State of Obvious

Dear Charlotte, Carly was baptized on Saturday.  After some stress and movie trouble and programs printed wrong twice in a row, it went off without a hitch.  Carly wore a lovely white dress which you made and she positively glowed.  I've never been hugged so tight by the starfish child as when she came to me out of the font. When I took you to the airport, a most odious task I always dread because it means you are leaving, you thanked me for letting you participate in Carly's baptism and life in general.  It caught me off guard, I'm sure you noticed.  Because, I can't image it any other way.  If anything, I wish I had you more.  More tickling and laughing and comforting and loving.  Because you give all that you have so freely.  Because you make way and make time and make efforts beyond what's minimally required by ties of "family".  Because I cannot remember a time in my life where I have not admired you.  Although perhaps you ...

Married life is not what I expected.  Oh, there are some things that seem "normal" - you know, the kids, houses, dogs, jobs, worries, and all that.  But, I don't think anything can prepare you for what it is like to share your life if you're all in.  Because, if you are all in, you have to surrender.  Control, mostly.  You are no longer the only thing that matters. In the last sixteen years, we have: Moved four times. Welcomed two children. Had 3 dogs and 4 cats. Visited the Grand Canyon. Gone swimming in the Great Lakes and Pacific Ocean. Bought a house. Owned or leased 8 different cars (holy smokes!). Earned a master's degree and bachelor's degree between us. Had 10 different jobs between us. Stayed in really bad motels, slightly better hotels, and really nice hotels on various occasions. Been through: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, California, New York, Pennsylva...

August is a busy month in the T house.  Carly's birthday comes first (as noted), followed quickly by Josh, followed even more quickly by our wedding anniversary.  Quick fact: Joshua came home from the hospital on our first anniversary.  Fourteen other quick and dirty facts about my firstborn: Photo by DeAnn Payne thesipproject.blogspot.com -  He loves Godzilla. -  And Bigfoot. -  His long standing nickname is Chibby.  He earned it by naming his toys "Chibby" when he was playing pretend.  At one point, he requested that we stop calling him Chibby and start calling him Shredder instead.  That didn't really work out. -  Other nicknames include, but are not limited to: Chibnasty, Chibster, Joshy Boy, Joshy Boshy, Joshuweta, Joshy, and Bug-a-boo (though that last one is rather antiquated these days, sigh). -  Josh has a secret and special nickname assigned by his Aunt Charlotte which I shall not reveal. -  Josh love...

On this very night eight years ago, my little Carly was preparing her descent into the crazy world below.  Here are eight beautiful things about my miracle child. 1.  She's happy, so so happy.  In fact, she spent a good twenty minutes this afternoon just singing "I'm happy! Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy!  I'm so happy!"  It makes me believe that even though I do a lot of things wrong, I'm getting the important things right. 2.  She's crazy.  Cray-cray.  Flipping, jumping, screaming, off her rocker in the very best possible way. 3.  She's snugly.  Super snugly lately, so much so that she seems to be on top of me wherever I go.  Which is mostly fantastic, but occasionally smothering.  (But, mostly fantastic.) 4.  She's funny.  This afternoon she asked "Why do people have arms on their hair?"  Which was supposed to be "Why do people have arm hair."   5.  She tries really hard to ...

My husband and I decided that I would go to London with my sister and mom as a reward for graduating. But, then, tickets were like 1 trillion dollars, give or take. Plan B: New York City.  I bought tickets for Wicked on Broadway (I know, I was asking for it).  We had a hotel in Manhattan.  We were going to visit some amazing places. But, then, my sister had to change her plans so she could launch a rocket. So, off to Florida we went, we three.  (Cha Cha doesn't do press). In Orlando, we went to visit a magical wizard (twice, but not in a row).  We bought wands and chocolates that melted in the bag before we could get to the parking lot (and yes, we bought them on our way out).  We rode rides that spun us around and upside down.  We ate in the Three Broomsticks and drank Butterbeer (one person was too afraid to try it, but I won't name names Charlotte).     We visited a very strange swamp meet/flea market whe...

This is the summer of do it, or don't do it.  I'm trying to be "serious" about writing in a way that I've never been before. I'm trying to be more physically active.  I'm trying to have the TV on less and to interact about something intellectual with my kids more often.  I'm trying to take my kid(s) to the park for the free lunch at least a few times a week, if not every day.  I'm working on eating more healthy and avoiding late night snacks (oh so very hard).  I've had some success so far. This is the summer of do it.  Or don't.  The summer where I decide if I'm really going to jump in with both feet and believe in me.  I've never really given that much attention before.  It's never seemed so important.  I've never wanted to do it for myself before.  And I've always failed.  I've tried doing it for my kids.  I've tried doing it to be a good example.  I've tried doing it to make myself rich and famous (th...

When Josh was seven (the age Carly is now), he was a different sort of kid than his sister.  She is high energy, momentum building, must-have-distractions, "When are we going swimming?" 15 times an hour asking - and we're only a couple weeks into this thing we call summer.  She's bored.  Josh used to get that way sometimes, but mostly he was just happy to have a squirt gun, some legos, or a stick to play with.  And, when he wasn't, I would send him over to Gramma Annie's for a few hours/days.  He was and continues to be mostly self-contained. This summer I am faced with a rather large dilemma.  Carly wants to do stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff.  But, we live in the sticks.  The closest park with green grass to play on is 15 minutes away.  And after we arrive, she'll be bored and/or hot in five minutes or less.  (In other words, the payoff just ain't worth it).  She really wants to go swimming.  But that's 45 minutes away ...