This is Home

We make - at minimum - one fall trip per year to visit God's country, Blacksburg!  A very, very kind coworker gives us bomb-ass tickets and a Lot 1 parking pass.  We love to visit "Uncle Mop", and my old coworkers from Undergraduate Admissions.

We decided to leave Thursday evening at bedtime because the girls sleep awesome in the car.  And just when you think you have it all figured out... they throw you a curve ball.  Ella cried/whined/fussed for approximately 2 hours.  When we arrived at the MacInnis Motel, they both woke up.  We still had to set up pack 'n plays and get them settled.  To say that night was a train wreck is just an understatement.  But alas, we were in SW VA!  My second home.

skeletons watching Minions WAY  past their bedtime!

We wanted to spend a full day with Matthew and enjoy the gorgeous campus.  We let the girls run around, took him to lunch, and just spent it outside.  This Hokie girl was happy :)

E&S and the Drillfield <3

Momma and her pretty girls

We visited a few friends in Undergraduate Admissions and ran up and down the halls.. clearly trying to make a good impression to get accepted!

The #doublesinks and the Hokie Bird

After lunch, we strolled around town... the girls napped in the stroller, we went to the bookstore, drank Starbucks, and went back to the Drillfield.

Ella, Sydney, the Drillfield, and Burruss

Since it was Homecoming weekend, they had a Pass and Review of the Corps on the Drillfield.  We unintentionally sat as close as possible to Skipper, the ceremonial cannon of the Corps.  Since we couldn't get close, we snapped a picture of the girls, Skipper in the background, and the Cadet that was protecting the cannon.  And I'll tell you what... Skipper is LOUD.  And we discovered the girls were unphased.  {that means next year: fireworks on the 4th of July!}

And we have the very best uncle in all the world.  He loves our girls fiercely, and we're all just so lucky.


Holding Sydney upside-down

hugging Uncle Mop

Brothers holding Sisters

<3

watching the Corps

After we were done hanging out on campus, we headed back to have dinner with all of the MacInnis family, and even got to hang out with Camden.  Camden's momma, April, is 35 weeks pregnant with little brother, Tomas.

So here's where things get interesting, and we are reminded that we have the VERY BEST support system - near and far.  In the early morning hours of game day, April went into labor.  Nobody was expecting it... and we had a little bit of a problem since Kim & Brian were watching the girls all day so we could go to the game.  Well, that problem was very temporary because we have such a great "village"... we have so many people who love us and drop what they're doing to help us, 3 1/2 HOURS AWAY!  We called Kelly (who jokingly said earlier in the week to call if out babysitter falls through... who knew!?), and she brought her boys over and they loved on the girls all day long.

So crisis averted, we were on our way to see the Hokies play!  Had to pick up Matthew first

Adopted Hokie, Alum Hokie, Current Hokie

I received the best pictures all day... with confirmation of how much our girls are loved and how much fun they had

Grayson loving on Ella (Luke and Sydney were off being crazy together)

flip cup

we found Kim!

Hokie lady friends... is it obvious I missed the Orange Effect boat!?

love this view of everyone coming into the game from our box seats

love having a break from reality with this guy

.... and he apparently played way too much flip cup

Meanwhile... the #doublesinks we having so much fun

sums it up perfectly.

We had such a great weekend away.  Loved being back "home" in Blacksburg, visiting Uncle Mop, cheering on the Hokies.  We absolutely love our "accommodations" - we are treated so well by the MacInnis'.  The girls have a blast playing with all of Camden's toys, we have a great space in the basement, and the company is simply the best.  Can't wait to get back there <3

putting on our shoes, ready to head back home