Happy then Sad.

Last week was a pretty memorable week for Annalee. She was blessed to meet a whole slew of relatives. Besides also seeing Grandma and Grandpa, Grammy and Grandpa Lloyd, Chris and Lilli, Amy, Andrew and Alexia again, she met:

The Greats! Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Kasowski
Great Aunt Nancy, Great Uncle Al, Cousin Cousin Ben
The Lipperts! Uncle Jeff, Auntie Amber, Cousins Ali and Ava
Great Aunt Ruth, Great Aunt Bonnie and Great Uncle Don

That's a lot of fam-damily! What a gift to get to introduce her to these family members. 

So thankful they came to meet our sweetness.

marian anna kasowski and annalee linn kasowski

Melts my heart

Great Nancy!

Great Ruth!

Cute Cousins

Ava loves babies!

Stealing Auntie Amber and Uncle Jeff's hearts

On the flip side, it has been so very tough not to get to introduce Annalee to so many friends in South Carolina. It is painful, really, to not be sharing her with our dear friends. People that have loved us so well these many years, they should get to meet her while she's all tiny and new, they should get to rejoice in seeing her alive and well in person. 

I found out another dear friend is pregnant due next spring, making it now three babies I so very much would like to be there to meet (not to mention wanting to be there during the pregnancies). This doesn't include the few friends we know adopting. All these miracles! I am bummed to not be a tangible part of their little lives from the start and I know that's how they feel about Annalee (and Eli for that matter). 

So as joyful as we are that Annalee is getting to see family so very often, there is still a deep sadness for the many of you far away that are not getting to love on her in person. I would like a moment to pout. 

Umphf. 

Because our friends became our family when we had none close by. I have felt the separation so strongly these last weeks. One friend brought me to tears in an email when she said "I also thought about you being in the hospital on your own and how that would have been so different if you were here because I and many others would have been there with you." Yes! How true! I miss you friends. 

So for those of you that should be holding and loving and taking cute pictures meeting our girl, just pretend you are in this photo of Annalee last week, trying to calm her down:

Maybe I'll photoshop you in. I wish you were here!

-Heather