New to the Lou

A Day for Love

2012-02-14T09:51:00.003-06:00

I feel about Valentine's Day the way people say we should feel about Christmas, but that one feels a little more vague to me.

Anyway, what I mean is that I try to not save up my love for this special day. Don't get me wrong. I love to go out to dinner with my special someone. This is our 15th Valentine's Day together, by the way. I'm quite sure I gave it a whole lot more thought when there might be a little romantic surprise in my locker or something.

But, as a grownup, I don't think I'm better at expressing my love for him or anyone else that I care about today than any other day. Probably worse actually because it's easy to get caught up in the "should"s of Valentine's Day. And I'm never great at doing what I should do. Rebellion and a bad memory combine for some serious deficiencies.

Most days that I stop to think about it, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for all the love I have in my life. My heart definitely has no trouble overflowing to those around me. I am filled up. Every day.

Now making every day like Christmas feels like a bigger challenge. I just don't know what that means. I get that we should celebrate Jesus every day, but it's a little harder to recreate that type of halted and still adoration every day. I'm just saying.

Happy Valentine's Day to all my people. Love ya today and every other day, too.

To Sophia's Teachers

2012-02-09T09:16:00.000-06:00

I registered Sophia for Kindergarten this week. Then I wrote this letter to Sophia's future teachers.

To the Teachers of Sophia Creach:

First of all, thank you. For everything you're about to do for Sophia. For everything you've already done to prepare for her. You and I can only imagine the impact you will have on her spirit, not to mention her mind. Thanks for caring enough to be here with her, helping to prepare her for life.

It can't hurt for you to have a little extra preparation, so I thought I'd let you know a few things.

I know you've taught lots of amazing kids. Many of them have been remarkable. Once you have become part of Sophia's world, I think you'll agree that a child as memorable as Sophia is a treasure.

You'll be happy to know that she won't sneak around on you. As a matter of fact, when Sophia does anything that is opposed to the rules you've established (or even one she thinks should be established), she will come right to you and confess it. In preschool, she tells her teachers when she forgets to listen to their instructions, especially when they don't notice.

I think it's only fair that you know about Sophia's supersonic hearing. I kind of wish I had a warning about that one. She may look like she's not paying attention, but she is absorbing every word and every unspoken message you're sending. I know this because occasionally she gives herself away by entering a conversation she wasn't near. The softer you speak, the more attentive she'll be.

Like I said, she picks up on signals you're not giving out loud too. She is sensitive. The essence of Sophia is absolute tenderness. I don't mean that she'll run away crying. That only happens when you least expect it. I do mean that she can gauge the temperature of any given room surprisingly fast. Often she'll adjust her own demeanor to match it or to smooth it. Regardless, she is picking it up, and she'll happily tell you about it if you ask. She watches out for her friends and for the people that she says just aren't her friends yet. She uses her words carefully to protect the hearts of others. But sometimes she forgets to protect her own heart in the process.

Sophia likes to talk. I've done my best to help with this last one, but I can't make any guarantees. I like to talk, too. It's all I ever got in trouble for in school, and that happened often. Sophia's daddy and I have been talking with her a lot about respect. How important it is to show respect to others that we come in contact with every day. How our teachers deserve an extra dose of respect since they're spending time with kids to help them grow and learn. All I ask of you is that you show some respect to Sophia, too. Just give her the benefit of the doubt when she forgets to wait her turn to speak. I promise that she's trying. And when you show respect to Sophia and her classmates, it will make my job so much easier to remind Sophia what respect looks and feels like.

As you are working tirelessly to help these kids to develop their minds, please protect their hearts. Please protect Sophia's heart. I promise not to blame you when her heart inevitably gets broken. I'll help her get it back together and be glad that it's a Kindergarten heartbreak and not the high school kind. I promise to support you in whatever way I can. I promise to give you the benefit of the doubt, too. Sophia will most likely never say an unkind thing about you, although she does have a judgmental eye for fashion. I'll be generous in my response.

Thanks again for everything. I'll never be able to repay you.

Respectfully yours,

Sophia's mom

Snapshot

2012-02-07T07:08:00.001-06:00

Sophia had the camera for a while the other day and snapped this picture of us. Yes, we had been posing, of course. We can't help it. Once I saw this picture, though, I just thought to myself that I really hope this is what Sophia thinks of when she thinks of her mommy and daddy.

It's certainly what I like to think of.

Also this.

A Weekend of Family Fun

2012-02-06T10:57:00.004-06:00

Saturday, we were so excited that David and Casey and the boys came to visit us. Four kids in one apartment can be a bit much, so the zoo is always a good place to spend energy. But, rainy as it was, we were inside. And it was so much fun. I'm glad that we didn't have to go out and wander around the zoo. We just got to stay inside and hang out. With a quick walk to the candy store, of course. All three of us were sad to see them go, but only one of us was reduced to fits of weeping. The one who likes to stand at the mirror and watch herself cry. Not me.

Yesterday, the sun came out. Still windy, but we had a great time wandering around Forest Park. This spring is going to be a good one with Sophia's bike. She's finally realized how much fun it can be!

The Super Bowl was a bit anticlimactic, to be honest. I was drowsy, and Sophia was cleaning (yes). But the weekend over all gets an A+.

Surreality

2012-01-29T14:44:00.000-06:00

Sophia had a day off school Friday because of Parent/Teacher conferences. I may have more to say about that another day. Since we had our conference on Thursday, we had the day to ourselves. I decided it would be a good time to head to the farm in Illinois to have a little visit with my grandparents.

Sophia was a tough sell, but by the time we headed off, she was excited for the visit. We got there at lunch and ate our meal, which Grandma kept insisting was not enough: chicken tetrazini, jello salad and bread. I didn't have the heart to tell her that many days I eat crackers and hummus and a hard boiled egg. So a real meal feels like a lot.

Shortly after our dinner, Grandpa headed in for a nap, and us girls got everything out for cookie making. As Grandma spread it all out and I looked it over, it hit me. Just trade out girls and give Grandma a few inches back, and this is a day in my childhood. Same apron, same table, yellow checked tablecloth, cutters, routine, everything. For that matter, I'm pretty sure it's all the same as when my own mom was a kid, too. It was a little strange. But honestly, I feel so incredibly grateful that Sophia and I can share that. A little moment in time that will bind us together. With Grandma.

And if you need some cookies, we've got plenty. That's not all. We also came home with some fabric and old calendars. We should be good in the art and sewing categories for a while now. I also sneaked a quick picture of Grandma at the table. Don't tell her, though. She hates having her picture taken.

I Forget

2012-01-19T22:06:00.002-06:00

I just (almost) finished a book called Moonwalking with Einstein. It was on the topseller and best read lists on Amazon and at my local bookstore, so what could I do. I was hoping, with a title like that, that the book would be a strange tale or something. Not so. It's a book about training one's mind to remember. Specifically, how one person spent a year training his memory in order to compete in the annual Memory Championships.

Don't get me wrong, the book had some definite interesting points. I liked the conversation he started about the need for memory becoming obsolete with the proliferation of technology - like this. I couldn't argue, considering the fact that I blog in order to remember. And there were even some helpful hints about using mnemonic techniques to remember lists and such. But really when it came down to it, I'm just not that interested in remembering those kinds of things. I do want to exercise my brain and "jog" it occasionally. Maybe take a mental stroll around some of the places I've been. We really don't take enough time in our lives to re-experience many things.

However, the fact of the matter is that when I stopped to write down my experience of the book, I forgot the author's name. And that's really okay with me. Josh Foer, by the way. I just looked it up. Thank you, internet...

Storyteller

2012-01-17T16:53:00.002-06:00

Last night in the St. Louis area, we had some really strange weather. Tornado sirens, a couple rounds of hail and lots of lightning and thunder made for a long night for us and many others.

It was the topic of conversation at lunch with some friends after school. The other moms and I were discussing how we responded to the sirens and such, and at every round, Sophia added the night's story from her perspective. I guess telling that story got her storytelling mojo going because after that she couldn't be distracted.

Every time a mom took a breath, Sophia said, "I have a story." Until she finished her lunch, I kept reminding her to eat. By the time she was finished with her lunch, she was up to three stories, and she told me so. Just before we cleaned up the table from the meal, I released her on the audience. There were, in fact, three stories, ranging from the fact that she had jaundice as baby to our decision to let her sleep in our bed through the storm.

I love this about her. She is so confident in her ability to hold people's attention, and for the most part, she is right. I enjoy her stories immensely, even when they revolve around personal information - sometimes mine. I hope she keeps that ability to hold onto a good story and share it. That's something that I've had to work on in life. I have great stories to tell, but my mouth and my mind tend to operate at different speeds, while hers is always in sync. I should have her start contributing to the blog...

Snow!!

2012-01-12T22:11:00.002-06:00

and brrrrrr....

Sophia had a playdate today, but she has been waiting so patiently - well, she's been waiting anyway - for snow that once she got home and wanted to sled, I just couldn't turn her down.

We didn't let the ridiculous cold get in our way. Last year, Sophia didn't like sledding because she got snow in her face. But this time, she was prepared. Face covered and eyes protected, she loved going down the hill at top speed all by herself.

And now that I have feeling back in all of my extremities, I will consider going out again tomorrow if the snow is still sleddable.

Sophia

2012-01-11T15:49:00.001-06:00

It is relatively easy to catch Sophia in a pose, but this is definitely my favorite pose in a while. We went to the zoo yesterday with a couple of Sophia's friends. Instead of looking at animals, Sophia and her friends just found different spots around the zoo to stop and pretend and perform.

These girls are also natural performers, so they had a lot of fun together. And we had a blast watching them make the zoo their stage.

Back at the Park

2012-01-06T22:06:00.004-06:00

We had another lovely day today. It's strange to get into January with 70 degree weather, but I'll take it.

Just after she got out of preschool, we had a picnic at the playground with several of her classmates. Each time we moms are together now, we talk about how sad it's going to be to break these kids up next year. Of course we know they'll make new friends in their separate kindergartens, but the chemistry of this class is so great that we hate to see it end. Here's Sophia with her friends Tommy and Anna.

As soon as we got home, Sophia wanted to go back to our little park. I certainly didn't want to object. For the day, she decided she's have an imaginary friend come with us. Her name was McKenna, and Sophia "called" her to let her know that we were on the way.

She spent much of the time explaining McKenna to me and calling her on her pretend phone. She rarely stops talking on a day like this. It was fantastic. As long as I can keep up with her, she's happy.

Almost as good as snow

2011-12-29T16:59:00.001-06:00

I'd say it's much more fun to be outside in jackets, but Sophia is still holding out for a really good snowstorm. We certainly did enjoy our visit to the park today. For the first time in a couple of months, Sophia wasn't alone on the swings and made some new friends.

Looks like this balmy weather may bring in the new year. Last year on New Year's Day, we were at the zoo and had to leave because of a tornado warning. And the year continued with the trend of weird weather. I really hope that the coming year is more predictable. On the other hand, I won't complain about lovely days like this for sure!

looking both ways

2011-12-28T21:03:00.002-06:00

One of the reasons that I love the holidays is that I love thinking back and looking forward. I don't really have to remind myself to stop and reflect. More often, I find myself saying, "Self, enough reflecting and planning. Now just do it."

The turn of the year offers a great chance for that. And this one is extra special because it's the year that Erick and I will celebrate our 10-year anniversary. That's right. A whole year to reflect on our first ten years of marriage. I'm giddy with excitement. So, it may come up a lot this year. Or it may not. We'll see.

Regardless, I'll be thinking about it. And talking a lot to Erick about it. He loves that. He actually does, but I think his ears may get tired sometimes. Anyway, reflection is my favorite. Birthdays, anniversaries and the holidays are therefore also my fav.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-24T17:09:00.001-06:00

Feeling Christmasy. Hope you are feeling the love of the season too.

Snug

2011-12-22T17:01:00.002-06:00

I'm sitting here between the cat and Sophia, listening to the hiss of our radiator. I so enjoy Christmas break. I'd take a picture to share, but we're only lit by Christmas lights.

Christmas is fantastic. I'm excited. Erick's excited. Sophia is beside herself, practically counting down the hours. She has asked Santa for a sewing machine, and she's asked us for a Nintendo DS (a handheld video game). Lucky for her, she's been a very good girl this year.

Tomorrow, we head to Columbia to celebrate with Erick's mom. Then home for our family Christmas on Christmas Day. Monday, we head out to Grandpa and Grandma's farm to have Christmas with the whole family on Mom's side. Should be a good time.

Let the festivities begin! Well, as soon as I'm done sitting right here...

Silver Dollar City in the Rain

2011-12-16T10:50:00.001-06:00

A couple of weekends ago, we got down to Springfield to see my parents. While we were there, we went to Silver Dollar City to see the Christmas lights.

I have so many great memories there at Christmas. I had never been during the season until we moved to Missouri in the 90's. Then it was always fun to go with my parents and just enjoy the hustle and bustle and Christmas spirit. Once Erick and I started dating, the Christmas festival at Silver Dollar City became very special to both of us. We didn't have any money in college, but since our parents still bought us season passes to SDC, we could go there for free of an evening! How romantic to wander around looking at the Christmas lights, watching the little familes that we envisioned would soon be us, taking many self portraits and just being together. Anyway, we love it there.

This time around on our visit, it was rainy. Very rainy. But not cold and not crowded. So I really didn't mind all that much. Everyone had fun.

Sophia talked to Santa. Asked for what she wanted and more (just to be safe). She's a wily kid.

And last, we saw the tree. I love that tree, too. Every year it just gets more spectacular. I especially love seeing it reflected in my baby's eyes.

Sophia's Story

2011-12-12T16:38:00.001-06:00

I'd explain this if I could, but I'm not sure it would help...

Lafayette Square Holiday Tour

2011-12-11T16:46:00.002-06:00

Before Sophia was born, Erick and I stayed at a guest house in Lafayette Square, here in St. Louis, and ever since then we have really liked the area. Beautiful historic homes, a great park in the square (obviously) and lots of quaint shops and eateries.

So we were excited to learn that they open a selection of their homes at Christmas to the public.

Each home is decorated for Christmas. Some more than others. And each home was very unique in its style.

It wouldn't be a holiday celebration without carolers, right?

Even the homes that weren't part of the tour went above and beyond to put on the festive best.

I highly recommend the tour. It was great fun. Big houses, condos, churches and shops. All decked out and packed with people ready to feel Christmasy.

Also, if you're in St. Louis and craving a good cut of hot chocolate, you must go to Rue Lafayette. The best hot chocolate I've had in recent memory. Served at just the right temperature. It warms you up without burning your tongue. Perfection.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2011-12-05T16:24:00.003-06:00

After Thanksgiving, we set up our Christmas tree and decorations as we always do. I forgot how much I love this apartment when its halls are decked. Lovely.

We've been working on Christmas cards, too. Sophia loved stamping and address-stamping all the envelopes, so hopefully everything gets where it's going... Her help might have caused a little trouble too.

We really love Christmas in this house.

All of us. Note the largeness of our "kitten."

Thanksgiving Adventures

2011-11-26T20:01:00.007-06:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Erick's mom came to spend the holiday with us, and enjoyed the perfect balance of relaxation and excitement.

This is our second year in St. Louis for Thanksgiving, but our first trip to the downtown Thanksgiving Parade. It was a chilly and windy morning, and we did wait for quite a while for the parade to begin.

But it was quickly worth the wait. Sophia waved at everyone as they passed.

And she got up close with several of the parade participants. All in all, it was a great parade morning.

Our second and most exciting adventure was last night when we went to see Mamma Mia at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. We had bought tickets for Mary's birthday in October, so we've been looking forward to this for a while.

Sophia just loves getting dressed up for a big evening out. She was sweet and excited and so much fun to see the show with.

We all followed Sophia's cue and got fancy for our night at the theatre.

At the end of the show, everyone was on their feet, and Sophia was dancing in the aisle - once she caught her breath from the excitement.

It has been a wonderful start to our holiday. I spent the day today not feeling too great, but we still managed to get our decorations up before I took a nap. I can't wait to see what the rest of the season has in store for us!

Baby Jesus

2011-11-23T13:31:00.003-06:00

It's time for my annual post on Sophia's love of the nativity set. Every year, I am surprised at how much she loves it. A couple of weeks ago, we brought back our Christmas stuff from Mary's house. I told Sophia she could pick one thing to keep out until after Thanksgiving when we'll put everything up. Being the quickster she is, she first chose the tree... So once I had told her that was a no go, she chose the nativity set.

I bought this nativity set the year Sophia was born - maybe. I don't remember for sure. What I do remember is that it was the five dollar kind. Just one to tide us over until we could afford a nicer one more suited to my taste. Now I can't imagine replacing it.

Each year, Sophia loves playing with the people and the animals. Usually at the window.

This year, before she put it in the window, she played with it in her room. Joseph got to take a ride on a Zhu Zhu wagon. That would have been a much better way to get to Bethlehem...

Climbing Trees

2011-11-15T11:07:00.004-06:00

It seems like for weeks, I've been saying, "This is probably the last nice day that we'll have, so we better go outside." If I bothered to check a forecast, I might have known that we would have one of the most continuous and pleasant falls that I can remember in recent history.

A couple of weeks ago, Sophia had a friend over for a play date. One of the things her friend wanted to do was to climb trees in the park where Sophia had her birthday party. Sophia has never climbed trees there before, or anywhere else for that matter. She would never climb the tree in our front yard in Columbia even when her cousins were nearly at the top.

Because she had never done it before, she wasn't dressed quite like a climber. The tutu and sparkly hat impaired her skills just a smidge, but she had a blast. Most importantly, she was incredibly proud of herself for trying something new and conquering a fear.

We have been back a couple of times because Sophia had so much fun. She gets higher and more confident every time. One of my absolute favorite activities as a kid was climbing trees. My legs were never without a scrape or a bruise. I have to admit that I actually had a tear when Sophia got her first scrape. Maybe that's because she didn't whine about it. Hard to say.

Now when we head to climb trees, Sophia dresses like a climber. A fancy climber, yes. But a climber.

Hola

2011-11-11T16:25:00.003-06:00

It's been an uncharacteristically long time since my last post. I keep starting posts about the fact that it's been almost a year since we've been in St. Louis. Each post has been different and each one is unfinished.

Maybe if I keep it short, rather than comprehensive, I can get one published. In just four days, it will be an entire year since we moved into this apartment. That feels weird on many levels. A year is a long time, but it's still only an eighth of the time we lived and invested in Columbia.

We miss our friends. All three of us miss them. We miss our house, mostly because, as Sophia says, "It was so close to the boysies." I think I may have mentioned this before, but there are definitely days that I wish I were in Columbia, but, so far, I haven't wished that I lived there again. That's not to say I won't have that feeling in the future, but I'm happy to hold onto my contentment for now.

We love our friends in St. Louis. I'm grateful every day for the relative ease of this transition for all of us. Erick loves his job. I love the possibilities in St. Louis. I love the food and the walks.

Sophia loves her school, the parks, her friends. Everything that matters to her about St. Louis is a win.

A year later. Sophia, Erick and I have all grown and changed individually. Our relationships to each other have changed, too, as outside dynamics shift. A year later, and I can still say with absolute certainty that my favorite thing in life is the three of us - together.

Feeling Words

2011-11-02T09:50:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite things about Sophia is that she is not afraid to express how she is feeling. Another of my favorite things is how those expressions are described in her words.

A common feeling that she described a while back was "scooped." Because of when and how she used it, I could only guess that she was referring to feeling disappointed or misunderstood. Scooped.

Last night, Sophia and I had another conversation that revealed more of how and what she feels. As she got ready for bed, Sophia told me about something that happened at school. A friend of hers told another friend to go away. She was confused and felt uncertain about what she should do. After we had talked it through, I told her that I was sorry she had felt uncomfortable at school. She responded with "Yeah. Sometimes when I feel that way, my brain gets salty." Oh yeah? "And when I'm happy, there are rainbows right here," pointing between her eyes. "When I'm sad, it's rainy in there, and when I'm angry, there's thunder." She was quiet for a while, and we continued getting her into bed. She decided she wasn't sure that her brain really did those things after all. I told her that since she and I had never seen inside our brains, it might very well be what happens. She brightened up with, "Maybe we each have our own language with our brains. That's my language, and I just forgot it!"

I just love the way Sophia talks about her feelings. She knows just how to describe it, even when she's not quite sure what to do with it. I get all kinds of rainbows when I think about the person she's becoming. Maybe a little salty too.

Autumnal Fun

2011-10-30T14:21:00.001-05:00

I guess I'm determined to get my money's worth out of this year's costume because Sophia donned it once again for another trip to the zoo. Grandmary came to visit this weekend, so we all headed back to the zoo for Spooky Saturday. More crafts and treats and such. The animals were supposedly out, but we didn't see them. We did however, ride the train and Sophia and Mary took a trip on the carousel.

We are accustomed to being out-fancied by Sophia, so we weren't surprised when she strutted out of her room this morning ready to go to breakfast - like this.

After breakfast, we went to the St. Louis Art Museum because Monet's three huge Waterlillies paintings are there in a special exhibit together. They are here until January 22nd, and I highly recommend making the trip if it fits into your schedule. Admission is $10 for adults. But if you can make it on a Friday, admission is free for everyone! I imagine we might make another visit on a Friday before they leave.

The chill of fall is rolling in this afternoon, and we enjoyed the view in Forest Park, where the trees are still beautiful shades of red and gold.

A lovely fall weekend in St. Louis.

Princess

2011-10-23T21:50:00.001-05:00

Tonight we kicked off the beginning of our Halloween festivities. We went to the St. Louis Zoo at night for Boo at the Zoo. Animals, characters, lights and activities at night. A great time all around.

Halloween - This is the one time of year that Sophia's wardrobe gets to match the rest of her.

Highlight of My Week

2011-10-20T13:20:00.001-05:00

It's been a good week. The weather is cool, and the sun came out today. I don't mind the first few days of chilly rain. I actually find that I'm more productive on those days. Once the rain hangs around, my productivity plummits. So, the sun is a good thing.

Anyway, today I got to go to Sophia's school and be the guest reader. Every Thursday, Sophia's class hosts a guest - usually a parent, grandparent or older sibling. This Thursday was my turn. I let Sophia pick the book. Children Make Terrible Pets.

I was excited to go to Sophia's class, but my excitement was nothing compared to Sophia's. When she got up this morning, she was already talking about where she'd sit and how much everyone would like the book. As I read the book to the class, I had a lot of fun. I really like those kids. But the best part was watching Sophia's face. When I would get to a funny part or ask for interaction, her face would light up and she'd look around at her friends with a look that just warmed me right up. I guess it would be pride in her mama.

On our way home, I asked if I did a good job. Sophia replied, "No, mommy, you did a GREAT job!"

Gratitude

2011-10-13T08:38:00.001-05:00

The last month has included Sophia's birthday, a trip to California and the opening of the Disney store in the Galleria, to which Sophia had a gift card.

All that to say that it's been a lucrative month for our five-year-old. I have a feeling that what I'm about to describe is a phenomenon common among children post-birthday, but I can only speak for Sophia. Basically, the more she has, the more she wants. Now that I say it out loud, it's not just kids, is it? It's a pretty common human reaction. Stuff is cool. New stuff is even cooler. Toys and gadgets are addictive.

Most days are actually without greedy incident, but if Sophia catches sight of the $8.00 she has left to spend or sees a commercial advertising something mind-blowingly awesome, then we're back to, "Please, mommy! This is the laaaast thing I'll ask for." And Erick and I are back to being single-message parents. "I'd like to see some more gratitude, Sophia." It's a constant theme. Gratitude is one of the lessons that, as I'm sharing it, I feel an urgency that it eventually sink in. It's a lesson I so often need to hear myself, and it's a lesson that may be the difference in Sophia's life between contentment and bitterness.

In my mind, gratitude and humility are tied closely together. When I am feeling truly grateful for the blessings in my life, it is generally because I am in a moment of awareness that I deserve these blessings no more (or less) than the next guy. When I lose sight of that truth, I tend to have a bigger appetite for things. Of course, when talking with children about humility, it's a short jaunt over to guilt. Learning to share the importance of gratitude, beyond the "Thank you for the gift! It's exactly what I wanted!," which Sophia is quite good at, is a complicated mine field, riddled with the temptation to throw in just a tiny guilt trip. As usual, the best way to teach her is to show her.

Another Fall, Another Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-11T11:19:00.001-05:00

I love a pumpkin patch. I don't know why, but I do. Saturday, we headed to Chesterfield to a pumpkin patch with some friends who knew the way. It was a huge farm with tons of things for the kids to do (all of which cost money). Still, a great time. It felt strange to be at the pumpkin patch in short sleeves. I actually regretted not wearing shorts once we got there!

And yes, we have some Jayhawk friends. We are practicing active love. Hoping to convert the kids before it's too late. I just love this picture. It cracks me up that Sophia is so perfectly posed. Obviously I was not the mom who asked to take the picture. Otherwise, we'd have seen the pucker face.

Reflection

2011-10-06T10:32:00.002-05:00

Every year, I compile a running folder of my favorite pictures of Sophia, her friends, our family and other stuff that I think might be important. Then, after her birthday each year, I head to a photo site and begin work on a book about that year. The purpose is similar to my blog. I don't want to forget. She loves looking back through the books, and I do too.

It's a process that I look forward to and simultaneously dread each year. This year's favorites folder held over 300 pictures. Not even a third of those go into a book. But it's a lot of fun going through them. I so enjoy reliving our adventures and regular days through pictures.

Here are a few of the ones I have to choose from.

One of our last visits as residents to the little park on the hill in our Columbia neighborhood.

A spring walk around our St. Louis neighborhood apparently made Sophia too tired to go home.

A trip to the St. Louis Zoo, and our first visit to the Sea Lion show. It was hot!!

That would be a silly face.

Working on a project in our dining room.

You can see why it's such a challenge! But I love doing it, and I especially love getting that fresh book in the mail!

Coastal Cousins

2011-10-04T14:43:00.002-05:00

Quite a few things fell together to draw us to San Francisco and the Bay area last weekend. Redeemable Southwest points, a San Jose Earthquakes match and, most of all, the promise of getting to know some cousins better than we did before.

Erick's cousin Andy lives in the Bay Area. In adulthood, our families have mingled a handful of times, and every time we wish it could be longer. This last weekend, we decided to test the truth of that statement. Fortunately, we found that neither of us was just being polite.

During our visit, we filled our time with lots of play, soccer matches and even a couple of naps. We were very lucky to get to visit the winery where Andy and Bridget were married eleven years ago - almost to the day!

The weather was perfect, the conditions were restful (except a little stomach bug for Dylan), and the weekend went too quickly! Connor and Dylan wanted Sophia to stay and be their sister, which I'll take as a vicarious complement (yes, I just invented that phrase.) I have a feeling Sophia might have taken them up on the offer if we'd given her a chance!

Big Weekend

2011-10-03T22:32:00.001-05:00

Just so you know, we went to San Francisco for the weekend, and I got my hair cut. More to come!

High Five!

2011-09-27T06:31:00.001-05:00

Dear Sophia,

When you wake up this morning, you'll be five! It is very hard for me to believe when I stop to think about it, but you are definitely every bit of five.

Last night, as I gathered you into my lap and you still spilled out of it, I couldn't help but think back on a night that doesn't seem that long ago. You were still in my tummy, and I was reading a story to Aaron and William in their room. Aaron wished that you could scoot over a little so there was room on my lap for all three of you.

As I had you there in my lap last night, I said everything that I'd want to say in a letter to you. I'll tell you again here so that years from now, you'll remember each word.

Your daddy and I thank God every day for the day that you were born. You have brightened and filled our lives for the last five years in ways that we couldn't have imagined. You make us smile, and you challenge us to be more true to ourselves. You look at life with such clear eyes and an open heart. You inspire me every day.

Every day when I go to school to pick you up, I smile to myself with pride and excitement that it's you that I'll bring home. Thank you, Sophia, for being you.

Happy birthday to you, Sweet Girl!

Love always,

Your mama

Celebrating Sophia

2011-09-26T17:27:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow, Sophia turns five. It's a very big deal, and especially given the year we've had since her last birthday, I wanted to be sure that her birthday was a big deal. Sophia, of course, helped that happen. My original plan was two small parties: one in Columbia, and one in St. Louis. Just a few friends at each so we could spread the love. The Columbia party stayed small as planned, but the St. Louis party guest list was expanded - by Sophia. She kept inviting people that we'd see until I finally had to give in and invite the whole preschool class (fifteen kids!). Her class is pretty close to one another. They all go to every kid's party. It's a good problem, but not when the party is planned for the park and rain is a threat....

So the birthday weekend started at Mary's house, where Sophia received the above Rapunzel doll.

Next came the party at Bonkers. A great time that wore everyone out.

After we left the party, we headed to David and Casey's so we could celebrate with family and also celebrate Henri's second birthday! The cousins had a blast.

We headed home Saturday night so we could finish preparations for the party in the park, which came off without a single hitch. I have never been so happy for a rainless day in my life. It would have been a tight squeeze in our apartment, to say the least!!

The party was lots of fun, and the park turned out to be a great location. Again, the kids went home wiped out. All the parents grateful for the promise of a good night's sleep...

Anyway, it was a great weekend. Tomorrow, she'll get to choose our after-school activities. I can't believe I'm almost the mommy of a 5-year-old!

The Everyday Adventures

2011-09-22T17:15:00.000-05:00

The main reason that I blog is so I remember the stories of my life. Some days are not full of funny stories or quirky adventures. But I don't want to forget those days either. In fact, these are the days that accumulate to make our lives everything they are.

I don't want to forget that on rainy days, we snuggled up together on the couch with a book or a Disney show. I want to remember that on sunny days, I talked Sophia into going outside to blow bubbles or play in the back yard with Gabriella. I don't want to forget these days with Sophia and her sweet little kitten. A trip to the candy store might be the highlight of a day like this. Or maybe a trip around the block to say hey to the people we meet. Our days are filled with imagination, and we use it to play with Barbies, ponies, princesses and animals. Board games, dominoes and Uno out the wazoo.

I want to remember the "tent" Sophia made out of the love seat cushions and a blanket - the one that Gabriella took over as her own private apartment.

It seems impossible that I'll forget all the evenings sitting in the sun room listening and watching for the Jeep so we can jump up and surround Erick when he gets home.

These days are the days that I say a special thanks to God for the life we are privileged to live together.

Sophia's First Day

2011-09-16T08:45:00.001-05:00

I finally plugged in my camera to show you the pictures from Sophia's first day of school. I wasn't in a hurry to do so, and I'll show you why.

Sometimes, Sophia insists that she doesn't like having her picture taken. Well, that's probably because sometimes she doesn't like having her picture taken. But that's beside the point. Other times, she's begging me to take her picture so she can run through a few poses. I guess I was hoping the first day of school would be the latter.

It wasn't.

I talked her out from behind the pole and got this.

I asked if she was sad to leave her mama and go to school. "No, just don't want to smile for this picture."

Got to school and tried again for naught.

Later this week, she put on this outfit, and I simply had to snap a shot of it. She's so darn cute! This time, we reached a compromise. She would smile as long as she could close her eyes...

Have I mentioned lately that I'm the one who asked for an interesting child? 'Cause I did.

Oh, the possibilities

2011-09-15T10:29:00.004-05:00

Sophia is almost through her first full week back to school. We have both survived rather nicely, I think. Sophia is still exhausted at the end of the morning, but she's having fun at school.

Yesterday was a cool, rainy day here, and I could not have enjoyed that weather more. I'm happy to see the sun today and the wispy white clouds, but there is something about a fall rain that is cleansing and symbolic of the change of the seasons.

With my week of mornings, I have cleaned, cooked, napped, eaten, rearranged my living room and helped a friend. I knew that I was going to like having my mornings, but I forgot all the things you can get done in three hours. So I'll spend the next few weeks experimenting with the possibilities.

Hope everyone nearby is enjoying the shift of weather as much as I am.

The Last Hoorah

2011-09-08T16:38:00.001-05:00

Today is the last full day before Sophia's last year of preschool. Tomorrow is just a warm-up day, but since I have to get dressed before noon, I'm calling that the beginning.

Samuel Preschool starts significantly later than its counterparts here, and we've had the benefits and disappointment of that these last couple of weeks. The benefit has been fewer kids at all the kid places, like the zoo yesterday. Even on a gorgeous day, we didn't wait in line for anything. The down side, of course, is that Sophia and I have been on our own for the most part. We're both ready for a little outside interaction.

Like most moms, I love and hate sending her to school. I'm glad it's just for the mornings, but I'll still miss her. Of course, I have enough experience to know that five minutes after we're reunited at noon, either of us could be exasperated. Even though that's true, I may shed a tear Monday morning. Just before I go to the coffee shop with a book.

Love Labor Day

2011-09-06T16:10:00.002-05:00

My parents came into town for the weekend, and we fit a ton into it. Mom always has a place or two on a list of things to do that I've never heard of before. It's really a great way to get to know the city.

This time, I preemptively bought tickets for a Trolley Site-seeing tour of downtown up to Forest Park. It was entertaining and educational. A ton of fun! I learned several things I'd never heard about St. Louis before, and we got some fun ideas on things to do in St. Louis. Sophia slept through most of the tour, but it was 90 minutes well spent.

On the tour guide's recommendation, we visited The Basilica, and it was not a disappointment. An incredible feat of art and ingenuity.

We took Mom and Dad to one of our favorite eateries. If ever we're craving breakfast food, City Diner is the place to be. I can't get enough of their biscuits and gravy. Mmmm. I want some right now.

We spent a few hours (yes, we got it done quickly!) on Sunday painting Sophia's room. I absolutely love the way it turned out. Sophia does, too, which is more important, I suppose. It also gave us a chance to go through some of her things. The result is a beautiful room fit for a 5-year-old.

Love, love, love the Sassy Violet room!

A Fresh Coat

2011-08-29T20:46:00.007-05:00

I am always amazed at what a can of paint and a free weekend can do to a place. We love our apartment, but it isn't ours. There are many things about it that we wish we could change, but 98 percent of these things are out of our control. However, our landlord gave us a huge boost when he agreed to let us paint a couple of rooms. We chose the sun room and Sophia's room. The sun room was the one we chose to practice on. These walls are mostly plaster. They're pretty imperfect, to put it nicely, so we wanted to see if paint actually hurt or really helped the look of a room.

So, Friday night, Erick and I finished a date by shopping at Lowes. We got a little start on the walls that night but finished them up Saturday evening with Sophia's help.

I absolutely love the change. The idea behind this green, Green Briar to be exact, was that I wanted this sun room to feel more like a three seasons room or a porch. Eventually, I'd like to see some older outdoor furniture in here to add to that feel, but the paint was a really great start.

For now, I'm actually thrilled with the way our current things fit in with the space and color.

The sun room has always been my favorite room of the house. You'll notice that many of my pictures are taken in here because we love to play in the sunlight. I'm back here right now at the desk taking in the lights from the buildings around me. I wonder who else is working on a blog at their window. Anyway, the paint has only served make me love it even more. So if you're wondering where I am at any given moment, let's hope I'm right here.

Because this is the kind of stuff that goes on back here. Sophia is sending an email to Erick. I know I've videoed this activity in the past. I included this one because she has an entertaining song to go along with it toward the middle. It made me laugh pretty hard. We'll see if it's universally entertaining or if you had to be here...

Oh yeah! And Sophia got a haircut today!!

On a Boat

2011-08-24T09:49:00.002-05:00

Last Friday night, we took our little family for a boat ride. Of the paddle variety. We've been planning on doing this at some point since we moved here. Erick and I took the same ride in our pre-Sophia days. The plan was to wait until it got a little cooler. It's still ridiculously hot here in Missouri, but I'm not known for my patience. I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't make it happen again before the winter because it would be even more delightful if it were cool.

Anyway, Erick and I had fun and got a good quad workout. Sophia absolutely loved it. There is just something so peaceful and calming about a boat ride on a still lake around sunset. We got to the Grand Basin and just hung around for a while.

Sophia put her toes in and splashed around. I was too busy hanging onto her jacket to snap any pictures of that.

Sophia steered on the way back to the dock. That was an experiment. She did really well overall, but we did have to help in order to avoid collisions with other boaters...

This picture just reminds me that my baby's almost five.

Anyway, I got distracted there. This post was about having fun on a paddle boat. It's just $15 for the hour, too. I don't know, but that seemed like a decent deal to me. We'd love company, if you want to join us there some time!

Happy, happy birthday, Baby.

2011-08-22T11:04:00.002-05:00

I love Erick's birthday almost as much as my own, and not just because it's another reason to eat sweets. I just love to celebrate the day he was born. I was 17 days old, and blissfully unaware that just one state over a beautiful baby boy came and brightened the world of those who knew him. I love to celebrate that day because without it, my life would be a whole lot emptier.

Happy birthday to the love of my life and my favorite person with which to be myself.

It was a good night

2011-08-21T15:32:00.004-05:00

Last night, we were in Columbia to celebrate David's 40th birthday. Difficult to believe, yes. Impossible, no. At his insistence, we also had to acknowledge the other four August birthdays (one of which is Erick's tomorrow) All stops on our walking party train were planned and strategized by our friend JP. Anyway, it was a fantastic time. Way too many laughs to recall. I'm so glad we got to celebrate with our friends. They're fun.

Wizard Sophia

2011-08-15T16:40:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was such a lovely day that we wanted to be outside as much as possible. I had already gotten a bit of a shopping bug, so we decided a good place to do both would be in St. Charles. Chances were good that I wouldn't spend too much money there, which I didn't, and I'd still get to have some fun browsing and spending time outside. It was a really bright idea, if I do say so myself.

While looking through the shops, Sophia ran across a Wizard costume and book that she couldn't resist. She has been wearing it ever since.

Yesterday, while creating her own spells, she also came up with some unfortunate rhymes that I won't repeat here. We simply tried really hard not to snicker while directing her into some safer rhyming directions. It provided hours of entertainment for all of us.

One of my favorite things to do in St. Charles is to eat. They have some of the most pleasant patios that I have found in Missouri. Surrounded by lush greenery, placed on old brick terraces, they're really beautiful. Yesterday was no exception. It took forever to eat, though, but we didn't complain since it meant more time enjoying the loveliness. We had a great time together, as always.

Little Did I Know

2011-08-12T16:33:00.002-05:00

Sophia is going to turn five soon. That's right. I don't lie. Really and truly five years old. So it was a little over five years ago that I was having fun finding things for a little girl I had yet to meet. Posh Baby is one of my favorite baby sites to check out, but it was too expensive to actually order anything. However, they did have this incredibly cute little dress/pant combination that was only available in size 5. I figured it was worth the risk because how could any girl resist the cuteness of this outfit?

That was long before I had met my Sophia. She is no average girl, nor is her style anything like mine. Sophia has been big enough for this outfit for about a year, but she has refused to put it on, primarily on the basis that it's too brown. Today, I finally got her to try it on, since she's almost outgrown it. Once she added the hat and the heels, it became an outfit suitable for her sense of style. I still think she's just humoring me, but I'll take it.

This is the kind of outfit that Sophia prefers.

Please note the hat in both pictures. My mom made me this hat one year to match a dress that I had sewn. Yes, I sewed, and I even wore this hat. However, I did not wear it willingly. Sophia, on the other hand, adores it. We are very different girls, she and I. But it turns out that I love the Sophia I know more than I could have imagined.

Summer Time

2011-08-10T20:45:00.001-05:00

My summer has been really fantastic. The first one in St. Louis, and it's been my favorite season here yet. Although really the only one I haven't particularly been fond of was winter, and I don't like that anywhere that it gets below freezing... Back on topic.

I've tried to write posts about our summer maybe a million times, but every time I start I get distracted by something or someone - usually Sophia. Summer is a long time of togetherness. I don't have quite as many human options for distraction as I normally have in the summer. That's been a mixed blessing, as most things like that tend to be. It's been terrific making new friends and having all manner new adventures, but it is more work than calling up a list of people and saying, "Please, come over! I'm bored!" At the same time, Sophia and I have had about the most chill summer known to man. When we weren't hanging out with Emily or some other new and fantastic friends, we've been at the pool or just at home in our pj's. We have had more pj days than I dare to admit. We now change into them when we get home from doing something as a way to state that we are definitely not going out again that day.

Now that the weather has broken for a few days, at least, we are taking family walks in the evenings. This includes Gabriella in the carrier.

That is going to be a great addition because Sophia is not normally an exercise type girl. If we get her outside it's to lie on a blanket or sit and play bubbles. With Gabriella in the carrier, we don't have any trouble getting her out for an evening walk. And the cat loves it. I think I've mentioned previously that we don't have a normal cat. In the evenings when we open up the carrier, Gabriella hops in on her own. Tonight, we walked down to the park, and while Sophia and Erick played, the kitten and I just chilled in the grass (well, she was still in her carrier, but you get the point.) Anyway, it's quite a fun trip around the neighborhood!

So many of our days are taken up with just thinking, talking and laughing together. Sophia is never far from something hilarious or wise to say. It's been a memorable summer, but since I haven't written down enough, I probably won't remember it very long. I'll try to do better about recording our days as the summer winds up. Sophia's preschool doesn't start until September 12th, so we still have a bit of summer ahead of us. I'll try to say more about it as it winds up.

It's My Birthday!

2011-08-05T08:01:00.002-05:00

Twenty-seven years ago, this is what I looked like on my birthday. Today, I'm not wearing a party hat, but I'm still the same girl. Giddy about my day.

Reached a "Passed End"

2011-08-03T17:37:00.003-05:00

Sophia likes words a whole lot. I like words, too, so we have a blast with them on most days. However, like me, she seems to feel that words hold special meaning, so she steers clear of words that make her uncomfortable. One such word is "dead."

The concept of death itself doesn't seem to intimidate her at all. It's pretty surprising, actually, how often she will bring up the topic on her own just to chat about it. And when I told her that we were going to get a cat, she said, "Yeah!! We're going to get a kitten, and keep it until she passes and goes to cat heaven!!" Apparently, she had already grasped the concept that people tend to outlive their pets, and she's embraced that. We try not to bring it up in front of Gabriella, though.

Anyway, the funniest part about all this is that she replaces the word "dead" with the word "passed" in all situations, and it can be pretty funny in the moment. One time, when we had turned onto a road with no outlet, she said, "Oh, this road is a passed end." Yes, she really said that. It took me a minute to figure out she wasn't saying "past." Another time, she was pretending that Gabriella could do tricks, and when Gabriella fell over, she said, "Oh look, my kitten's playing passed!"

It's just an interesting aspect about Sophia's respect of words. At least, I assume that's what this is about. I have never told her that we don't use the word, so I don't know why she would have decided it's taboo. It will be interesting to see what other words she decides deserve their own rules.

City Museum

2011-07-29T17:06:00.002-05:00

After months of trying and years of hearing great things about it, we finally made it to The City Museum today! We went with our friends Deanna and Maggie. It was slightly overwhelming but incredibly fun. Each corner we turned offered new and interesting activities and adventures. The whole place is really one giant adventure.

One of the first stops was to make some mustaches, of course. Then Sophia went around looking at strangers and saying, "Hallooo! I'm a mahn."

Their favorite stop was most likely the choo choo. The train's conductor was quite the hoot.

After a while with the mustaches, the girls got butterflies painted on their faces. They were adorable.

So glad we finally made it City Museum. We'll definitely go back to explore some more.

Wednesday Reading

2011-07-27T09:54:00.001-05:00

Sophia didn't learn to read in Seattle, but she has taken up a renewed passion for sitting with books. Here she is enjoying a read in a comfy chair. Can you think of a better way to spend a summer day?

Our Friend

2011-07-24T12:21:00.001-05:00

Emily came as a houseguest and leaves as a friend. Today we say farewell as she is finished with her run in The Merry Wives of Windsor.

It has been a wonderful summer having Emily around. Honestly, I can hardly imagine it without her now! Lots of sightseeing and fun in the city together. Sophia will miss her most because she's excellent at playing My Little Ponies and other imagination games. The two of them are a ton of fun to watch. We have all three enjoyed some fierce dance battles and games galore. We'll be glad to catch a visit when we can, but it's been a great experiment without a doubt!

Reading Stories to the Princess

2011-07-22T17:04:00.002-05:00

This scene just amused me immensely. Gabriella is behaving like a mad kitty chasing her tail and paper (and my foot) while Sophia reads her a story with facial and body expression galore. I have no idea what Sophia's story is about. Even after hearing it again. I think it was more about saying words while flinging her head than making sense. So, it's perfect...

Gabriella

2011-07-18T20:57:00.002-05:00

We have a new addition to the Creach household. She's slightly crazy, very independent, snuggly and absolutely adorable. A kindred spirit for Sophia.

She doesn't like to cuddle quite as much as Sophia would like, but after she is worn out from playing, she becomes a regular lap kitty.

She is very entertaining, and all of us are quite taken with her. I absolutely love this cat. Can't wait to share some Sophia-Gabriella tales.

Back to the Beaches

2011-07-13T21:48:00.007-05:00

Well, I wish I were going back to the beaches. How about back to the topic of the beaches.

One of the few "musts" on our list for the Seattle trip was a visit to a Puget Sound beach. We didn't care which beach, just wanted to walk in some sand. Even though it was July, we knew that there was a real possibility that we'd be visiting the beach in jeans and a jacket. That turned out to be far from reality.

Our first beach was Alki Beach. We first stopped at the local fish & chips establishment to grab our picnic.

Then, we headed down to the beach. Something we would later learn was a trend was that these two (plus Erick) were always the first to hit the water. In this case, it was low tide, so we began exploring in tide pools and on the islands created by the ebbing water.

Once the tide started to come in, there were plenty of low waves to jump.

Sophia insisted on staying on one of the tiny islands until it disappeared under her feet - or rather, under her entire body.

Before we left Alki, I snapped a shot that captured Sophia's sheer pleasure at being in a few waves.

So we learned the hard way that the kids needed swimsuits (it took one more lesson to learn that Erick needed his, too). And we hit our second beach, Golden Gardens. It's a very cool beach, too. A longer stretch of sandy beach for strolling and playing. More beach activities. I was mesmerized by the competitive antics of young Seattlites playing sand volleyball for quite a while. The tension between relationship and winning was entertaining when it came to one young couple. Anywho...

As I mentioned, lots of sand. There were many uses for it, it turns out. Burying feet.

Or entire kids.

Is there any better beach activity than collecting stuff? I know I enjoyed it. So did Sophia.

Our stint at Golden Gardens also allowed us to witness the comings and goings of cruise ships, cargo ships and this. Lots of people and it went slowly. But this gives you an idea of the views that one can have while lying in the sand. A little surreal, but absolutely breathtaking.

Our last beach was unique, as well. I was surprised in a couple of ways by the beaches on the sound. First, that they were so largely affected by the tides. I guess it's simple enough, it's still part of the ocean. I just thought that since the sound is so far inland that the tide wouldn't rise and fall at such extremes. I was also surprised at how different each of these beaches was. One almost entirely sand, another rocky, another covered in driftwood. So interesting! Our last beach was Carkeek, which is connected to a very beautiful park with walking trails through hills and thick forest. I'd love to explore that another time. The beach itself was covered in rocks that were covered in barnacles.

A very unexpected treat was to watch a bald eagle flying low over the beach while we were there - apparently being chased from somewhere by this crow.

Carkeek was on our last full day together. There were plenty of bittersweet moments. The kids just soaked up their time together. I love that about them.

They were all bravest on this last Creach trip out. So Erick and all three kids headed out as far as advisable while the tide came into the beach. It was so much fun to watch them and listen to the squeals of excitement.

When we had stayed as long as possible, all three of us had a tinge of sadness to say goodbye to the beach, knowing it will be a while till one finds itself between our toes again. It was, most definitely, hardest for Erick. Who knew? The guy's an ocean rat? Or is it waveaholic? Whatever it is, that's him.

The Little Mermaid

2011-07-11T14:46:00.003-05:00

Friday night, we had our last big outing of vacation. Not that vacation is required to attend a show, but it still counted this time.

I am so grateful that the current heat wave waited until yesterday to hit hard so we could enjoy The Little Mermaid in relative comfort! The Muny is such a great place to see a show, but it is a much bigger gamble, as are all outdoor activities in Missouri summer.

Sophia loves to get fancied up for an outing like this. A little bit of lipstick and we were on our way!

It was a great night. The show was superb, the actors were right on. The company, as always, was my absolute favorite! I adore having adventures with these two.

At Home

2011-07-08T16:15:00.000-05:00

So we're back in Missouri after our adventures with friends in Seattle. There is no way to describe what a great time we had. Every day was full of fun and lots of laughter. We hadn't seen our friends (except on Skype) for over a year, but it took no time at all to find our groove.

We did some of the normal Seattle sites. Pike Place Market.

Chandlers at the market:

Erick saw the market, too, in spite of this evidence to the contrary:

Saw the view from Kerry Park. Mount Rainier looked like a hologram from almost every angle. Gorgeous hologram, though...

One day we got to see my cousin Zach. It was the most time we have gotten to spend together since we were kids, and it was great to hang out. Of course, Sophia loved telling him all manner of stories and facts.

The largest part of our outings were spent at beaches around Puget Sound. I will most likely write a post at some time about the beaches alone.

Anyway, the week was marvelous. Trying to put it all down would just be pointless and unfulfilling for both of us, to be honest. I'm sure there will be more to share, but for now, here are a few of my favorite shots.

Madilyn:

Blake:

Sam:

Janelle and me in the first rain of the trip - on the last morning:

Still Enjoying Togetherness

2011-07-06T21:13:00.001-05:00

We arrived in Seattle a week ago today. We have spent one morning apart during this whole time, yet the idea of leaving tomorrow isn't a relief. It's been fun and fulfilling. And that doesn't say the half of it.

Fresh

2011-07-03T17:48:00.001-05:00

Last night, Erick went to the Portland Timbers game with Brian. He bought a jersey for Sophia, and I think it's going to be a challenge to get this off of her. This afternoon we we went to pick some fresh raspberries, and although I don't love the team, I do love this picture.

Seattle

2011-06-30T12:00:00.001-05:00

We're off to a great start. A week of fun yet to come!!

Watch out for the eggs

2011-06-28T08:01:00.000-05:00

As I said, we celebrated my mom's birthday this weekend. Sophia and I did our part by making a cake for her on Friday. I didn't realize, until we were in the midst of baking, that the recipe called for three eggs. Seems a little excessive, but whatever. Much to my relief, I opened the carton to find three eggs precisely. However, as I tried to take the last egg out, it was stuck. You know when the eggshell just won't budge, and if you try too hard, the egg will crack. Since I needed that egg badly, I decided not to think about what might be causing the egg to stick and just continued on our way.

I had to confess to Sophia that the eggs were a little "iffy." Normally, I let her eat the cake batter, but on account of the threat of salmonella, I didn't let that happen this time. It's not a surprise that I had to repeat the caution many times before the dishes were washed.

Once the cake came out, I forgot all about the egg incident. When Mom & Dad came that night, we ate supper, then had some cake. I'm happy to report the night was uneventful from stomach issues.

The next day, as we sat down to have cake again, we were all finishing up, raving about its deliciousness. Sophia calmly pointed out, "Yeah, it turned out great. You'd never know the eggs were iffy!"

I must have turned ten shades of red - caught, as I was, in my culinary gamble. Everyone had a good laugh, except for Sophia, who just kept insisting that it wasn't a joke - the eggs were actually iffy! I was just glad she didn't announce it the night before when we may have spent some more time fretting over each one of our tummy's rumblings...

Excited!!!

2011-06-26T20:07:00.002-05:00

We had a fantastic weekend visit with my parents, celebrating my mom's birthday. The quilt store, a nice walk and a fine meal were the highlights, just as she would have them. As usual, Sophia cried when they left. It's always so hard to say goodbye.

Today we had something to look forward to, though. Wednesday, we leave before the crack of dawn to head to Seattle. We get to fly, which we haven't done together in a year and a half. We get to see our friends, who we haven't seen in a year. We get to do anything and everything and nothing for a whole eight days - in Seattle!

So we're excited. And packing.

Patches

2011-06-22T20:45:00.000-05:00

Patches is the one in the middle. The very unamused yet surprisingly cooperative feline between two dolls. I don't remember the story behind this picture. I can only imagine I was on the back porch playing with my favorite things, and Mom decided to snap a picture.

Patches was a good cat. Playful and attentive. Killed mice in the yard with regularity and pride. Snuggled with an occasional enthusiasm. Such a good cat.

I obviously loved her.

My Prayer for the Grieving

2011-06-20T11:07:00.002-05:00

I'm no more an expert on grief than is every person suffering the beautiful and awful human experience. But I know enough about it to know what I want for people when I hear they are grieving.

There are moments so pure and tender that I believe they are reserved for those in pain. These are the things that I pray will be in plenty when a grieving soul is ready to receive them. It could be a long time before any of these moments are meaningful because the first gift God gives those who are grieving is absence of feeling. A numbness and distorted vision that lasts long enough that a moment of clarity will not destroy you. Once the numbness wears off, even for a brief moment, these are the things I pray a grieving soul will know.

The moment, after hours or days or only minutes of downcast eyes and knit brows, that you can open your eyes, look straight ahead and you feel the lines fall away as if someone has just smoothed your brow.

A fragrant breeze that cools your skin and dries the hot tears.

Looking into another's eyes and not finding pity.

A gentle embrace from one who knows well enough to leave trite comfort, and even words full of wisdom, for a day other than today.

The freedom to weep in public without shame.

That one day, in a future that will feel like an eternity away, you will hear in the foreign sound of your own laughter, the redemption of what you lost.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-18T23:32:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned how grateful I am that Erick works hard at a job that he had to work hard to get? It's not a very commonly spoken sentiment, but there is more to having a stay-at-home parent than just the occasional budgetary sacrifice. It takes a willingness on the part of one parentt, in our case the dad, to allow the other the express pleasure of staying at home and ensuring the nurture and care of their kids. A joint agreement that, for a while at least, one person will leave the home to supply the necessary provisions for the family within those walls.

This Father's Day, I'm reminded of all the mornings that it's so hard for Erick to get up and out of bed, particularly if Sophia crawled in at some point in the wee hours of the morning. Our bed is comfy, and his family is cuddly. But he does it. Not just because it's what a man's supposed to do but because he cares so much about our family that he doesn't even consider a different option. I can't help but think of the days he calls and I tell him we're at the pool. "And how's work?" He doesn't bat an eye.

Because Erick goes to work while I stay at home, I get the benefit of relationship with Sophia that he has to work twice as hard to get. I don't take that for granted.

What I'm saying is this. Erick is a fantastic dad. Not only is he great at playing, reading, dancing, singing, goofing and kissing boo boos; he has put our family as a priority in a way that I can never hope to return. Thanks, Honey, for being such a wonderful dad.

Things that make me mad

2011-06-16T15:04:00.005-05:00

Ridiculous super powers and my insanely mundane and unhelpful memory.

Please, allow me to elaborate. I hate the hiccups. Once I have them in a day, I know I'm going to get them again. And I don't get dainty, ladylike hiccups. I get the kind that jerk my whole upper body and leave me sore in the chest. Not a great experience. On the other hand, ever since I have known Erick, he has been able to control his diaphragm when he has a hiccup or two and stop its spasms. Imagine my frustration and infuriation when he advises me to calm down and focus as my body heaves involuntarily. I have always taken him to task for wasting such a clear gift of mind control on the hiccups. "This must be the lamest super power that I've ever heard of," I always said. That is until the last few times I've had the nasty hiccups and have been able to stop them after only a few minutes. This makes me mad. Are you telling me that I can choose to control my body, but only to rid myself of the hiccups? How about my metabolism or my hearing or coming down with illness?! I'm just saying. It's a ridiculous super power.

Okay, part two, which holds a similar frustration to part one. My memory. I have a really, really terrible memory. This is not an exaggeration or an excuse. It's a fact. My memory is particularly unreliable when it comes to names and how I know people. I can't remember names of people who were in my life on a daily basis only a few years ago. I can see faces but not names.

An example is easy to come up with. In recent months, I have met several new people. Two of these people are connected to my friend Hillary. These two also happen to share some similar physical characteristics. The circumstantial differences are that with one (let's call her Stacey), Hillary and I shared a long evening, full of laughter and deep conversation. The other (let's call her Sharon), was Sophia's babysitter one night. A lovely young woman with whom I shared general pleasantries but nothing beyond small talk. I haven't seen either of them in a few weeks. Fast forward to last night. Emily, Erick, Sophia and I were at the Botanical Gardens for the free concert. A young lady walked up and said, "Hi Laurie!" It took me a minute, but I placed her as Stacey, a person with whom I have a relationship of sorts. I stood up and gave her a hug, of course. It was more awkward than I expected, but no problem. Then I continued in the conversation with the assumption that I was talking with Stacey, not making any overt mistakes but enough small ones that I began to notice something wasn't right. All the while, Erick was looking on with an amused expression, and I had no idea why. Finally, she left, and the light turned on. That was Sharon. Not Stacey. Awkward. Unreliable memory.

Flashback a couple of weeks ago. Erick made a comment about the title of a book by Harold Bell Wright that I haven't read since junior high school. I answered with the complete title and could have added the rest of the author's works if asked. Why? That information was never important to me. It was just there. So why would my mind choose to retain that over people? This makes me mad. Really mad.

Words are Fun

2011-06-14T14:44:00.003-05:00

In a few weeks, we are going to Seattle to see our friends the Chandlers. When we first started to plan the trip, Blake calmly announced that when we visit, he is going to teach Sophia to read. Imagine Sophia's excitement at that possibility. She is quite confident that when she returns, she'll be a reader.

The past couple of weeks, she has been doing some prep work, I guess, because she has been trying to write words. She's been practicing recognizing and reading small words in books and around too. It's a lot of fun, and a lot of work. I am very excited for Sophia.

As a kid, reading was my very favorite activity. I was talking about this last night with my friend Cayla. We could both remember the excitement of a summer reading list. As much as Sophia loves words and stories, reading is going to offer a whole new world, or limitless worlds rather, and I am so excited for her to start on the journey.

This and That

2011-06-13T11:21:00.002-05:00

As long as the picture of Erick and me on our wedding day was the top one, it was going to be hard for me to post. So I'm just going ahead and getting that over with. My camera's in the van, and I'm not going to get it. Otherwise, I could show you pictures from our first week with Emily, our houseguest. Sophia's enamored with her. I have to work very hard to be sure Emily maintains whatever privacy she wants. She's been gracious enough to join us on a few very fun outings. I know Sophia has some more planned for this week. Maybe I'll show you pictures of those when I get them.

Or I could show you a couple of pictures of me and Risha, my college roommate. We had a girls overnight visit and shopping excursion here this weekend while Erick and Sophia hung out with Paul and their girls. It was a fantastic time for all of us. It's incredibly nice to have an extended uninterrupted conversation, and both of us are grateful to our baby daddies for taking care of them so we could make it happen.

I believe the only other thing on the camera are some pictures I took yesterday at Missouri Botanical Gardens. We hadn't been since our trip with Linda and Russ, so it was fun to see all of the flowers out and stroll around the lakes and ponds and such. We are hoping to see the free concert there on Wednesday night. Just depends on rain and energy.

But I can't show you any of those because I'm inside. Not going out for the camera. Maybe another time I'll show you the photographic evidence. For now, you'll just have to take my word.

The Happiest Day of My Life

2011-06-08T14:24:00.005-05:00

I have had many, many happy days in my life. But when I do a real evaluation, I cannot think of a day that I enjoyed quite as much of that light feeling in my heart, almost as if I might take flight. My wedding day met every hope and dream I had for it.

And nine years with Erick has been everything I hoped for and nothing I planned. As I think about it, my heart just might fly away.

Zootastic

2011-06-06T16:09:00.002-05:00

My nephew Henri had his first visit (that he could really participate) to the zoo yesterday. It was absolutely fantastic. Really enjoyable to spend time with him, his brothers and, of course, his parents. I hope I'm learning to live in the moments we have together. Blissful as they sometimes are.

Still, I can't deny the bittersweet reality that he's pointing at me...

House Guest

2011-06-01T16:22:00.003-05:00

This weekend at some point, our apartment will become occasional home to another person. I'll make the story short because, as you can guess, it's a long one. Someone who lives in Columbia, that we have met once and liked (fortunately), got a part with the St. Louis Shakespeare Company to be in the Merry Wives of Windsor. She doesn't want to take up residence here because her husband will remain working in Columbia. She also doesn't want to pay what it would cost to stay in a hotel for that time, so we were a logical choice. Trust me. It was logical.

So, for the next few months, we'll have a visitor with us during most of the days because her rehearsals are in the evening. Sophia is beside herself with excitement at having a new person with whom to share all of her thoughts and vast experiences. Our guest is from England. Sophia is particularly excited about that for some reason. I can only hope we don't offend her too early or frequently... Sophia is currently calling her "the accent girl," so that should be a great start. One afternoon I had to pretend to be our guest for the day, and Sophia asked me all kinds of questions that I'm hoping were not really practice for the real thing.

I am really looking forward to having her here as well. Sophia and I both like having people around, so I'm going to work really hard not to overwhelm her with information or relationship right off the bat.

I'll let you know if and when we freak her out.

Jam Packed

2011-05-31T08:48:00.002-05:00

This 3-day weekend was packed full of activity for our family. In order to get our summer off to a start that would feel more like accepting our place in St. Louis and less like longing for our place in Columbia, we apparently determined to pack as many things as we could into that time.

It started Friday evening with a date for Erick and me, out with a new couple. Our "first date," if you will. A great way to start off the weekend. Saturday and Sunday were spent just the three of us. We went downtown a couple of times. Once to decorate Erick's office and once to make Sophia's dreams come true, as we took a ride in Cinderella's carriage. Sophia made a special connection with Cruiser the horse.

We swam a couple of times.

I have a feeling I'll be doing that a lot. I have mixed feelings about that. It's an easy way to get Sophia out and active, but it's a lot of time in a bathing suit....

Yesterday, we went to my friend Hillary's pool then ate out with her and her friend. Last night, we wrapped it up with our friends in the neighborhood, Cayla and Tarek and their sweet babies.

After one of our long days together as a family, when we had swam, napped and had a carriage ride, Sophia was in the back seat chattering about her favorite parts of the day. She said, "This was the best day of my life!" She says that frequently, but then again it might be true every time... Anyway, she sealed the deal with, "And the best part of the whole day was hanging out with you and you, my best family ever!"

It was a great way to kick off a summer that will be busy and full. I am going to have to start going to bed earlier if this is going to be our summer, though, because I am pooooped!!

Last Day of School

2011-05-25T10:22:00.003-05:00

Yep. It's today. Sophia's done with her complete first year of preschool. The first half at Little One's Day Out. The second half at Samuel Pre-K. Both fantastic experiences. Sophia absolutely loves school. Of course, I know she'll forget how much she loves it by the time it comes around again. But I can rest in the knowledge that this part of our transition has gone absolutely swimmingly. She made friends. The teachers loved getting to know her. She danced and shouted her joy after almost each day of school. Can't get much better than that.

On to the summer. I've got my work cut out for me to keep her entertained and active. Without a reason to get out, Sophia would be happy just lying around, watching TV, having me read or play with her here at home. She says she doesn't like the summer because it's too hot and the sun gets in her eyes. Fortunately, after this weekend, she's all about going to a pool. I think we will get a summer membership at the Clayton pool. The cost, which is not as much as I thought it would be, will still be enough to encourage us to get our selves out there on a regular basis.

It's going to be a weird summer, without a doubt. This is the time of year that I normally spend the majority of the week with my friends and neighbors. I am excited to get to explore all that St. Louis has to offer this summer, but I will miss the ease and understanding of hanging out with all my Columbia people. Really, really miss it.

Wish We Could Stretch It

2011-05-22T16:54:00.003-05:00

This weekend, we met my parents at a campground in Branson. One night all three of us stayed in their camper, and one night Erick and I stayed in the hotel on the property. It was camping. Only better. The campground had an indoor pool, WiFi and cable. Dad's camper has a bathroom and all the cooking apparatus one could hope for. For Sophia, this was camping. For me, this was a 5-star resort. My childhood camping experiences are fodder for a different post.

When we arrived Friday night, it was pouring rain. We were hopeful for a clear afternoon on Saturday but holding out little hope for a nice morning. Our expectations were exceeded the moment we woke up to an overcast but pleasant morning. Coffee in the campsite was quickly followed up with Silver Dollar City.

There is no describing what Silver Dollar City meant to me as a child. Rides, shows, wandering aimlessly in my newly ironed-on Branson t-shirt - it was as much as my heart could hold. I have never really hoped that Sophia would feel the same...until yesterday.

Sophia's normal anxiety and hesitation gave way over and over again throughout the day. The first big hurdle came in the kiddie rides. Now, some kids love a thrill. There were plenty of two- and three-year-olds who were enjoying the rides, but Sophia has never been one of them. She'll usually oblige us by riding once, but then insists that the thrill has been lost after that. This time, however, we each got our turn to ride the frogs with Sophia.

And she even rode the frog by herself! That is a huge milestone for her, so we were pretty thrilled for her. And us...

The next stretch came in the form of a new ride - the River Blast. This is a boat ride, with water guns on the boat and on the shore facing the boats. We knew Sophia would like the idea of shooting others with water, but we were unsure of how she'd feel about getting shot, particularly in the face.

Our fears were misplaced... She and Erick could have stayed there all day waging war on the masses.

The rest of the day was a blast. Stopped for a show, played in the kid areas and ate lots of food. It was exactly as I never dared to hope. Sophia loved Silver Dollar City as much as I ever did. Fantastic.

Back at the campground, we cooled off in the pool. Again, she surprised us with her bravery and desire to try things she'd never tried before. She normally only swims with her floating dolphin ring, "Whaley." However, we had been in the 3-foot end about 20 minutes when Sophia set her aside and decided to go it alone. She inevitably went under a few times but popped back up with an "I did it!" instead of the freakout we expected. Now she can't wait to get back into a pool, so it's a promising summer!

It was the kind of weekend that feels like the beginning of vacation. Unfortunately, it wasn't the beginning of vacation. Sophia's last two days of school are on Monday and Wednesday. Then the summer stretches out in front of us. I'm pretty excited about our summer together. For tonight, though, we'll just recover from a weekend full of fun!

Time Slips Away

2011-05-17T13:37:00.002-05:00

Hard to imagine that a week has gone by since my last post. The last week we've been riding the wave of a pleasant breeze with Sophia. Fun days, free of intense battles. I so appreciate all the support and affirmation that I've been shown since I posted last week. I so appreciate it and I know that, for many, it comes from a place of complete understanding! For now I'll thankfully admit my stories are tame and our time has flown by. Nothing to credit other than Sophia's potential realization I had reached wit's end... Knocking on wood and moving on.

Anyway, it's been a good week. On Sunday we tried another new church. We liked many things about it. The people at each church we've visited have been fantastic. This was no exception. One little girl in particular was a natural fit for our girl. As I went to pick Sophia up from her classroom, I heard a little girl tell her mom, "Sophie is my best friend!" I asked Sophia about it, and she said, "Yep, that's Daisy!" On our way out, Sophia spotted her new friend and we introduced ourselves. The other mom introduced her daughter as Natalie, and I said, "Oh that's funny! Sophia thought her name was Daisy!" The mother laughed really hard and said she couldn't believe that Natalie was introducing herself this way. Apparently for months she's been trying to get her friends and family to call her Daisy, but she didn't know she was telling new people that it was her name. A girl with that kind of imagination and determination can't help but be great friends (or probably enemies at times) with Sophia.

Living in the Eye

2011-05-11T10:54:00.002-05:00

If you follow the blog or know us at all, I hardly need to tell you that Sophia is a lot. She's not too much, but she is more than most. That is the definition of a "spirited child." I know. Many people will think that "spirited" is just a friendly way of saying "difficult." But the truth is, it's just more accurate. Difficult, as a description, just doesn't cut it. There is so much more to her than challenge. Spirited also falls short of the mark, but I think that's the point. Kids with this type of personality or temperament defy labels and description.

Let me just tell you what makes Sophia a "spirited" child. Focus. A one-track mind. Most kids can be distracted - by something they love to do or by humor. Not so with Sophia. If she gets focused on something, nothing (and I've tried it all) can distract her. Let's say a circus came through in the middle of a throwdown. Even then, if she became interested momentarily, she would come right back to her point with as much fervor as before.

Another characteristic of a spirited child is sensitivity. This is both good and bad. She is more aware of what other people are feeling at any given moment, but she is also more aware of her own feelings and has no qualms about expressing them as largely as she feels them. When she is sensitive and sweet to others, there is no rival for the heart-breaking tenderness she expresses. On the other hand, when she is wailing because of the injustice of not being given a choice on what to eat for dinner, the sensitivity is less charming.

There are several more attributes and countless examples of Sophia's personality. Most days, I start my day with a prayer from the bottom of my heart for patience and enough peace in my soul to sustain us both. Most days my prayers are answered. Other days... Well, I get some alone time when Erick gets home. Please don't misunderstand. Sophia is not too much for me and for Erick. She is just right. And I consider being her parent a gift. Really.

This post has been on my mind for some time. I have debated about whether or not to write about this part of our life. It is hard to open up the tenderest part of our family for public examination, but I know we're not alone in this. I'm hopeful that our experiences will have others laughing, crying, nodding their heads or just reading. It took me a while to decide for sure that I'm all right with this being forever in print (assuming the internet isn't destroyed in 2012). But I decided that when Sophia is an adult, I am okay with her realizing that I understand that there is a lot going on inside of her. And that I have always tried my hardest to help her navigate the many highs and lows of being an emotional being. It's not like that's going to change with time. She will always be Sophia - who is more than most in every way. I am so glad to be her mother.

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T18:36:00.005-05:00

I hope all of the moms I know had a wonderful day today. I've had a lovely Mother's Day with the girl who makes me a mom and the guy who keeps it doable.

I had a feeling I was going to have a fantastic Mother's Day since it all started with a Muffins for Mom event at Sophia's preschool on Friday morning. She has been talking about it for weeks, keeping it secret what they were working on. When she told me about it, she said, "It will be the best day ever!" And, if I'm honest, it came pretty close.

There is just no substitute for being told you're the best mom ever, especially when parenting a 4 1/2 year old who makes the job interesting. When we walked into her preschool, each mom found a picture of their child in a frame made by that child, along with a list of things that each kid knows and/or loves about his or her mom. Here are Sophia and her friend Tommy with their work.

Most of the kids were satisfied with the admiration of their own mothers. Sophia, on the other hand, felt that each and every mother deserved a chance to admire her particular picture frame. Before I really realized what was happening, Sophia started approaching each mom and bringing her over to look at and admire her picture frame. There are about fifteen kids in Sophia's class, so she realized there was a more efficient way to get the job done. She picked up her frame, tucked it behind her back and walked up to another mom. Mind you, she has never met most of these moms. She would ask, "Do you want to see the picture frame I made?" Before a response was often offered, she'd hold it out and wait for the coming accolades. No exaggeration when I say that every single mom in that room saw Sophia's picture. It was a pretty entertaining scene. Sophia's teacher said that she was the first kid to do that. Somehow, I think she'll probably be the last. Here she is showing one mom her frame.

It's a gift and a memory I'll cherish.

My day today has been everything I could hope for. Sunshine and heat. Plenty of time outside and enough activity to remember the day! We started the day with a trip to Laumeier Sculpture Park. We haven't been there since Sophia was born, but it's a place that I really enjoy. This weekend is their Art Fair, so we got to enjoy the music, booths and food as well as the normal sculptures. I had forgotten how much fun I have at that particular park. It's such a great combination of nature and art.

We got pretty hot there, so it seemed like a good idea to head to City Garden to cool down at the splash park. We met Sophia's friend Tommy's family there and had a really great time - until he fell and hit his head. He'll be fine, but neither Sophia or Tommy recovered.

Since getting home, our afternoon at home has been relaxing and refreshing. I am just so grateful to be Sophia's mother and to share parenthood with Erick. It's never simple, but it's always interesting. And more often than not, it's a genuinely good time.

Sticking with it

2011-05-04T10:59:00.003-05:00

My spring schedule has made it difficult to make regular visits to the nursing home. I'm hopeful that things will become predictable enough in the near future, and we'll all stay healthy enough for me to return to regular visits. This resolve is especially firm after today's visit with a lady at the home.

Allow me to give a little review on my history with this venture. I planned to volunteer and expected to spend time with people only marginally aware of my presence in order to help allay a few moments of loneliness felt by one or two people. Once I first visited, my expectations changed based on the specific person I was arranged to visit. She was fascinating and energetic and educated. Turns out she was not interested in me. So, I moved on to other people who would be less offended by my presence, and with this, it turns out my first expectations were more accurate. Don't get me wrong. The person I typically visit with now is just as interesting and educated, but her condition is more of what I expected - she is mostly aware of my presence but her loneliness and boredom is bigger than an hour a week. Still, I'm glad that for an hour a week she feels like more than a resident in a nursing home.

Today's visit was more positive than one we had a couple of weeks ago. We spent it looking at her calendar, which was made for her by her children. She repeated several times, an astonishment that she is still alive in 2011, although she can't remember with confidence what year she was born. She's an avid reader who currently has no desire to read. Of that, she said, "I should be unhappy, but I'm not. Guess I'm just content with nothingness."

All that to say, my resolve is refreshed. I actually enjoy the time spent in her presence. I think it's mutual, so that helps. Each time I leave, I have been surprised that I don't feel depressed. I feel a sense of overwhelming gratitude for the spring breeze and the ability to drive.

Grant's Farm

2011-05-01T10:33:00.004-05:00

In all our many visits to St. Louis, before and since Sophia, we have never once visited Grant's Farm. To be honest, it just didn't sound that tempting.

Yesterday was such a nice day that I wanted to try something new that we've done before. Grant's Farm was the first on the list, so we went.

I was absolutely stunned by just how much I loved that place! A big reason I fell in love with Grant's Farm is, of course, the horses.

It was so much fun just to be near them and smell horses again. I'll have to try to not go back every week just to soak it in.

Another reason I was pleased with Grant's Farm was the surprise of being in the city yet being surrounded by wooded hills and wildlife. Somehow we had no idea what this place was about, so when we had to wait for a tram to take us into the park, we wondered why we couldn't just choose to take the walk, even if it was long. Turns out, there is more than just distance to be concerned with. The hills between the parking lot and the park are inhabited by many varieties of deer, elk, American bison, longhorn and other varieties of cattle and a few other exotic animals that we got a good glimpse of on the drive. So I was all right with being on a motorized vehicle through those areas. I would have been happy to just ride that tram around all day and see those animals in their reserve. It was fascinating.

Once we got inside the park, it was slightly less surprising. Exotic birds, elephants, goats and such abound. But they're in a tighter space, so it doesn't take long to see what's there.

The longest time was spent in front of the pasture of this little guy. A miniature pony just stood near the fence of his pasture in order to enjoy the touch of hundreds of kids. Sophia fell in love. Of course, I loved that she loved it, even though as a kid, I used to scoff at miniature horses. I can finally see their use...

The courtyard was a great area, too. Food and beverages (at more reasonable rates than the ballpark or zoo), a fountain and plenty of people-watching made that a lot of fun too.

All that to say, Grant's Farm is a winner in my book. I can't wait to go back. We didn't stop at the historic Ulysses S. Grant residence this time, but I'm looking forward to having a chance to do that this summer.

I love school pictures

2011-04-28T08:01:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Sophia had school pictures. I forgot about it until a few days afterward, so I was just hopeful that Sophia did a good job dressing herself that day.
I should never have doubted her sense of style.

Today

2011-04-26T22:32:00.005-05:00

We went for a walk.

One of us wore pj's and sunglasses.

We both brought our cameras.

And it was one of those days that I caught a picture that completely captured Sophia's current being. I just haven't decided which one it is. This one:

Or this one:

Reality is a constant epic battle between the two. But she sure is cute!!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T21:56:00.004-05:00

In spite of the move, we continued this year with our Easter tradition of going to Mary's house with David, Casey and the boys. As always, it was a great time with lots to eat and plenty of reason to celebrate.

Before the weather turned even worse, we sent the kids out to hunt for Easter eggs. They were all pretty pleased with their haul.

Henri got right into the mix and was hard to convince to come inside. Once he got inside, however, he discovered chocolate....

Erick was the grill tender, so he observed some festivities from outside. He's the creepy guy on the other side of the door.

So our tradition holds strong. It was a great time for us, and since getting home, we have managed to clean the apartment to start the week off right. Hope everyone stays dry and toasty in this last week of April!

Going Back Ain't Easy

2011-04-20T20:34:00.003-05:00

Sophia and I have made regular trips back to Columbia since our move five months ago. Erick has come with us on the weekends that he can. Each trip is a little different, as far as who we visit and what we do. Every trip is the same, though, in that nothing is the same. It's a statement of the obvious, I know.

There is no way to explain to someone who hasn't been there what it feels like to reenter a picture that you're no longer a part of. This is particularly true of our weekday visits. To hop back into an everyday reality that we're no experiencing ourselves is confusing - for me, for Sophia, and I can only assume for those we visit. It's a tension that I am completely willing to live with because I care so much about maintaining real and lasting friendships. I am willing to feel uncomfortable and a little out of place in order to find a new place in the picture.

It's funny that I use the picture as a metaphor. Because I never take my camera on these visits. Or if I do, I leave it in the van. I had written this off as accidental until my drive home this last time. A big part of me still fights the need to take pictures because that's something "guests" do when they come for a visit, and I so don't want to be a guests with my family and my friends. But I am. Maybe a guest with some history, but a guest all the same.

Jazz Night

2011-04-17T12:17:00.003-05:00

Last night, Erick and I had a lovely date night, thanks to Grandmary and jazz.

For our dates, we have tried to either stay in our neighborhood for entertainment and food or to try places that we haven't tried yet. Last night, we went to the Triumph Grill. It was a very interesting place, maybe a little confused in its identity. The clientele and expectation of a reservation indicated a fancy restaurant. However, the restaurant itself is decorated in motorcycle paraphernalia and the servers wore motorcycle brand t-shirts and shorts. It was kind of confusing, but the food was great. They serve a buffalo chicken queso dip that is absolutely fantastic!

After dinner, we went to the Blanche Touhill Center for Performing Arts at the University of Missouri-St. Louis for the second night of their Jazz Festival. The evening there started with the Jazz Ensemble of the university. They are a very talented group. The last couple of numbers of their set, the ensemble was joined by Jazz legend Clark Terry. He is 90-years-old, and his stage presence was strong, and his talent as a jazz musician is still very clear.

The feature act for the evening was the Ron Carter Trio. They were an incredibly talented and skilled group of musicians. Erick and I both so enjoyed their performance. Their trio was piano, bass and acoustic guitar. Erick would have been more satisfied had the third instrument been a horn, but I loved it just the way it was.

The evening reminded me why I love jazz music, particularly when performed live. For me, as a form of music, jazz invites the audience into it in a more significant way than any other mainstream music. When listening to jazz, I feel the same as when enjoying a work of visual art. I am invited to bring my own feelings and experiences to the performance and let it take me to a place of my own. When listening to jazz, I find myself under a streetlight in New Orleans, having a conversation with friends or strangers. The next piece could take me to an open field in summer or to a place that I've never been. The notes and rhythm of jazz just speak to me in a way that no other music does. That does not mean it's my favorite music, but it certainly is the most absorbing for me. I just love it.

The other great thing about watching a live jazz performance is watching the musicians interact with one another. Some jazz performers are charismatic and full of movement. The Ron Carter Trio were subtle and stationary. When I wasn't lost in my own world of the song, I loved watching the appreciation that the musicians showed for one another, after having performed together for years. Sometimes, it seemed that one of them could get so lost in another's solo that he would forget to jump in when needed.

The thing about jazz is that each listener is having their own experience interacting with the music. It's a room full of people hearing the same thing and experiencing something very personal. I love that.

Inner Hillbilly

2011-04-13T11:24:00.004-05:00

Since our trip to Nashville, Erick and I have both rekindled our fondness for country music. We've always enjoyed some George (Strait, NOT Jones) or Willy, but a few years ago, country music just got SOOO irritating with every song being about being from the country and being 'Murican that I couldn't handle it anymore. I'm not opposed to patriotism or being from the country, but I don't need every song to identify the fact that the singer was born and raised on a farm. And drives a truck. And loves dogs.

During the week since our return, it seems better. This morning I heard a song that I immediately didn't like but begrudgingly identified with. Enjoy.

Weekenderific

2011-04-11T13:59:00.007-05:00

It seems like I'm only writing about weekends these days. I promise that things are happening during the week! I have actually started a couple of blogs but got distracted. Maybe I'll get around to sharing some other stuff soon.

For now, I'll just tell you about our weekend. As you probably know, it was a summer weekend here. Fantastic. Sophia prefers cool weather for some reason. She has inherited Erick's sweatiness and my red-facedness. The combination makes the heat a little difficult for her to bear, I guess. We had fun in spite of the sweat.

Saturday was spent driving around St. Louis, running a couple of errands and such. The early afternoon we all reclined in the breezy apartment. Then we walked to Sasha's, one of our neighborhood eateries, and ate a late lunch on the patio (in the shade, of course). It was delightfully followed with a stroll around the neighborhood.

Sunday was equally enjoyable. We rode the MetroLink downtown to see my friends Michelle and Emily as they finished the St. Louis Half Marathon. By some stroke of luck, we found them in the throng of 17,000 runners and their families and friends. Then, we went to the City Garden to play. It was the perfect day for it because one of its features is a splash park. Sophia and Erick had a ton of fun getting cool. It's a huge area for a splash park. Perfect for tons of kids!

After getting cool, we wandered around the rest of City Garden looking at and climbing on all the sculptures

and getting our pictures in different spots.

It was a very fun time.

After the ride home, we spent the evening relaxing. Again. At bedtime, Sophia thanked God for a family that has such fun together and "Please help us to always remember how to have fun." Amen.

Picnicking Weather

2011-04-04T21:40:00.004-05:00

Sunday, it got up to 90 degrees here! It was windy, but magnificent! So we decided to make use of a wedding present (arguably for the first time) and have a picnic in the park. Now that Sophia knows about our picnic basket, we'll be getting a lot of use out of it, I'm certain. When Erick brought it out, she said, "Wow! Fancy!" That's all she needs to say to clue us in that it's a keeper.

So we packed up our lunches and headed to the park. Erick made himself an apparently tasty salad. And, as happens with most of Erick's food, it was tested and devoured by Sophia.

Then, we played a little ball. By the way, she's not going to play t-ball this year. As we looked at the calendar, we're going to miss at least three (probably four) of her eight games. That, combined with her insistence that she made a mistake when she decided to do it, and the offer of the team to refund our money because another kid wanted her spot, made the decision pretty easy. Anyway, she still likes playing baseball with us. She is most definitely the only pitcher I've ever seen who throws with her other hand on her hip...while offering advice.

This one is here just because she's pretty. I like taking pictures so much more in the sunshine!

Should have done that a long time ago

2011-03-31T09:50:00.002-05:00

Tuesday morning, Erick and I set out on a roadtrip to Nashville. We haven't roadtripped together since before Sophia. It was only five hours, but a good enough drive to remind me why we don't do that with Sophia. It was also a long enough drive for me to impress Erick with my ability to sing along to very obscure old country western songs. When he changed the station because he couldn't handle that any more, I started to practice my newly learned beatboxing skills. Needless to say, the station was changed again.

Another quick stop was made in the "metropolis" of Metropolis, IL. We had to see the giant Superman statue. Glad we saw it. Doubt if we ever make that effort again...

The object was to get to LP Field in time to see the US Men's National Soccer team compete with Paraguay. Nashville was a really great city. Not sure why, but I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I'll definitely be going back there. We spent some time prior to the game in the downtown area at the Wildhorse Saloon. After that, we headed to the game with 30,000 soccer fans. It was an exciting environment. I can only imagine how fun it is with a full house for a Titans game. The US lost the match, but it wasn't embarrassing by any stretch. A couple of missed opportunities and one that made it for the other side. All in all a great showing, and we had an absolute blast at the game.

After the game, we were very hungry, so we walked over the pedestrian bridge back into downtown. Every place we went into had already turned off the grill. That was a major disappointment. Finally, we found some food. After we wandered around a little more, we ended up in a place called Robert's Western World. We had hardly sat down when we looked up to see a group of interesting people walk in and sit down at the table next to us. Landon Donovan, the most well-known player on the team (arguably in American soccer), along with the goalkeeper from the game and a couple of other players were just looking to relax after a disappointing loss. It is probably nice to be a famous soccer player in Nashville because you're not going to be bothered a lot. In the entire place, there were about six of us who knew who they were. Erick and I carried on a conversation with Keeper Hahnemann, a beyond nice guy. I also can't say enough nice things about Landon Donovan. He was gracious and kind. Stylish and humble. I'm officially a fan. Erick had Hahnemann and Donovan sign his new red jersey. Now it's a wonderful keepsake from that trip. I'm glad we have it since we were having such significant technical difficulties that there is no record of the pictures of Erick and I with Donovan. That was pretty frustrating, but I don't plan on forgetting how that all went down.

The next day was just taken up by a long drive home. I wasn't quite as slaphappy or entertaining. I wish we could follow the team to every game, but it would never happen quite that way again.

Back to real life - or almost. Sophia and I are excited today because Erica and Ava are on their way for a visit. Can't wait to hang out with some great friends. Seriously loving this week.

Evidence

2011-03-27T21:40:00.002-05:00

This weekend, we went to Springfield to visit my parents. We had a terrific visit with my parents. We also got some shopping in, in spite of the weather. Also, I acquired this little gem. Proof of my attachment to the shirt. I am going to allow for some over-time shrinkage, but the fact is that I'm eight in this picture.

That banjo player with the stunning smile is Danny Eakin, a favorite of mine from Silver Dollar City. The giant Daddy's Girl hat on my head is pink because my mom didn't think it was ladylike to constantly be wearing ballcaps. Therefore mine always had to be some form of pink. I have lots of favorite stories that revolve around my tomboyness, particularly given Sophia's girliness. It makes me giggle to think about.

Hand Me Down

2011-03-22T09:45:00.001-05:00

This particular shirt was mine when I was probably 6 or 7. I was a smaller kid than Sophia. When we were going through boxes and stuff before our move, we came across a few of my favorite t-shirts and toys. I handed them down to Sophia, and occasionally she pops out of her room in one of my t-shirts. I'm certain that she does this just to please me because our styles as little girls could not possibly be more different.

This brings me to another memory. Every year, our family took a long vacation to Branson from central Illinois. I was given a certain sum to spend on vacation souvenirs and such. I can't remember the exact amount. I only know that it was just about the right amount to buy a t-shirt with an iron-on transfer at the first Ozarkland we came across. Every year. I was as constant as the moon. No matter how determined I was to save my money, I would always spend it on a t-shirt. From those Ozarkland visits, I have some gems like the cowboy shirt Sophia was wearing. I have several shirts with teddy bears doing different Bransony activities: playing banjo, chopping wood and such. After my t-shirt purchase, I usually had enough leftover to buy a couple Sarsasparillas and ice creams at Silver Dollar City.

I don't know whether or not it's sad, but this is exactly how I deal with my vacation money to this day. Maybe worse. Some vacations, I end up spending it all in advance on clothes to wear on vacation. The good thing is that I almost never buy t-shirts with banjo-playing bears...

Spring Training

2011-03-21T08:50:00.001-05:00

At the end of last week, Sophia and I bought a ball and bat. We have signed her up for a spring league with some of the kids from her school, but she's having cold feet as it gets closer. I thought it might help if she developed some sort of familiarity with the game. Little did I know, she would take to it quite so well.

We have played on the sidewalk and in the park at least twice a day since we bought the bat. Her pitching has improved, but they all tend to be sliders...

She's about the cutest batter I have ever seen.

Saturday Grandmary came over for a visit and was immediately pressed into service on the team.

I have no expectation that Sophia will actually decide that T-ball sounds like fun now. That's just not her style. But it has already made for an active start to spring.

Hoping It's a Habit

2011-03-18T10:09:00.002-05:00

The past couple of days have been a great start to spring for us. Yesterday was spent almost exclusively outside at the park or on our sidewalk. We even walked to a nearby restaurant, Caitlyn's Green Eyed Grill, for supper. We thought it would be a nice place to eat for St. Pat's. It was unremarkable. The only reason I would go again would be to try the pork tenderloin. It was a nice walk, so that's a bonus.

Sophia's favorite part of the day was probably blowing bubbles. That girl loves bubbles. Apparently she can get angry with them too because here she is smack talking the bubbles as they flew away...

And here she is desperately trying to get bubbles on the camera so I would stop taking pictures. I did.

I love the fact that when Erick gets home from work, it's light enough to take a walk. We have done that the past two days, and it's a tradition that I would love to hang onto on the nice days. This was the homestretch of our Wednesday evening walk.

That brings back memories

2011-03-16T20:32:00.009-05:00

I have been thinking more about using this blog, not only as a place to share current happenings, but as an outlet and method of sharing favorite stories of my past and childhood as well. I've been thinking about the kind of stories that I would love to have from my grandparents and parents, and that leads me directly to the stories of my own that I don't want to lose before I remember to share them with Sophia.

Since I have started letting my mind focus in this direction, two very interesting things have happened. First, it has become much easier to come up with a memory or a story than it was before. Maybe you know how it is. Often for me, life in the moment becomes all that occupies my mind. As that happens, the past - distant or recent - becomes harder to put my fingers on. The stories are normally on the tip of my brain if I could just stretch my fingers far enough to grab a few. It turns out that quite a few of them are stored within reach of one another. I don't know another way to describe it, but it's been a surprise to me. Now just to get a few down.

The other thing that is even more interesting is that as I think back about things from my own childhood, I feel ever more present in Sophia's. Perhaps allowing myself to truly stop and remember what it feels like to be a kid has brought some of the "kidness" back. When I was younger, I looked forward to being a parent and having permission to play freely and be a kid again with my own family. That tends to get lost in the foray of everyday motherhood, but I feel like I may have regained a shadow of my childish self.

So I'll start this off with a small but mighty one. One of my favorite "run-of-the-mill" memories is of sitting on the floor of my room in Creve Couer, IL, in my dad's lap as he read my The Little Engine That Could. This was one of my favorites because it came with all the actions and sound effects of a real train. I still get a smile when I think about begging my dad to read it with me - "the right way."

Celebrating Granny

2011-03-13T17:53:00.001-05:00

Today we experienced one very real pro of living in St. Louis. We are only two hours away from my aunt in Lincoln, IL, so making a trip to celebrate my Granny's birthday became a reality! Granny turned 87 this week. I have written about Granny before here. I'm pretty fond of her, along with the rest of our family.

Her excitement about the fuss everyone made over her and having her favorite meal prepared by her daughter and son-in-law made it absolutely worth a little two-hour drive.

If that hadn't done it, having a chance to get a picture with Sophia and Granny would have pushed it over the edge. Neither of them are crazy about having their pictures taken, so I'm very grateful for this gift.

Sophia was thrilled to find another little girl joined the mix today. She made a new friend who hangs out with my aunt from time to time. I think we'll be headed back for some warm weather play dates before too long.

I just love getting to join in on celebrating my grandma. She is something special. The corned beef and cabbage wasn't too shabby either. Mmmm.

Unexpected Park Day

2011-03-11T16:21:00.002-06:00

As we were leaving preschool today, the mom of Sophia's best school friend Tommy asked if we'd like to join them at the park after school as they were going to meet other moms and kiddos. With no plans on a lovely spring Friday, I couldn't resist. Of course if I had known in advance that this would happen, I would have prepared myself. I was not dressed for the occasion as I'd spent the morning cleaning the apartment. Cleaning myself was my afternoon project. But I decided to overcome my initial hesitation and take a risk.

We went to a new playground at Shaw Park, here in Clayton. It was a fantastic park! Slides, swings, climbing contraptions and lots of room to run. Once we had made all the introductions, we just watched the kids. Sophia was more than content to chase and play with Tommy and his friends. As they ran by at one point, she was knocking on her noggin saying, "Come on, brain! Get the magic back in there!" I glanced sideways at my new mom friends to see if any of them noticed. Nope. In the clear for the moment.

I kept the crazy inside my own brain for the day, so we may, in fact, be invited again another day.

Bawling Somebody

2011-03-09T15:02:00.001-06:00

Some days I simply sit and watch. Monday was one of those days. When Sophia got home from school, she put on her pj's and sat down to write.

Her mind is fascinating. I have not a clue how she gets from A to B in her mind. She was writing the stories of my life - sometimes asking questions, but mostly just winging it. She also wrote in "French." Not quite sure how she managed that, but she did. If you look at my YouTube channel, you can see a longer video of her writing in French.

She is so creative and intense while working on these types of projects. She never ever runs out of things to say.

School seems to bring out even more of this in her. I don't know why, but she definitely comes home with some more randomness in her system she must purge.

Even as I type, she is working on some notes, and she has just fired me. Why? "Because you have to take a boat, go on an airplane, take another ride on a boat, then drive. And because you did never cut pine trees. It's a firing process!" I could go on, as she's still talking, but I'll leave it to your imagination... I better get back to work if I hope to get my job back.

Starting the Week with a Smile

2011-03-06T18:52:00.002-06:00

This weekend, we went to Columbia to spend the night with Aaron, William and Henri while David and Casey got a much needed and long awaited night away. It couldn't have gone better for us.

There is no way to describe how much we miss the boys since we moved. It has been the biggest adjustment by far - to go from walking next door to see them to scheduling and waiting for visits when we can make it happen. So we were very excited to have a chance to spend some extended time with the boys this weekend.

The most surprising thing I can say after the weekend is that it was actually relaxing. We just hung out all weekend. The boys read, they all played, watched some TV and we played some games together. It was a very good time. The thing Sophia came away with is an obsession with Harry Potter. Allow me to brag on my nephews for a moment. My 8-year-old second grade nephew is halfway through the third book of Harry Potter. My 6-year-old kindergarten nephew just finished the second book. Seriously. Anyway, now Sophia has an intense desire to "learn everything about Harry Potter." To which end, she came home with the first book that she and Erick are reading together. This evening as they sat on the couch, Erick would get through one or two lines before being stopped with some very pointed questions about Harry's family, his name and why isn't he a wizard yet? So it could be an interesting (and potentially frustrating) undertaking. I will keep you informed if it gets dicey.

Laundry's going. Erick's entering receipts and we're getting ready for the week. I am looking forward to this week. Some of my friends are coming on Tuesday evening for a mall outing, so I'm really looking forward to that.

Hope everyone else has a fun week ahead as well!

On Hold

2011-03-02T11:04:00.002-06:00

My previous week's lesson is currently on hold before resolution will be found. I went back to the residence of the person in question, who does happen to be a professor, and she was asleep. Knocking and calling didn't wake her, so I went upstairs to have a talk with the volunteer coordinator.

It was a very helpful talk. I was right. She wasn't that surprised at the result. We agreed on a few steps to feel out my future welcomeness. And we discussed some other possibilities for usefulness to them outside visiting with this particular person.

Just wanted to let you know that the story is playing out. I, for one, am giddy with anticipation.

An Expensive Lesson

2011-03-01T16:00:00.002-06:00

Apparently, I'm a fool for self-education these days. This particular lesson is currently up to $45.

Each Tuesday, the street sweepers come down our side of the street. If your vehicle isn't gone by 9:00, you will get a ticket. Each Thursday, the street sweepers go down the other side of the street. If your vehicle is not moved by 9:00, you will get a ticket.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are the mornings that we don't have to get out. Sophia goes to school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I am not a morning person.

So far, the worst way that this has played out was on a Tuesday morning that came with ice. I had to get out, scrape an inch of ice off the windshield just to move the van directly across the street. Sophia watching and waving from the warm cozy apartment, all wrapped in a blanket. Well, she probably wasn't wrapped in a blanket, but she could have been.

I guess, technically, the worst way this plays out is when I forget entirely and get a $15 parking ticket. Cold mornings are a close second. This is the third time I have forgotten and the third time I've gotten a ticket. I really hate that. Seriously. It's the biggest problem I have with city living.

I will set a reminder on my phone from now on. That should fix it. Will someone please remind me to do that?

I learned something today

2011-02-25T20:20:00.001-06:00

To be fair, I've learned this particular lesson several times during my life, but I had a refresher today. Fact: Not everyone likes me. Or perhaps, more accurately, I'm not a breath of fresh air to everyone I come into contact with. (It's okay, Mom. You can take your hand down from your mouth. This is actually true.)

I mentioned earlier that I started visiting a person of advanced age (just felt like being p.c. there for some reason). The visits have been of mixed review. I developed hope after last week's visit because conversation was easier and more frequent. Of course, it ended as every visit does. I woke her up to say goodbye.

Today she was perky, so I hoped that it would be a lively discussion. On the contrary, she focused intently on her small television during the entirety of my visit - even during commercials. Each effort I made at conversation was politely, but firmly, rebuffed. It was excruciatingly awkward. My open-ended questions were answered by one or two word responses. Eye contact was rare and challenging when received.

I am not going to dive into hypotheses about why and how this happened. At least not here. I have my ideas. I am neither offended nor belittled by today's interaction. No fear - I am still confident in my winning personality. However, I am not confident in my effectiveness or aid in this particular situation.

All that to say that my role at the care facility may be changing soon. Now, I'm not just going to give up on her because it's difficult. I would actually love another crack at it. However, I think it would be selfish of me to continue just to prove that I can stick it out or to "win" her trust. So, I'll talk it over with the people who know her. Judging from a few inferences, they may not be surprised.

I'll let you know how it turns out. I may be working on my craft skills after all...

Sometimes I...

2011-02-23T10:48:00.005-06:00

...feel melancholy. Like I said, when the weather pushes me back inside, that's when things really get tricky.

Perhaps it's strange, but the days that I feel most connected with my humanity are days when I am feeling melancholy. For me, that entails quietness. This is disconcerting for the people around me. I'm not normally quiet. However, on melancholy days, I am quiet for two reasons: first, I am a big believer in "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm thinking mean or nasty things...

Second, on melancholy days, I have a harder time putting together coherent thoughts to begin with. It's like my thoughts are reclining on a memory foam mattress and can't be convinced to get up and grab a cup of coffee to join the conversation.

To be honest, I love these days. It's like a rest for my soul. And my face. I smile a lot in general. And I mean it when I smile. On these days, I don't smile as much (still more than many). I am, however, more conscious of my eyes. Does that sound creepy? I just mean that I am more aware that my eyes are looking out of my body and you are looking into my depths through them. Okay, that does sound creepy, but I'm sticking by it because it's true.

So today, I'll have my iPod stocked with great folksy tunes with meaningful lyrics. Because the thoughts that won't present themselves to me will often respond to the emotion of others. Other than that, I'll just enjoy hanging out. Maybe get some work done around the house while my mind is quiet and less distracted.

February Redeemed

2011-02-21T08:21:00.002-06:00

This weekend did not entirely feel like February. Saturday was chilly but more like a spring chill. Linda and Russ came to visit us this weekend, and that was a huge treat. We all enjoy their company immensely.

We spent most of our time with them here at home hanging out, but we did get out to the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Erick and I have never been there before, but we'll definitely be going back. So much to see and do. They had enough indoor things to keep us busy on a cold day. My favorite was the Temperate House, where I took this picture of Linda and Russ. It felt like a beautiful European garden. A lovely little spot of color and fragrance in the middle of winter.

When Linda and Russ left on Sunday, we had a visit from Paul, Risha, Lilly and Nora. Because the day was so lovely yesterday, we decided to walk to the zoo. It was a perfect day for it. Being at the zoo in short sleeves is another big February treat. The hippos were enjoying the weather, too, so the girls enjoyed watching them. Not gonna lie. The adults may have enjoyed it even more.

While having a snack, Lilly and Sophia walked to see the camels. They hid their crackers from the camels because they had somehow gotten the idea that camels might eat them....

I am always so grateful for these pleasant weekends at a time of the year when we could easily be stuck inside. And to get to share them with people we enjoy so much makes it that much sweeter.