Miss Emma

SO...

The last week as been IN-TEEEEEEEEEEENSE.  I was last spotted in Memphis, I believe.  Well, I suppose the last things I left you with were some pictures with cryptic descriptions...I am tired...bare with me.  OK...So Memphis last Wednesday (the Orpheum was the BOMB fyi) and after my show I flew to IN to visit Melis, Cam and ConCon for a couple days before meeting my tour fam in OH.  Meleese was 8 1/2 months preggo so I thought a little visit before things got crazy would be fun for all.  I stayed with Con man Thurs. afternoon while Melis went to a routine Doctor's appt.  She walked in the door and said, "Um...the Dr. said I could have this baby in the next 24 hours..."  Welp...my little heart started ticking so fast it was like to burst from my chest.  We both sprang into action...laundering baby clothes...changing sheets...packing hospital bags...putting together the baby bed...And oh yeah, she was having contractions this whole TIME.  By the evening time her contractions were close enough together that she and Cam decided it was time to head to the hospital.  WHAT?!?!?!  I couldn't believe it.  I had been joking with my tour fam about how I was gonna tell Melis to jump around and dump her little one out early...I had no idea my voodoo would really work...actually...now that I think about it...I did mess around with a voodoo doll on Beale street...hmmm.  But, luckily I was there and was able to be the Con man's play thing for the next couple of days.  After a fitful night's sleep (?) I got a call around 7:14 AM from a tired sounding Cam saying that Melis wanted me to come over to the hospital...that it was imminent!  AH!  I leapt from the bed, threw on yesterday's dirty clothes and started to brush my teeth when I heard the creak of a door knob and a sweet little voice say "Caro-loin?"  I couldn't leave the poor little guy in a lurch, so I got him changed, snacked and T.Ved...handed the reigns over to Poopa and headed to the hospital.  I walked into the delivery room to the sweetest sight my 25 year old eyes had ever seen.  A tearful mommy and daddy staring at the smallest, most helpless, sweetest little lump of girly love I had ever seen...about 15 minutes old.  It was love at first sight ya'll.  I was 'bout to burst!  I kissed my tired, glowing sister on the head and gawked at her and her sweetness for about 45 minutes, until some grandparents started arriving.  I drove back filled with sleepiness and a lump of love in my chest and relayed my morning to my Dad (Poopa) and the Con man.  Cam eventually picked Con up to go meet his new sister (Emma Lee Cook!).   He was decked out in his "Big Bro" shirt, and he picked out his brown tennies to wear.  I truly couldn't (and still can't) believe it actually happened while I was there...two weeks early for heaven's sake!  Dad and I tag teamed the Conster until Sunday when the new addition came home to stay.  The time I spent with Connor is and will be some of the most precious memories of my life.  I love that little rascal more than I could even begin to describe.  When the babe in arms came home I got to snuggle her almost all afternoon.  IT.  WAS.  HEAVEN.  I could have died in her little eyes.  Those four days were priceless...I can't even think about either of those angels' faces without tearing up! OOOOOH!  My mom even got in on Sunday, so I got to see her for a little while too. 

After a tearful goodbye, I started my drive to meet the gang in Elyria, OH.  It was the last thing I wanted to do...leave all my sweeties behind.  BUT, because mom and dad were both in IN they were able to bring Con to see my show today.  I cried after they left.  Some teacher saw me playing with Con after the show and asked if he was "mine".  I told her that he was my nephew...but was thinking that I would claim him in an instant.  I took him backstage to my dressing room to retrieve my keys to hand over to Noonie and Poopa, and on the walk he asked, "Caroloin, after you do your show...you come to my house?"  (I am welling up right now!  sheesh!)  I had to take a little breath, shove down the lump in my throat and say, "Well Con, I have to go to some other places to do my show...but I am going to come and visit you as soon as I can."  Priceless.

Whew. 

Other things of note (Must change subject...to stop the tears...daaaaaang!):

Got my federal tax refund today
Bought a new bra. (mine are so ratty)
Ate Chik-fil-a
Got my roots touched up and a killer hair cut (Don't worry Mom ...it's still long...)
Skyped for the very first time
Oh...and my lil sissy got some BIG news (Congrats! AH!)

Off to NC tomorrow...closer to home...things are good in this world even though they aren't really.  Babies are born everyday.  They are all sweet, and pure and helpless.  Isn't it kinda funny though that even though they're helpless...they will probably be the ones who end up helping us?  hmmmm...

Oh I love her...and him....and lots of other folks too.

XOXOXOXOXOXO.