Yes. It has been an extremely long time away from the blogging world. And as the last post stated, I never intended to leave and never come back. Where and how do I do this? I'm just going to jump right in with today. And today seems like an appropriate day to start.

We went downtown to The Houston Museum of Natural Science this morning for the kid's science classes they have been attending once a month this school year. Jacob's class gets to do dissection now and again (sheep eye, chicken foot, sea urchin) and today was the lovely flower. Michael learned about the silk moth today. I asked him why he didn't save the silk and he said he thought it was gross and looked like mud (I think he said mud). When I asked Rachel what she learned about, she said, "skeletons" and I think that's all I'll get from her, but she is adorable sitting in her seat so well behaved.

Normally we spend the rest of the day wandering the museum after the kids finish up. But today after lunch we were spontaneous and went with friends to the zoo. This was the BEST day for the Houston Zoo. Apparently no one in Houston goes to the zoo when it is 40 degrees out (laugh it up). Happily, I haven't cleaned my car out recently and was able to scrounge up a pair of little mittens, two jackets, two coats and a big warm fuzzy blanket. My kids were not going to be cold, which makes me think, who should be cleaning out the van?

I laughed so hard. My friend Audrey has the most entertaining children. I don't know if it was because we really did have the entire zoo to ourselves (besides seeing the missionaries from our church) that our kids just absorbed the nature of their surrounding and let the inner wild animals out. It really was my favorite trip to the zoo. And holy cow! The sea lion meet the keeper talk was so fantastic. They've really turned up the notch since the last time I'd seen it. If I were an animal, I'd be a sea lion.

We told them just to pretend the wind tunnel was on, but now that I look at there picture, it looks like a cage and they've broken out of!

As we left the zoo, I made a call to find out how surgery went for Janae. Janae's family and Steve's family grew up together and she was diagnosed with a brain tumor two weeks before our Sarah was.

This was my first time back in the Medical Center since Sarah's passing. I just shouldn't know my way around down there. Part of me was hoping I'd make a wrong turn navagating in and out of there. I knew exactly what lanes to be in, where to turn, with zero stress that I was driving in rush hour.

While we were making our way up to Janae's room in St. Lukes Hospital, Michael kept saying, "We've been here, mom. This is where the trains are." I kept saying no, I don't think so, until we passed the hospital's McDonalds. Wait. I recognize that McDonalds. I didn't remember it being St. Lukes that we'd come across the walkway from Texas Childrens (entering the back side of St. Lukes) and take Sarah and the kids to see the trains or to get Sarah some french fries, one of the things she loved. I'm really glad it was.

After visiting with Janae, we went and visited the trains. I asked Michael if the trains brought back memories and he said, "Yes. And a lot of bad ones that I want to forget." I told him those memories are important to remember also.

This little girl is forever in our hearts and will always be remembered and missed.