I'd like to introduce to you Tayniesha and Aramani...two of my most favorite girls in the world! Tayniesha, on the left is 8 and was in my class last year. Armani is four and will be in Pre-K 4/5 this coming year. They are sisters and are from a family of nine children...ages 12 to 2. When they come over, they always want to take a bubble bath! Armani and Tayniesha light up any room they walk in to. We went swimming at the Houston Country Club and then ate dinner. Tayniesha went off the diving board for the first time (Ryan was in the water to catch her just in case she sank...) and Armani went down the slide with Miss Holland!

When we got home, we played with the puppies for a little while, took a bath, watched a movie, and went to bed early! (Tayniesha told me they usually stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning...that wasn't the case at the Holland house!) When we said our prayers, Tayniesha thanked Jesus for a good meal and getting to share a bed with Armani. Armani wanted to go downstairs and tell "the lady in the green dress," my mom, that she loved her! Hopefully they know how much we love them too.

Before we went home, we had a big breakfast. Tayniesha drank coffee (I think she was copying my mom and me...) and Armani wanted "ceerio." We interpreted that to mean Honey Nut Cheerios?

Neither one of them wanted to go home...it was heartbreaking for my mom and me to put them in the car much to their demise. There wasn't a lot of talking on the way home...Tayniesha wouldn't go in the house when we got there. They live in a "house" with no air conditioning or electricity. When I walked to the door, it reeked of smoke and mildew. I opened the door to see at least ten of their family members sleeping on blankets and pallets. There is not a crib for her 2 year-old twin brothers. There is not a play pen either. There are no bunk beds for her three little brothers to share. There is not some cute pink, princess bed spread for Armani and her little sister, Jakira, to share. Pray for this family!

It brought tears to our eyes to see them go yesterday morning, but also tears of joy to see their faces light up when they got to take a bubble bath and eat as much as they wanted for dinner.