On the Road Again

For those of you who haven't heard, my husband and I have been on a whistle-stop tour of the United States... or at least it feels like it.  We are sitting in Sacramento International Airport for what will be Emme's 9th flight (the child is only 5 months) and we are glad to be going to our own beds.  We've had an amazing trip... er, trips? but there's something to be said about washing your own underwear in your own decrepit, semi-condemned house with the dryer that leaves little brown marks on everything.  Ah, home sweet home!

The next few weeks are going to be crazy, so if you're the praying type and think of us, do us a favor and pray your little heart out.  In the next week, Todd and I both have a final paper for our summer module class due, I have a term paper and 20 minute presentation (yet to start the research for- all that free time on my hands and all) and we have a crate to build and pack which literally includes weighing everything we still own and writing each item and it's value on a manifest... yeah for no Ikea in South Africa!

Emme, surprisingly, is doing amazing.  She is mobile, although without direction or purpose, more of a swiveling meander around the room, but hey, I'm all for it.  She's gotten started on "real" food (we were trying to wait as long as possible, but when MY child watched and yelled at the food I was eating and she wasn't... well, you've all experienced me and my relationship with food in plain sight- enough said).  That adds such a wonderful new dimension to our travels!  God has a great sense of humor who has lovingly provided me with the world's best highchair- Todd!!!  Anyways, the plane is boarding, so till Kansas City, goodbye for now.

Trip Home

There are many times in life that make you step back and see your life from the outside.  As a kid, I always wanted to have those stories of how my parents put me in their alma mater's diapers or brought me to Homecoming every year.  I'm one of those people who love traditions for the sake of traditions.  It seems rather ironic, then, that I moved 26 times before the age of 18.  Funny how someone can feel at home in a place while still missing another.  I love Auburn and consider it home.  I graduated there.  I had my first job there.  I was married there.  It is home, and yet, Bourbonnais is home as well. 

We took a trip back there to see friends and take care of some business.  During this trip, Emme got to do some of those things I had wished for as a kid.  She went to her first Olivet soccer game (the girls thought she was way more fun than my gigantic belly!), the group of college kids who have been with us since their freshman year were there (they all voted that she was more entertaining than Bubba the cat), and we were able to get together with all the 'aunts' and 'uncles' who are still there.  It was hard to leave, but I look forward to the many trips we will take back to visit over the years.  She gets to go to college wherever she wants (the Lord knows that she'll be paying for it!) but at least she'll have the photos of her parents' alma mater and stories from those who care so much for her.  

Ropes... and other 'shiny' things

There's something wonderful about seeing things through the eyes of a child.  Braeden and Emme went to a pumpkin patch this weekend for the first time.  The ways they joyfully screamed about the animals and the pumpkins was great.  But this picture of my daughter sitting on a saddle and being fascinated (fascinated people) with the rope rather than the blow-up jumping gym or the ponies or the go-cart bikes or any of the dozens of other things that were around... absolutely amazing how little it takes to entertain my daughter.  It wasn't even shiny!!!

Anyways, we loved the pumpkin patch with Aunt Hilary and cousin Braeden and Oma and Grandmother.  We had a lot of fun and enjoyed a wonderful weekend with family.  Hopefully, we'll be able to do something like this again.