Blainsville

1) The Day the Town Stood Still

Jessica Cromwell

It wasnt unusual compared to any other day or should I say morning? I was up around seven due to Lindsey waking me up suddenly by jumping on the bed excitedly yelling, "Mommy! Its today! The carnival is today! Its today! Its today! Wake up, mommy!" She giggles while I pretend to still be asleep so she crawls under the covers and I snatch her up; tickling her repeatidly until she gives me that adorable giggle once more. "Yes I'm aware of that, Linny! Why dont you go get your sister up so she can make you some cereal and I'm gonna go call your daddy ok?" Lindsey giggles and prepares to scurry off to her older sisters room, "Wait you give mama a kiss before you go off like that..." Lindsey kisses my cheek and runs off.
Those girls are my world it's so unreal that only 7 years ago I gave birth to the sweet, adorable, charming little girl I called Lindsey who looks exactly like me. I also have another daughter who is 12 named Rhea who looks exactly like a mixture of my husband and me with her blonde hair and dark green eyes. I'll admit I was blessed with some beautiful angels and I thank god everyday that they are ours.

As I hear Rhea and Lindsey play in the kitchen I call my husband otherwise known as Dr.John Cromwell in Blainesville being an awfully small place in Pennsylvania. Although the town was small it did have its perks like a Walmart, a pharmacy and a park which was good for the girls when we wanted to leave the house for a bit. I dialed my husband who I woyld know this early is still at the hotel at least until 9, "Hey babe, hows it going out there? The big city and all?" He chuckles, "I'm fine honey, just got done with the conference last night around 11. I should be checking out in an hour and I'll be home around this afternoon that is if traffic isnt too bad due to the carnival in town. Its not too bad down here just totally strange compared to what we're used to I'm hoping I can make it back in time I know the girls were really excited about the fireworks tonight." I smile as I watch the girls sit and talk while eating their cereal, "Do you guys wanna say hi to dad? Hes on the phone right now!" I hear Rhea jump out of her chair and run toward me along with Lindsey close behind, "I wanna talk to dad first!" Rhea says in a hurry, "No, mommy! Me!" I shrug and start to laugh as Lindsey begins tickling me, "Alright, put them both on cause obviously you're getting tackled!" John says chuckling so I let them both talk to him. "Hey daddy!" They say, "Hi girls, have you been behaving for your mom? If I find out no ones brushed their teeth in a week I'm gonna take away all your snacks..." Lindsey goes wide eye and I can see the tears in her eyes, "Lindsey didnt brush her teeth, dad! She doesnt get to go to the carnival..." Rhea tease and thats when Lindsey burst into tears in a fit. "Alright, you two thats enough! I'll be home in a little while and Rhea be nice to your sister. I mean it! Love you all, bye." I make my kissing motion, "I love you too, Johnny boy."

After breakfast I get Lindsey ready to head to the carnival cause after all I was on the childrens comitee due to the school sign up. I take her a bath, brush her short brown curls and get her all dressed up in her light pink skirt, a pink shirt with a puppy on it and help her brush her teeth. She looks so much like her father sometimes its amazing how I was ever lucky enough to have two kids. Even though a doctor once told me we would have a hard time conceiving again due to my endometriosis but we got very lucky. Rhea she was becoming a young women; she would be 13 in two months and I was hiw do I say... Not prepared. She already had the alight of hand mood swings going from a pleasant little daddys girl to a monster if proportions, she had the eye roll down like all women and my favorite was the questions about her ever changing body in the process before puberty. "Alright come on ladies, we gotta be down at the park by 12 we're gonna have lunch at Marla's house and then we're all gonna help sit up the booths for prizes." As we head out the door Rhea favorite thing was to play the I have to pee before we leave game and Lindsey's I forgot to grab my bear, Mr. Beanie. "When I start that car I'm leaving with or without you, Rhea. So you make sure that Lindsey is ready to go cause I'm tired of that stupid bear situation it's every time we leave somewhere." I add before heading to the car I can feel Rhea rolling her eyes through the back of my head.