30.3.09

Silly Chilly Beach Trip



We ignored the cold temps and took a spring break trip to Emerald Isle last week with some good friends. It turns out there's a lot of fun to be had in the absence of swimming and frolicking about in the sand. We:

Made use of the putting green at our tricked-out beach house...





Played with measuring cups on the totally cute sofa...





Got a private air show from a very nice helicopter pilot from nearby Camp Lejune...and Marely began to have career aspirations...





Went on a treasure hunt (gotta watch out for those tricky leprechaun pirates!)...






Rode on the golf cart....




And finally got a family picture of our new "expanded" family...



The end...



19.3.09

Today we went to Costco...



...and something great happened. You know how when kids are really little they pass developmental milestones like every few weeks? Rolling over, sitting up, teeth, eating solids, crawling, walking, potty training, etc. And then after a while things start to slow down and you get kind of bored with them. Just kidding, but the "firsts" are fewer and farther between. Well we had one tonight: the first time I left my kids with the shopping cart in front of the store while I went to get the car so I didn't have to load groceries in the rain. Lovely.

It was a long day- both had friends of the 'girl' variety over to play this afternoon. While eating our hotdogs at Costco Eric was telling Brigham that he had to choose between his two supposed 'girlfriends'. I told him he could have as many girlfriends as he wanted- girlfriends are just friends who are girls.

B: Yeah Eric, they're just friends who are girls when you're a kid.

Me: What are they when you're older Brigham?

B: Your wife!

Me: Oh. What's a wife?

B: You know, she's like your mom, only not as old.

Rather profound, I thought. It was so nice to sit there with my boys, eating hotdogs and churros, drinking sprite from a can because the soda fountain was broken and trying to ignore the fact that the baby was getting hungry and I was going to have to breastfeed in the middle of Costco.

And, for Eryn, some pictures of Marley:




And now I should really go pack for the beach, since I'm skipping book club for just that purpose, and I do not skip book club lightly. I'm just not going to think about the fact that it's raining and cold and I definitely will not be getting a tan.

16.3.09

That Day



My hand holds the spoon and shakes.
I've waited for this day
For the leash of time and space which ties us together
Now short and taught,
to slacken
So that I can stretch my arms and legs
a bit,
But my hand shakes
and I remember another day

I realize, as you swallow, that that day
That day that I roared you into life
That day with its blood and tears and soft, new skin
That day is mine.
It belongs to me.
You do not.

You didn't begin on that day
It was not my hand that shaped your spirit,
which I have mostly yet to meet.
It was another hand, on another day and
you belong to Him.
And to yourself.