I'm leaving tomorrow I'm sad to leave Fiona. (Misty and Coon too, but I know Fiona will change a lot more before I see her again.)
Had a nice visit with old friends today. It's so interesting to see kids that I've known since toddlerhood grow up and become adults.

God is so faithful! He's such a good God! I've been so blessed on this trip to see how He provides all that I need, in so many different ways, and even just the little things and the things I 'want'! He works out all the details, and I give Him the glory - I never could have planned a trip like this - everything has gone together so perfectly. Now, sometimes I don't know ahead of time what will happen or how things will work out - sometimes He doesn't provide a certain thing, or let me know what will happen until just when it needs to happen... but that's how our faith is tested, and grows!

He's so good, I just want to praise Him! I read Psalm 116 yesterday, and it articulated sentiments so well for me.
I've been saying my memory verses to Fiona, and one of the chapters I've been doing is Psalm 103, and it starts and ends with the psalmist reminding himself, exhorting himself, encouraging himself, to "Bless the Lord".

It's so neat to see how Fiona changes day by day... yesterday she was holding up her head more than the day before, and today she's been really looking at me more than yesterday... you know how babies can look at you, and you know they're seeing you, but then later, they can focus on your face, and they look at you 'on purpose'.
Her eyes don't look so blue today... more brown... And she's getting cuter! Less of that really-new newborn look.
And I wonder if she was wiggly because couldn't feel things around her... because when I wrap her up in a blanket, she seems calmer, and she was definitely more still. But then again, Misty said she was pretty wiggly in the womb, too, and she wasn't 'too free' then...

We gave her her first bath today - and she did not like it. That's the only time I've heard her scream.

She's really a very good baby. Very content, rarely cries... sleeps well. Doesn't require all the walking, talking and jouncing in the wee hours of the morning that Inara did at this age... And being here makes me wonder how it will be with Baby Gemma in a few weeks... (that's the baby that hasn't arrived yet... yes, she's already named). I haven't done much with baby girls in quite awhile, and now I get to be with two in one month -- and I found out my cousin is having twin girls in February! Wow! -- so now I get to have fun shopping for cute baby girl clothes!

I get to spend the week with my favorite niece! She's 12 days old, but still seems small to me. Out of all the Watson babies, she's the closest to my birthweight - she was 9 lbs even; she's not a fat baby!
It'll be so much fun to see how she changes and grows. She has her daddy's eyes, but other than that, she doesn't look Asian. Well, her eyes are shaped like her daddy's - right now they look blue, which his definitely don't! And her skintone is darker than Misty's already. So far, she's been a wiggly one!

I have returned whence I came - and am glad to be home

I travelled 2300 miles in 26 days, and my trip cost about $225 - I say that's not bad at all! The Lord really blessed with the good gas prices!
I stayed in 9 different homes, and quite enjoyed being with my friends. God was teaching me some things, and the fellowship I enjoyed was a blessing too!

Praise the Lord for lowering gas prices! This will halve the cost of my trip!

I saw gas at $2.03 today - the last time I remember seeing it that low was just under 4 years ago!!