Kim: The Call No Parent Wants to Get

Hello Everyone,

I hope your week is off to a great start.

Brooke and Thayer's wedding was soon approaching, and of course I wanted a little reassurance that I had picked the right dress for the rehearsal dinner and for one of the most important days of my life, the day my little girl gets married. So I asked my sister Kyle to come by for her opinion. Oops... I forgot to mention to her the extent of how sick my children were! They were all very,very sick! Whitney had bronchitis, a high fever, and she was home for two weeks in bed. Then both Chad and Kimberly got it, and we couldn’t break it for almost three weeks. Between all my kids, I had been in and out of the doctors' office at least eight times! But I really wanted her to see my dresses, so I didn't mention just how sick my kids really were. Plus, they were all in their beds, and I did tell her before she came. It was so fun to try on my dress for my sister. It’s these little moments in life you never forget. Being that Kyle is such a germ freak, I knew if she saw one of the kids, it would be over. Then when she finally saw my little Kimberly so sick in bed, she ran for the hills! LOL. Of course it's a running joke in our family that Kyle is Coody Freak!

It was very cute to see Kyle and Maurice getting ready for their trip. That dog was so damn cute with the pillow I couldn't stand it! And how adorable was my niece helping her pack and get ready?! Oh how I love them!

How cute are Ken and Lisa V. taking Giggy shopping? I just loved it! The whole thing was so cute. I completely understand how Lisa V. and Ken feel as if Giggy is now their child, too. I, too, am so excited at the thought of being a grandmother! Shhh! I don't want to put any pressure on people before they are ready! I'm just saying, I'm ready to be a GrandMa!

It was so exciting to see Brandi get her new car! I just loved to see her with such pride and joy! Really, I saw a lot if gratitude!

It was nice to see Eileen with her family. All those boys. It looks like she really has a lot fun. I know she loves her kids a lot. I have known her husband Vincent and his family since I was a little girl. Vincent's brother actually taught me how to play tennis for a guest spot I did on the TV show Magnum PI. It was fun to watch Eileen and Vincent play tennis. Those Van Pattens are really something on the court!

Wow! Seeing Kyle, Maurice, and all the kids arrive in Mallorca and that amazing yacht...All I’m saying is that I’m definitely heading there next! So gorgeous. How beautiful is my niece Alexia?! I loved watching her go over her list for college. I still can't believe Kimberly is already in her second year already! It was awesome to see Yolanda and Kyle in the "bagels!" LOL, how cute is our Yo!? It was nice to see Kyle and Yolanda getting to spend some one-on-one time and give Yolanda a chance to open up about some very sensitive and painful things going on in her life. Spain is so beautiful, and I enjoyed getting a chance to see some of it while they were sightseeing.

Listening to Yolanda and Kyle talk about Alexia and Bella leaving for college, I had a flashback of Yolanda and I, just a year ago when Kimberly and Gigi were leaving. Crazy! I remember the scary feeling of what will I do? My heart was aching, and she hadn't even left. But here I am a year later, and we survived! It’s been an awesome experience, and we’re okay. But you don’t know until you experience this new wonderful life with your baby. This independent grown up little person that comes home for the holidays and sometimes weekends is still the same but just a little wiser and more mature.

It was so nice to see everyone having fun on the boat until Yolanda got her phone call. The kind of phone call that a parent never wants to get! As parents, we do everything we can to teach our children what's right and wrong. We prepare them for the dangers of the world and pray every day that they will hear us. We spend most of ourlives loving them and telling them over and over again the same thing: Please don't speed, don't drink and drive, don't walk alone at night, and so many more! We can only hope and pray that they will grasp the importance of our words. They are children, as we once were, and they make mistakes as we all have. Sometimes, though, they must learn the hard way and hopefully not harm themselves or others in the process. As they grow in to young men and women, we see the beautiful young people that we have had the opportunity to be part of their journey and growth along the way. That's where I say...thank you, God!

Love,

Kim