Ode to My Sister

Well...it's been a month since I last sat down and did this...I have so much to share!

But first I begin with an Ode to My Sister Teresa

Teresa came to visit the new D'Arpino home for a week from September 27th-October 4th and I have to say it ended too soon.

Have you ever had an experience where you had something planned to happen and you wanted it so bad to happen...but then you start to think that something would inevitably go wrong, so you start to freak that your plan is not going to happen...(does that make any sense???)

Well that is what I looked like on September 27th. No matter how much I tried to contain myself about Teresa's impending arrival...even though I was sitting waiting in the airport and the plane had touched down in MN 10 minutes before...I was sure I was never going to get to see her! So, there we stood, me and my little family...staring into the glass doors waiting for TT to come down the escalator...and she wasn't coming. Truth be told, I had already been crying because the anxiety was too much. I kept asking Dom..."Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that these are the doors that she is going to come out of?"

"Yes, Shan, this is where your Dad and Shelia came out of and it's the same flight!" (annoyed by the way...most likely because he was very excited to see TT too.)

Well, after 10 more minutes, I wasn't buying it...so I turned and looked at the baggage carousel where her luggage would be coming and people were gathering there...people that hadn't come from the doors we were staring at like puppies waiting for a new home with TSA agents. What the heck! But in true Shannon & Teresa fashion, I could feel her coming from the other end of the airport, not from where my husband was insisting on and sure enough, I turned, I saw her beautiful face and hair in the crowd, she was looking around lost and perplexed because we had texted her that we were waiting at the door she would be coming out of and we obviously weren't there. I swear in that moment I felt like I was in one of those dreams where you can't run...you're physically unable to do it...man that's a terrible feeling! But then Jr saw her and screamed "TT!" with little Gianni doing the same and then both of them having no problem running to her. She smiled her beautiful smile and then when I finally got to her and hugged her, we stood there crying like babies! Thank you God!

I felt I had to start the Teresa visit with that story because that is trully how much I miss and love my sister. Tomorrow I won't be able to be with her to celebrate her birthday with her, like she was here to be with me, this first birthday away from home...

While she was here, we adventured! We took an amazing walk on the "new" regional trail that leads to many little cities around here. That's TT & G, smiling for the camera after our walk! Aren't they so cute together? What an AMAZING Tia!

We also went to the Minnesota Children's Museum, where we had LOTS of fun with the boys...Dom was even able to take a half day and join us! The first picture is Teresa & Jr looking at the turtles in a huge tank the Museum had. The next picture is Teresa wearing one of the little kid fox costumes, doing an a-la-Garth, Foxy Lady!

As the week flew by WAY to fast...my birthday was quickly approaching and so was the arrival of Ambrose (my father-in-law) at midnight on October 2nd. Well, I am not going to lie, I was a little sad...so I told my husband that for future reference there would be no overlapping of visitors because it wasn't fair to take time away from the other person. It wasn't that I didn't want Ambrose to come, I was excited for him to see our house and the boys, it's just that I wanted to have my sister all to myself for the rest of the time that I had her here in MN. So, needless to say, I went to bed instead of accompanying my husband to the airport like he kept insisting. But just as I was coming to say a final goodnight, I caught he and Teresa smiling and giggling...I had that feeling something was up, but I had NO IDEA what that was!!

"SURPRISE!!!" I was jolted awake to find my Mom and Jon standing in my bedroom, smiling from ear to ear....that's what Dom and Teresa were giggling about before I went to bed!!! I couldn't believe it...what an AMAZING birthday present, my family with me for my first MN birthday!

So, the rest of my time with Teresa was awesome! We went apple picking for my birthday, Jon & Mom's first experience, and celebrated with a chocolate cake.

I want to finish this Ode to My Sister by saying....

God blessed me with you as my sister because he knew that we were soul mate siblings (all the cruelties growing up was just my way of making sure you were just that). You are a special woman that is both beautiful inside and outside. I see strengths in you that put many others to shame, I just hope that that is a gift you treasure because it's going to take you far! You are one of the many lights in my life...thank you for a great week of memories! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY....with that being said...everyone say hello to my new favorite group....(recorded at the MN Children's Museum).