Babblin' Brooke: It's Official!

We can officially call my family Santa Barbarians! Or whatever they call themselves there, I'm not sure. But I like Santa Barbarians so we'll go with that. It's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?

This past Friday was our last night with them and my uncle (my mom's brother) was kind enough to host a going away dinner for them. I would have offered myself but with the mountain of stuff piled up in our kitchen and dining room, I'm pretty sure it would have been a very uncomfortable setting for everyone. However, you'll be happy to hear that we've now taken two very large loads to the DI. And we're sifting through the rest of the pile deciding what to do with it. One last run and we should be in pretty good shape! I can almost taste the freedom! Almost.

As of this past Friday it hadn't yet hit me that they would all be leaving and it would be months before we would get a chance to see them again. I really thought I would go to my uncle's home and everything would feel normal, and it did for a while. We ate and visited with everyone staying as late as we felt we could without imposing. Then the time came to say good-bye. Even thinking about that moment didn't feel like it would be any different. We would give them a hug (normal) and say good-bye (normal). It would just feel like another family get-together.

My kids went around first giving Grandma and Grandpa hugs, held a lot longer than usual. And my mom started crying as the kids told her how much they would miss her. Then they gave Kortney a hug. Parker was downstairs so he didn't get his hugs yet.

It was finally my turn to make the rounds. I started with Kortney.... that's when it got real! We both sobbed and looked like blubbering idiots, I'm sure. Then I gave my mom and dad their hugs and it really became real. I'M AN ORPHAN!

I then made Parker come upstairs for a photo. I'm mean like that. At least he thinks so. I'm sorry but you've got to have one last picture taken before we're all separated!

The ride home was full of sobs from the backseat.

"Why do they have to move to California? Can't they just get a job in Utah?"

"I can't believe we won't see them for a long long time!"

It was a sad ride home.

But it was a fun get-together for one last shebang! Below are the pics I got from that night.

Here's my Daddy-o with B. B's naked on the top half because he had a slight blow-out... gross!

This is Kortney with her scary little dog, Mia. I like to call her Mia Michaels. Silly as it is, the dog creeps me out. No, she doesn't bite or even bark. She's half chinese-crestid (sp?) so she doesn't have much hair and she's got really bad acne. Acne on a human is one thing. No problems there. Acne on a dog is quite another. I've never pet that dog... EVER! She's scary!

Grandma and her three best girls.

Grandpa and C. What a cheeser!

I had to get a picture of myself with each person going away because.... well, I just did. Is anyone else only in pictures they take themselves? Always the camera woman, never the one in the picture.

I'm pretty sure that this is the best picture of me ever taken. Yep! Don't be jealous that you're not this photogenic ;P

Kortney was worried about her cleavage showing in this one so my mom and I were trying to help her out. She stood in the cleavage line in heaven.... I definitely did NOT!

Parker detests pictures. I am lucky to have snapped this one. Bad bang day...

It's so funny to see this photo and realize that all the cute little people in the pic are MINE! ~Kortney, I just realized that you snuck Mia Michaels into the picture. Ugh!~

Grandpa, Uncle Greg (Mom's brother), Aunt Toni (Mom's sister), and my mom. One brother is missing, he had already left when pictures were taken. Toni is the aunt that said she'd adopt me.