere. Yet Steve opened his extra frig up and told us to put anything in it we needed to for Abigail's food.  And our other daughter, well, it's hard to explain but a.  she's not comfortable meeting new people b. she has such difficult to deal with sensory issues that are heightened in new situations.  I could go on and on.  But Peyton made it seem like it was just part of her every day to scoot Anna next to her daddy at the breakfast table, moving all of the placemats down and making Anna feel safe.  She made it work, like it was normal and like it was nothing)

* Abigail and Flynn watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse together on the couch, while playing princesses.

* Steve and Scott talking

* Madison making tea for me

* Rhett chatting happily with all of us

It was a wonderful morning.

After breakfast Anna got her first lesson in makeup.  I have to explain just a little.  Over the past year Anna has been asking about makeup and I've always told her twelve.  So this year when she turned twelve and I knew we'd be seeing Madison I thought Madison would be perfect for helping Anna into this next stage of growing older.

I knew that I had no idea what colors would be best for Anna.  I wear a little powder over my pale skin, black mascara, and pink lipstick.  I couldn't imagine standing in a makeup aisle trying to figure out what might be best for my Chinese daughter.  And a makeup counter the mall?  No way!

Billie Jo has always teased that Madison came into the world with a makeup brush in her hand.  And now that she's a MaryKay makeup artist.  (check out her site) I knew Anna's first makeup would be perfect.

And it was.  From the colors selected to the actual time spent with Madison.  It was just what this preteen needed to feel pretty and special.



Madison chose the perfect light colors to just enhance Anna's naturally beautiful skin.  A powder, a creme shadow, mascara and a natural lip gloss.  And she showed me all of this asking me step by step my thoughts.  (She is so mature that Madison.... It's truly hard to believe that she's 18... I was so immature and selfish and so into myself at 18.  Madison is oh so sweet and really cares about others... it was fun to watch her in action.  She was so gentle with Anna)



What's even better was that she taught Anna not only how to put on the makeup but how to first wash her hands, how to have a light touch, how less is more, Oh how I wished I videoed it for Anna to see later.  I kept saying to Anna, "are you remembering it?"



Love her room which she graciously gave to Anna and Abigail while were were with them.



And when she was done we were all in awe.  All of us.  It was perfect; Absolutely perfect.



Thank you Madison!



And then we had to say goodbye.  It was not easy.



Not letting her new makeup bag out of her sight.



Tears



And just like that we were off. Driving though this beautiful state that they call home. Rolling hills, farms and trees. I can not wait to go back! There should be another paragraph here that sort of sums it all up. But I can't do it without more tears so I think I'll stop there. Tuck these memories away and thank this family for taking such good care of my family. We'll see you soon!



Next stop after 7 hours... Ohio!





It felt so good to get out of the car!



And walk and be in that breeze



Scott was giving a geography lesson on Lake Erie



While the rooms were not exactly what I long for in cleanliness (it was only one night) the bike paths and the beach made up for it.









Lovely evening outside.



And then came the Chicken Pox scare.

Right after that bike ride the girls changed into bathing suits to hit the pool with daddy. Anna came over to me and asked "what are these red bumps all over my skin?" I thought I'd faint. While she begged me not to put a picture on here just trust me, she was covered neck to ankle in what looked exactly like chicken pox. (if you look back at the photo above where Anna is holding her makeup bag you and see it starting on her arms) I called my mom who is always my first 'go to' for all things health. And although Anna had the vaccine I was sure that we could not go another 7 hours to be with Janey, Riley, and Aubrey if it was possibly chicken pox. We'd have to head all the way back to Connecticut. My next call was to my sister in law who grew up just a few miles from this area. She scoured the internet and found me a walk in clinic. But was closed until the next day. So with a worried call to Cindy we all tried to get some sleep not knowing if we'd get to our final destination or if we'd be on our way home that next morning. There was little sleep.  I tossed in turned knowing that Anna slept in Madison's bed.  I worried about little Flynn all night wondering if she'd been exposed to this.  And I kept thinking about how my family is already a lot of work to take on... now this?