While You Were Fighting: Day 3

*There's something spatially weird going on with two of the photos which is why the spacing is wonky. I gave it my best effort to fix it. 

 Gabby Fulton plays with neighbour Gabby Chapman outside their apartment building in Lima, N.Y. Both girls are two with blonde hair and blue eyes. They refer to one another as "Gabby-friend".

 Sarah simultaneously watches the two Gabbys and Esther play on opposite sides of the yard shared by two large apartment buildings.

 Sarah encourages Esther to take the plunge down the slide alone.

 Gabby Chapman plays in the yard outside the apartment.

Michelle Chapman, a close friend of Sarah's, lives in the apartment upstairs with her husband Tim and their two children Samuel (8) and Gabrielle (2). Tim recently had shoulder surgery and Michelle is responsible for caring for him and everything else while he recovers. "Sometimes I just want to... stop," she said. "I could just lay here."

 Gabby Fulton watches as Gabby Chapman cries about her fall moments before. Gabby has a flair for the dramatic. A minute after this face, the two girls were arguing about their phones. 

 At the Chapmans apartment upstairs, Juliana came out of Gabby Chapman's room dressed for battle.

 Almost to the minute, at 5:00 "The Meltdown" began. Juli had gone to a friend's and Gabby couldn't go. To make matters worse, Esther began whacking Gabby in the face with her bottle. 

                   While making more dinner, Sarah talks on the phone as Esther and Gabby talk about their straws. Sarah rarely sits down while eating.

                                                      Sarah finally sits for a moment while Esther repeatedly distinguishes between salt and pepper shakers.

 Sarah was barely in the bathroom when Gabby and Esther were at the door knocking. You might think Sarah interrupted Gabby in the bathroom but no, the girl just didn't have pants on for afew minutes before bed. I believe she lost them in the juice spill during dinner.

 Gabby hugs Sarah after getting her nightgown on.

 During the day, Gabby's bed became disheveled and Sarah had to re-make it.

 Sarah pauses for a moment before getting Gabby into bed.

 Bedtime at 7:30, Sarah sings a lullaby to Gabby.

 After finishing her dinner, Juli hugs her maternal grandfather, Dick Grout.

 After the girls are in bed and the laundry has been folded, Sarah watches a couple episodes of JAG with her parents Marji and Dick Grout.

Sarah gets Gabby ready for bed. This is my favourite and one of Sarah's. I'd sure appreciate it if you'd look at it larger by clicking on it since this small, it looks like she's crying. 

Eighteen is a lot of photographs, but I was at the Fulton's from 2:30-10:30 yesterday and the time yielded a lot. The colour is beautiful in most of these but since this is only preliminary work the black and white is here to stay and it is lovely. 

Jordan is coming home in a little over 3 weeks! Total, I've spent about 15 hours with Sarah and the girls and I've definitely become emotionally involved. I'm not sure how you could not become so, especially when you're with the family. I'm trying to convey how difficult it's been for Sarah but she has such an outstanding attitude I have to be on my feet about it. The spills, the falls, the meltdowns, the length of time away from the man whom you love so dearly- it's quite a lot for a person. I can't wait to see their family together again. Sarah, if you read this, again thank you for letting me hang around yesterday and for sharing your dinner and tea with me :)

The song, "This Year's Love" by David Gray came to my mind the first night I was editing and reading the lines, it makes sense. 

This year's love had better last

Heaven knows it's high time

I've been waitin' on my own, too long

And when ya hold me like you do

It feels so right, oh now

I start to forget

How my heart gets torn

When that hurt gets thrown

Feelin' like you can't go on...