Still Delighted

It's the little things

2012-01-31T16:34:00.003-05:00

This morning I get Henry and I both ready to go to the grocery store. When we come downstairs he jumps in a chair and starts watching PBS, which I left on while we were upstairs.

"Henry, wanna go-go in the car?"
"No."
"Really? You don't wanna go for a ride?"
"No."
"Ok, we'll go in a little while, then."

I unwrap the scarf around my neck, lay it on the couch, and mess around the house for a bit. A little while later:

Henry picks up my scarf, hands it to me, and says, "Mama, go-go in the car."
"You wanna go in the car now?"
"Yeah!"
"Ok, let's go."

After buckling him in his seat, I walk around the car and get in mine.
"Mama?"
"Yes, baby."
"Happy."

Back in the saddle - er, running shoes?

2012-01-30T15:54:00.000-05:00

I will be the first to admit that I slacked off after my race on Dec. 4. I ran "when I could" (read: when I wanted to), which was definitely not three times a week as I did when I was training. Last week I decided to sign up for a 4-miler race held at the same time as the Tar Heel Ten-Miler on April 21 in Chapel Hill. I realized that having the goal is what pushed me to keep exercising.

Today I ran my personal best, which was 5K (3.1 miles) in 30:32 minutes.

I had been feeling discouraged and sluggish in my last few runs, so today really gave me the confidence and momentum to keep going. Now, I just need to figure out a good strategy for getting to 4 miles...

School Days

2012-01-28T14:31:00.001-05:00

Well, not quite, but we did register this little fella for fall 2012 preschool.

Oh, sorry. I meant him.

Did you hear that thud? That was my heart hitting the floor.

Desperate times call for desperate measures

2012-01-26T13:33:00.002-05:00

Recently, one of Keith's surgeons invited us to be his guest at a black-tie fundraiser, which means I need to find a formal gown in the next two weeks. You might think this is a drag, but I'm pretty excited about a reason to play dress-up again! I mean, after a girl gets married, when does she really have the opportunity?

So, Henry and I set off for the mall this morning. The spring formals aren't out yet, and the winter dresses are extremely picked over, so we weren't having much luck. Finally, I decided to see if Nordstrom had anything on sale. (Yes, of course, they did... the dresses made for grandmothers.) I picked up a few things and headed to the dressing room. One dress was worthy of a look in the larger mirror, so I stepped outside my room, and "click" went the door. Oops. I forgot it would lock behind me. I found the saleslady and told her I locked myself out, and she promised to be with me in a moment (she was ringing up someone's purchase). I twirled in front of the mirror 2 or 10 times, sat on a chair, twiddled my thumbs, and then peeped through the door slats to see if Henry was still eating his goldfish crackers.

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Poor baby had fallen asleep. I peeped outside the dressing area again to see what the saleslady was doing - still talking to the customer. I decided my baby needed to get home and I wasn't waiting any longer. I gathered my gown around my waist and shimmied right under that door! It wasn't pretty, and I hope no one saw me on a camera, but it got the job done!

Outdoor learning

2012-01-26T12:47:00.002-05:00

Henry and I had a pretty exciting morning! He wanted to go outside and I said he would need to put on clothes, so he immediately started peeling off his pajamas. Once outside, he headed straight for the soft dirt where it's fun to have Mommy draw letters with sticks. He asked for M, K, C, O, H, and T, and then he crouched down to play in the dirt himself . . . or so I thought. After a moment Henry stood up and proudly cried, "H!" I looked, looked again, and there it was.

Henry's first letter!

Later on he discovered his first earthworm lying in some rotting leaves. "Look!"

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Then he used a new sentence when he walked away, came back to the leaf pile, and couldn't find his worm. "Where'd it go?"

Mommy is so proud of her dirt-loving boy!

All aboard!

2012-01-25T16:33:00.002-05:00

Thanks for the hat and gloves, Grandma!


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Yesterday received this Thomas hat and glove set in the mail from his Grandma. I told him the gloves said "All aboard," and the next thing you know... (I apologize in advance for the camera work. Henry was ducking the phone. You might get sea-sick.)

Catch-up

2012-01-23T16:14:00.000-05:00

Since Christmas Henry has had a hard time sleeping through the night. We thought it was all the moving around to different beds, and it seemed to be getting better just before the Browns came to visit. However, he had two bad nights that weekend. I actually spent part of Saturday night with him in his toddler bed (which, by the way, is still just the size of a crib mattress!) so he wouldn't cry and wake Linda and Tom. On Sunday we wondered aloud if he was simply cold. His room always has the most extreme temperature in the house, whether hot in summer or cold in winter. That night we decided to put a tshirt under his footie pajamas and open his door all the way before we went to bed. Since then we've had no problems at all. Ahhhh... back to real sleep for Mommy and Daddy too!

Last weekend Keith was in Florida for his company's national sales convention, so Henry and I headed to Spartanburg. On my way down Mom let me know that my dad's Aunt Patsy had passed way that morning. Luckily, I had packed a dark dress for church on Sunday, so I was prepared. Jonathan kindly offered to watch the three boys for us during the funeral on Saturday morning, so Mom, Dad, Stephanie, and I went together after Perrin's Upward basketball game. It was a very cold and wet weekend, but the funeral was short and sweet.

We did have some fun, though! As I said, we saw Perrin play basketball. I had been really looking forward to this! He was the cutest little fella out there, and of course I am not biased in the least. Even when a basketball hit the top of his head, he kept right on blocking his man. On Friday I took Perrin and Henry to Monkey Joe's. It was Henry's first time and he was worn out afterward. They had a ball sliding and jumping on the inflatables, and Perrin loved skee-ball. Henry liked watching the balls roll down the trough and would sometimes toss them to Perrin. They pretty much had the place to themselves, as there were only two other mothers there.

As usual, the boys hated to separate on Sunday. Perrin told me several times over the weekend, "When you and Henry leave me, I'm going to be sad. You aren't supposed to live so far away." Knife through my heart!

MLK weekend

2012-01-23T14:03:00.001-05:00

On January 13 Henry's Grandma, Pops, Aunt Laurie, and Uncle Scott came to visit for Grandma Mary's birthday. Henry absolutely loves family, and he was spoiled by all the love and attention. He even called Mary "GG" (for great-grandma) for the first time. As always, we exchanged Christmas gifts with Grandma and Pops. Henry's main gift was his Thomas air bed, which he got early so he could use it over Thanksgiving, but he also got some trains, Thomas pajamas and other goodies. It has been so much fun over the past month to watch Henry get excited over gifts. He loves opening them and seeing others open theirs.

On Saturday morning Pops and Grandma took us to Waffle House for Henry's favorite breakfast. Once again, he dove right in and ate all but 5 bites of his waffle (which Mommy was glad to eat, since she'd had granola at home). We spent the afternoon watching basketball, getting exercise, and shopping for and playing with those aforementioned trains! I'll let you guess Henry's favorite part. Saturday night we stayed in and ordered lots of Chinese food. On Sunday morning everyone was off to their respective homes with promises to see each other soon.

A gift

2012-01-13T16:45:00.001-05:00

It has been one of those weeks. I forgot things. I let some people down. I also made two wonderful, no-fail recipes that I managed to mess up. In the midst of going back to school, revamping a syllabus, and getting ready for my in-laws this weekend, I lost my mind a bit and forgot some important stuff. Yet, in the midst of that mess, God gave me an undeniable blessing on Wednesday morning.

I was feeling particularly crabby about leaving the house at 8:20am for my faculty meeting. What could they possibly say that I didn't already know after 5 years? What good could come from another of these meetings, where I always look around and chastise myself for not being as smart and creative as the rest? Plus, my baby was dragging my pajamas around the bedroom as I got ready, asking me to put those back on instead. "Dat one, Mama. Dat one." Leaving that sweet boy was not on the top of my priority list.

Then I remembered we were going to hear from a panel of former English 101 students, and I had recommended two of mine. I wasn't sure how many students had been recommended and didn't know if both my students would be on the panel, but I was looking forward to hearing from them anyway. The idea was that we'd learn what "works" in 101 - what stays with a student, aiding them in their future research and writing assignments.

As it turned out, both of my students were on the panel. I hugged their necks and was so glad to see their faces. As their portion of the morning began, I found myself welling with pride for not only them, but the other students as well. They were articulate and grounded and definitely going places! They spoke of the assignments that had helped them most in their college classes, as well as in their GRE preparation, internships, and graduate school applications. They made us laugh and, finally, they made me cry. The session closed with the question, "What is the best thing you remember from English 101?"

One of mine, Maryscott, said having a teacher who was so approachable had made all the difference to her. My other student, Chad, answered that it was the relationships he'd made. My eyes welled as he found my face and said he was thankful for Mrs. Dangel. He was also thankful for a friend he made in my class, who, even to this day, sends Chad his papers to review. He smiled as he recalled I had been pregnant with Henry, we had class at night, and a few times we didn't have heat in the classroom. He ended by saying, "I guess I remember a lot!"

Smack dab in the middle of a nutty week God gave me one of His thousands of gifts. He reminded me of why I still teach, even though I know some are far more capable of it than I am. I teach with heart and, apparently, it shows.

Tee ball

2012-01-05T18:51:00.001-05:00

This afternoon Henry picked up his bat without me prompting him, which has never happened before. Honestly, I would not mind one bit if this child was a music-playing, book-reading boy for the rest of his life, but I know it would make his daddy smile to see him take an interest in balls. So, I grabbed my phone and managed to get this adorable video. Make sure you catch his classic "I'm done!" move.

It's been awhile....

2012-01-05T12:10:00.000-05:00

How about a recipe?

Broccoli-Apple Slaw
Mix the dressing and stir into dry ingredients.

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayo
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 smalls shallot, chopped (I had red onion on hand and used it instead.)
salt and pepper

1/2 bunch broccoli, finely chopped
1/2 apple, finely chopped or thinly sliced (your preference)
1/4 cup Craisins
2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts (I used pecans because pine nuts are pricey.)

from Real Simple magazine

The obvious

2012-01-04T11:05:00.001-05:00

So I may have mentioned that our boy loves trains. The University of Tennessee had a holiday train display at their gardens, so last Friday we took Henry to see it. It took nine men seven days to build it.

all pics from iphone

Making music

2012-01-04T11:01:00.001-05:00

Will he follow in his mother's footsteps? Only time will tell.

Oops

2012-01-04T08:59:00.000-05:00

In the fall of 2010 I jumped at the new opportunity to teach hybrid classes. (Hybrid = half online, half face-to-face.) It meant even more time at home with Henry, which was worth the extra reading/grading I would have to do online. I especially enjoyed the fact that we only missed dinner as a family one night each week.

In November when our spring schedules were posted, I was excited to see I got the same Mon/Wed schedule and I thought it said room 129, which is the classroom assigned to hybrids. Yesterday I realized I was wrong; it says 128. So I now have 5 days to convert my syllabus back to a traditional format. And 4 days to prepare my Sunday school lesson.

Sigh. I hate it when December is over.

The New Year

2012-01-03T17:31:00.004-05:00

On Thursday Keith, Henry, and I began the trek to Knoxville for our annual New Year's Eve and belated Christmas celebration with the Dangels. This year we also celebrated Phil's upcoming birthday, since it's a big one. (I won't tell!) We arrived about 8:00pm. Henry was thrilled to see Boomer (now "Boomy") had set up his old Thomas trains for him. On Thursday Paul, Sandy, and Shelby arrived. We spent the weekend playing with the kids, eating, playing Playstation, watching football, eating, and eating. On Friday and Sunday Boomer was kind enough to run with me. We left very early Monday morning and had a quick breakfast with our friends Kelly, Kyle, and Noah, who moved to Knoxville in August, on the way out of town.

After playing at the park, Henry fell asleep next to the trains.

Uh-oh! Henry is opening Big Papi's present!

Friends and sisters

2011-12-28T09:49:00.001-05:00

On the morning of December 26 Jenn, Jaime, Libby, Stephanie, and I met at Cracker Barrel with all but two of our children. (Perrin had spent the night with Aunt Annie and Charlotte was still sleeping.) This was the first time since Christmas 2009 that Jenn, Jaime, and I have been in the same room together! Oh, it was so sweet. I left with my heart more full but also longing for more.

My Christmas Week, part 2

2011-12-27T21:10:00.005-05:00

Friday, Dec. 23: Keith, Henry, and I had a hot dog lunch with the Dales. That evening was Christmas with Dad's side of the family. I believe Perrin has a little crush on our extended cousins, Lindsey and Leslie. Who could blame him?

One of Henry's gifts that night was Cranky. As soon as he opened it, he marched himself down the hall and placed it on the train table in the playroom. We had a hard time pulling him away.

Saturday, Dec. 24: Our newest tradition of lunch at Ike's. Breakfast for dinner was a change this year, since we had church the next morning and wouldn't have time for our usual Christmas morning breakfast. Stephanie and Perrin made a birthday cake for Jesus.

"Momma, can I lick it?"

Kisses. Always kisses. Sometimes we have to pull the bigger boys back, for fear that their hugs might hurt little Grady

Then we decided to do shots under the other tree. Grady said, "Enough!"

That's a lot of pictures of little boys in pajamas, but believe it or not, I actually showed restraint.

Sunday, Dec. 25: Christmas Day! We celebrated first at church with a service open to all ages. I'm always a bit nervous about that, but Perrin and Henry were surprisingly good. Afterward we opened gifts with our immediate family. (We would normally do this in the morning, but Christmas on Sunday changed things up a bit. No worries, though. What's better than being in God's house on His Son's birthday?) The Dales spent the afternoon with Jonathan's family, as they always do. Mom, Henry, and I napped. Christmas evening is always with Mom's family at Grandma's house - my favorite! No one cooks like her and we always laugh a lot. This year Henry was introduced to Ray Stevens.....

My Christmas Week, part 1

2011-12-27T18:10:00.003-05:00

Monday, Dec. 19: Henry and I traveled to Spartanburg. I got a peek at Cassie's baby Caleb! I'm sorry I don't have pictures of that. It was a quick visit, because I was pulling up in the driveway as Cassie was leaving her mom and dad's.

Tuesday, Dec. 20: Hung out with the Dales at Grammy and Papa's house.

Wednesday, Dec. 21: Anne and Grandma stopped by briefly to see the boys. We celebrated Karen's birthday and Christmas with her family. This is the party that starts the holidays for me. What our families mean to each other could never be put into words, and now the grandbabies are friends too. I was honored to give Gracie her first diary (a cute Hello Kitty one) and showed her my first one too. I think she liked seeing all the silly things I wrote when I was 6 years old.

Karlee, Henry, and Perrin made the crib their own personal jump house. If the boys stopped jumping, Karlee would bounce on her knees until they started again!

Henry enjoyed Grady's gift as much as his own!

Thursday, Dec. 22: Jonathan and Grammy kept the three boys so I could give Stephanie her Christmas present - a sister day at Biltmore! Grady fell asleep on Mom and Henry fell asleep on Uncle JonJon not long after we left the house.

We left about 12:30 and got home at 9:30! We have no pictures of our day together but plenty of memories to last a lifetime. We toured the winery first (and couldn't believe the complexity of making sparkling wine!) and then viewed the temporary exhibit of Tiffany glass. Next, we exited the grounds for a little shopping for the boys at Biltmore Village. We came back in time for our amazing dinner at the Stable Cafe next to the Biltmore house. (House. Haha. That's a misnomer if there ever was one.) I thought I would cry with every bite of my meal. Seriously. Finally, we had our Christmas Candelight tour of the house. (Can I live in the library? Please?) I had such a wonderful day with my sister.

Keith was in Spartanburg when we got home. He was sorry he couldn't be there earlier to help with the boys, but he had surgery and then lots of traffic delayed his trip. Oh, well. We're thankful for business!

Part 2 coming up next...

24 years

2011-12-19T21:29:00.001-05:00

This morning I sent a text to my friend Cassie, wishing her a happy 32nd birthday. Later on I was thinking about her as I was driving down the highway, and it occurred to me that we've been friends for 24 years.

That's a long time.

The Hollifields moved next door, if my memory serves me correctly, when I was almost 7 years old. I was much more shy then, and my mom had to force me to go meet the new family. I still remember Cassie opening the door, wearing her pinstripe shirt with "Annie" (as in the musical) embroidered where a pocket might be. It is not an exaggeration to say we were immediate friends.

Some years later my mom and I were sitting in the den after school, talking about my latest problems with a certain friend who was hurting my feelings at school. The doorbell rang during our talk, and we both knew who was at the door. My mom smiled and said words I'll never forget: "You'll always have Cassie."

I don't think she could have known just how true that would be.

Cassie and her brother John went to a Christian school where her mom was also a teacher. We used to think it would be the best thing in the world if we could go to the same school, but now I think it was such a blessing that we didn't. We never got tired of each other, never argued. In the summers we went to Vacation Bible School at both her church and mine. We played on her grandparents' farm behind our neighborhood. We swam countless hours in the pool at my house. We played Barbies. We built fun houses and played with Maple Town figures in the basement at her house. We had sleepovers and read Archie comics. We dreamed about fantastic treehouses that our dads would build for us with rope bridges and bedrooms. (No, they never did.) As high-schoolers we would walk the neighborhood for exercise and talk about all the latest happenings at our own schools. Our walks continued into college when we were home for breaks, with the talks changing from high school gossip to tales of true love. Cassie married her love three years before I married mine, and I could not stop crying the evening after her wedding. I knew my friendship wasn't over, but our childhood most certainly was.

As it turns out, losing our childhood hasn't been so bad. Though we're wives and mommies in different states, our friendship is no less genuine and meaningful now than it was when we were children. I look forward to our face-to-face talks, but even emails or phone calls are a bit like sitting down with her in person. The communication is just that familiar. When I count my blessings, I count her twice.

Cassie, I hope we're friends for 24x3 more years!

Three little boys

2011-12-19T20:59:00.002-05:00

This afternoon we tried to get a picture of the boys in their matching outfits. Do you know how hard it is to get three boys to look at a camera and be still? Out of the 50 pictures I "sprayed" on the boys, this is the best one. Yes, the one where no one is looking and the jealous dog sneaked in the side. Sheesh. I'm hoping one of Steph's came out better.

But this is pretty cute, right?

Videos

2011-12-16T11:39:00.001-05:00

This is the night we got Henry's train table in the mail and decided to give it to him. We knew this was the last year we could get away with not having his Santa gift on Christmas morning, and that box was too heavy for Keith to lift - not to mention that we'd have no room for clothes and other presents in the car. I am so glad we made this decision. My Christmas season has been magical because of watching Henry play with his train table from sun up to sun down.

Yes, the office/catch-all room is a mess. I am over it. We're moving as soon as possible, and I can't keep this dance video from you any longer!

Really?

2011-12-14T21:17:00.001-05:00

We've had no nap struggles since last Thursday when he pushed all his books under the door. However, he still cries for about 5 minutes every night. Driving me bonkers.

And since I'm complaining, getting up before 6:00 every morning this week has been the opposite of fun.

"He looks like a tape dispenser."

2011-12-12T21:37:00.001-05:00

Those were Keith's words on Sunday morning.

I, on the other hand, loved Henry's outfit. I was desperate to take a pretty picture of my little elf in front of the tree, but I had approximately 2.2 seconds to snap it. That means no time to fiddle with lighting and settings. When we get home from church, Henry wants to EAT! So, here you go, bad lighting and all.

Books

2011-12-11T21:40:00.003-05:00

I think trying to explain how I feel about Henry's love for books is a futile task. I can never put into words what books have meant to me and how much I wanted a child who would love reading too. I know he could change, but so far his love for a book has not waned since he was a wee thing, pulling all of them off his shelves.

Most recently, he has added holding a book to his bedtime routine. I may have mentioned before that Henry sleeps with his trains, much like some children sleep with a special blanket, lovey, or stuffed animal. Now, in addition to the train, he often likes to hold a book as well - or at least have it in the chair next to him as we rock and then in the bed beside him.

He's mad about Wally, the Red Sox Mascot and asks for this book every night. "Wa-ee! Wa-ee!"

(Don't pick on Keith, now. He's got scrub hat hair.)

We don't read George as often as we did a few weeks ago, but he still likes to pull out the silly monkey every now and then.

Mostly, we read Hello, Wally!; Brown Bear, Brown Bear; Mr. Brown Can Moo; The Cat in the Hat; and Thomas' Christmas Delivery. Henry calls that one "Ta-us snow." (Ta-us = Thomas, in case you didn't get that.)

I love my reading boy!

Little model

2011-12-11T21:15:00.001-05:00

Last summer Keith received an email from a friend who needed a favor. At the time she worked in marketing for Scandinavian Child, and her company needed models for the literature on their toys. She emailed all the local parents she knew, and we volunteered Henry. They ended up liking his picture on their Creativity Cruiser, and he became the new face on the hang-tag.

To our surprise, they promised to send us a Cruiser and said it would arrive around Thanksgiving. The toy is made from wood (except the wheels), comes in several finishes and arrives in a black case. If you like modern furniture, you'll love their products. Anyway, here's the little model with his new toy.

"America's Place to Eat"

2011-12-10T08:44:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we saw a nutritionist for Henry, which was recommended by the doctor last week when we expressed our concern that Henry has stopped eating foods he used to love and now eats the same 6 items every single day. He does take a vitamin, but we still felt that he couldn't possibly be growing properly with his limited diet. Thankfully, the nutritionist reported that we are doing everything right, he is continuing to gain weight, and he will likely grow out of this.

Ironically, this morning we decided to go to the Waffle House. We had a ball, with Henry charming the servers and other guests with his fake sneezes and rocking out to Michael Jackson and Tina Turner. The last time we were there Henry ate quite a bit of my waffle, so I decided spending the $3.00 on a kid's meal would be a deal, even though he wouldn't eat the whole thing. Well....

After Keith and I had finished our meals and Henry seemed to be done as well, I lifted him out of the highchair and began to leave. Henry, however, had merely been taking a little break, as he quickly reached for more. We sat back down and that kid proceeded to eat 3/4 of that waffle!

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In this picture he's still not done, folks! So, it seems if we need to fatten him up, we just need to head to those famous black and yellow letters.

Update

2011-12-08T14:31:00.000-05:00

H is protesting nap by pushing all the books we read together (pre-nap) under the door. I don't even know what that means, but it's funny. I hope my great little napper comes back! I mean, he slept 3.5 hours yesterday, but the struggle has got to stop.

More adventures with the toddler bed

2011-12-07T16:37:00.003-05:00

Well.

Since Henry discovered on day 3 that he can get out of bed, he has been resisting naps and bedtime. We decided to put a cover on his doorknob and just let him cry for a few minutes after we left. He always put himself back to bed and it was no problem. I was convinced that after a few days of that, he wouldn't even cry or fuss anymore.

But doorknob covers have met their match with Master Henry. He quickly discovered that he could easily pop them off, and yesterday I actually stood on the other side of the door, holding the knob tightly, until he retreated back to his bed. Last night Keith reversed the doorknob so it would lock on the outside, and we had no issues at bedtime.

At naptime today Henry refused to sit in my lap as we read books. Smart little booger; he knows being in my lap leads to rocking, which leads to sleeping! I ended up just placing him in his bed and leaving, knowing he would immediately go to the door but eventually go back to bed.

After a few minutes of silence I went back to cover him up and found this:

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I took this pic with my phone, in the dark (trying not to wake him), so you can imagine how bad it was before I tried to lighten and sharpen it for you. I just had to document the time he fell asleep in the rocking chair with a phantom Mommy!

December days

2011-12-06T12:45:00.000-05:00

What has Henry been doing this month?

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1) Playing with his new train table. Santa came early!
2) Watching Frosty.

Passing it down

2011-12-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite childhood memories is falling asleep to the soft glow of the small Christmas tree on my dresser. I can't remember a Christmas when I didn't have that tree. It was maybe 18 inches tall and mine to decorate however I chose. Some years I dressed the bottom in fake snow and figurines, some years with small presents. As a young teenager I surrounded the bottom with my Sarah, Plain and Tall houses by Hallmark. Every year I snuggled in my sheets and blankets at night, gazing at the tree and feeling what I can only describe as warm and fuzzy. No matter what was going on during my days, whether it was the happy bustle of school and extracurricular activities or the heartache of unrequited love, my nights were soothed by Christmas magic. Finally, on Christmas Eve Stephanie and I always slept in the same bed, often waking up several times during the night from excitement, and those memories are bathed in the light of either her or my tree.

This fall my parents began cleaning out my Nana and Papa's house, and this small ceramic Christmas tree became mine. Nana had one for every window in her house, as well as a couple of larger ones for tabletops. I knew I wanted one to remember her, but when we began to decorate for Christmas this year, I realized the perfect place for it - Henry's room. I hope this tree will one day bring him that sweet glow and warmth that my tree always gave me.

BOOYAH!

2011-12-03T12:16:00.001-05:00

Finish time

32:40

Adventures with the toddler bed

2011-12-03T08:07:00.002-05:00

Three things about motherhood I have dreaded:
potty-training,
pulling teeth, and
taking away the crib.

I imagined a great fight and, honestly, just didn't want to deal with it. We decided to take the advice in "the book" and wait until Henry asked for a big boy bed. Well, in his own way, he asked. He was fighting naps, as I've said, by tightly wrapping his arms and my neck when I began to place him in the crib (even if he was dead asleep and snoring). When we were in Spartanburg he did the same with my mom, who finally gave up after three tries and eased him onto my bed. It worked! While we were in Atlanta, he slept on a Thomas airbed Tom and Linda bought for him, and we made the decision to convert the crib when we arrived home.

Since Sunday at naptime Henry has been sleeping in his crib-turned-toddler-bed. Miraculously, he sleeps later in the mornings (hasn't gotten up before 7:00, knock on wood) and really seems to love the change. Mom says maybe he didn't like being caged, and I think she might be right. The boy has an iron will.

This is where he slept Saturday night. At 10pm, we weren't about to start changing the crib, and he refused to get in it.

This is when we revealed his new bed on Sunday.

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On Tuesday night we had our first issue with Henry staying in bed. Keith and I were both downstairs reading when we heard Henry's door open, then silence. I peeked around the wall and up the stairs. There he was, laying at the top of the stairs with a huge grin on his face. Well, isn't that just the cutest thing. But it's not so cute the 5th time, so that time we locked his door. He cried at the door for a few minutes, then retreated to his bed.

We are so pleased with how well Henry has transitioned. It hasn't been the awful fight I imagined, and he's sleeping more! Win-win.

The photo shoot that wasn't

2011-12-01T15:22:00.005-05:00

In 2010 Sandy and I took Henry and Shelby to have pictures made as a surprise for all the grandparents. It was such a hit that we decided to do it again this year, only Henry and Shelby had other plans. I wish I could show you exactly how it went down, but (sigh) I am not followed by cameras.

We made our appointment for as early as possible (9:30) because last year we got the first appointment of the day (9:00) and that was perfect. No other kids, no distractions, no need for a nap. Unfortunately, at 9:30 several families were already there, and we had to wait 5 minutes before we could put the kids on the set. Five minutes may not sound like much, but that's 5 whole minutes that Shelby and Henry were able to play with the Lego table in the waiting area. When we were ushered into the photo area, neither child wanted to behave. Sandy later told me that Shelby threw herself onto the floor and cried, but I didn't see that, as I was chasing Henry and grabbing him away from the Lego table. We then placed both children on the floor together, against their will, and Henry threw a train at the photographer. That's when we decided to call it a day. My crowning moment may have been when I said to a parent in the lobby, "I knew this might not happen, since we've been up sick since 1:15am." I'm sure she was so thrilled that my snotty-nosed child had played with the Legos her child was now using! We quickly left, buckled the kids in their car seats, and I got behind the wheel only to find out my child is a smart aleck. He grinned perfectly and said, "Cheeeeese!"

On Saturday we put the children in perfectly adorable outfits and snapped pictures while they played. Henry's hair would not lay down, but I think we did ok after all.

Thanksgiving

2011-12-01T10:48:00.004-05:00

I won't say much about these pictures since I have so many. I'll just say that on Wednesday Henry and Shelby exchanged Christmas presents. Henry got this great airport (!) but Shelby thought it was cool too. Henry played with it all afternoon and evening, when we put it away because it was getting stepped on. Since Shelby loves music Henry gave her an instrument set. The cymbals and sticks were used a lot over the next few days!

Pre-Thanksgiving

2011-12-01T09:28:00.001-05:00

On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Keith drove Henry and me to Salisbury, where Mom met us for breakfast and took Henry and I to Spartanburg. We played with Perrin and Grady, celebrated Thanksgiving at my home church, celebrated Stephanie's birthday, and enjoyed my favorite food - Grandma's cooking!

Pics tomorrow, but don't miss this.

2011-11-30T21:56:00.002-05:00

Oh my word.

What a morning.

I am typing this on my iphone (um, weird) because the power has blinked yet again and I don't know how to reset the router or whatever it is. I mean, I thought I did, but there are three little boxes sitting where I thought it would be. What if I unplug the wrong one?

Anyway, the power. Can someone explain to me why our power has gone out three times in two days when we have had no inclement weather?

So, I debated about reporting this, since my mother will probably threaten my life if I keep running, but I feel it is almost too crazy not to do so. (Mom, this is what I was gonna tell you today when I called and you were in the check-out line!) Ready? I was flashed this morning. For the second time in my life. I would love to tell you I make up this stuff, but it's just not so.

My race is Saturday, and this is the first morning in several days that I've felt I could run more than 5 steps without having a coughing fit. (Really. I sound like an old hag with emphysema.) So, I knew I needed to get a run or two in before the race. What I totally didn't remember was an article Keith recently read in the newspaper. A flasher has been spotted on the Tobacco Trail in areas further down from my normal turning point. Since Week 7 is the longest run.... well, you do the math.

I was getting close to halfway through my run when I spotted a man in workout clothes coming through the woods toward the trail. This isn't an unusual sight, because houses, apartments, and office buildings are a mere 10 yards from the trail at any given time. What struck me as odd was that he did one odd lunge (like he didn't really know how to stretch) and then stopped. The hairs on my neck stood up as I remembered - The Flasher.

A few minutes later I was running by the spot again but looking straight ahead, when I heard him call out to me. Have you ever known you weren't supposed to look at something but couldn't stop the reflex? That happened.

I just kept running, looking over my shoulder every now and then. The amazing part is that I was running with my phone for the first time (and now I always will, thank you, Mr. Creep), so I called the police and made a full report. I hope they catch the toad. To put all of you at ease and be more serious for a moment, please know I won't run that far again; I'll start further down the trail on the other end. And I will continue to only run in the day and always run with my iphone instead of my ipod.

Keith held me when I got home and was so sorry. Then he said, "How did he get your attention? Did he say something?"

I stammered, "Yes, he yelled out, 'You've got a nice a@@.' You know those guys will say whatever to make a woman look."

"Well, he's a creep and a deviant and a pervert, but he's not a liar."

Leave it to my sweet husband to make me laugh after a morning of witnessing a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Not really an update, but....

2011-11-27T18:04:00.000-05:00

We arrived back in Durham very late last night (well, if your version of very late is 10:00, which mine is), put our baby to bed on a pallet in his floor (because he refused his crib - more on that later), and put our own bodies to bed (which felt awesome).

I will be back with pictures as soon as I can (after I finish grading papers for Wednesday and get over the cold I got from Henry).

In the meantime, guess what? I finished 5K 101 week 6 and started week 7 while I was away. Woo to the hoo.

See you soon.

Thankfulness

2011-11-17T14:09:00.005-05:00

Thank you, God, for the beautiful rain.

I get to wear my favorite Cole Haan shoes that I got on sale and feel like pillows.

And I got to experience a morning run in the rain. Those are words I never thought I would say, but I thank you, God, for bringing me to this place.

And I thank you for beautiful praise music to accompany my cool-down.

I thank you for arms and hands to lift to the sky in praise.

I thank you for healthy legs and feet to carry me.

For food to fuel me.

For family and friends to encourage me.

I thank you for giving me enough, just enough.

And please don't give to me

Wealth or poverty

But God, I ask only for

Enough

Oh, Enough

God, only

Just enough

"Enough," Shaun Groves

Playdate

2011-11-17T13:55:00.002-05:00

Miss Atalie Brown is visiting her Aunt Libby (aka Bibby) this week, so we had a fun little lunch and playdate on this rainy day.

While waiting on Bitty and Bibby to arrive, Henry built an indoor slide.

Atalie enjoyed Henry's coloring books, scooter, and LeapTop.

I wanted to get some cute shots of them together, but then Henry fell asleep.

Atalie wanted to take home some of Henry's toys.

But she very sweetly put them back and told all of the trains bye-bye.

Please come back, girls, and bring the other 3 with you!

P.S. Two and a half hours later....

5 things

2011-11-14T16:07:00.000-05:00

1) I registered for the Reindeer Romp today!

2) Day 1 of Week 6 was a doozy (doozie?), but once again I made it without walking during any of the runs.

3) Henry is not a big fan of long stories. In fact, he prefers to "read" his books himself, with a few exceptions. I was surprised today when I got to the 10th or so page of The Cat in the Hat at naptime. It was then that I noticed Henry's head rolling down my chest and I craned my neck to look down at his face. He was fast asleep.

4) The Food Network is all about Thanksgiving this week. Love it!

5) Henry says Wooooooow about 100 times a day. So cute.

Mommy and Baby Night

2011-11-12T07:31:00.001-05:00

Daddy had a business dinner Thursday night, so Henry and I had the house to ourselves. As we rolled around in the floor, tickled, and giggled, I felt so guilty for saying one word about his recent changes in temperament.

I'm no different than any other mom in that I completely and utterly adore my child, which causes a tension in my writing. I want to record my honest observations of Henry's milestones, yet this is a public space. I sometimes wonder what people will think: She doesn't appreciate him. She should be glad he's normal and healthy. She expects too much.

Yes, the devil has a field day with me. I can only hope my readers will understand my intent and know I wouldn't want Henry any other way.

This is the 1%

2011-11-09T13:53:00.000-05:00

99% of each day is spent in bliss. My Henry is as sweet and cuddly and funny as I could have ever hoped for. But for the past week or two, 1% of each day has just about sent me over the edge. When Henry wants something he cannot have, he has a breakdown. Additionally, he has been fighting bedtime and naps like some alien monster has taken over his body. At this moment he is on minute 25 of crying in the crib. Oh, and he's been crying (granted, for less than 5 minutes) when I leave him to go to church or work. I gave him the benefit of the doubt on Monday and Tuesday because he had a low fever, but where's the excuse for the other days? I have been trying to figure it out to no avail, until today. Today I figured it out.

HE'S TWO!

Most often heard in the Dangel house

2011-11-07T17:23:00.003-05:00

Snow --Requesting his Thomas Christmas DVD.
Percy
Gord (Gordon)
Ta (Thomas)
Charlie
Track
Cranky
Coo (Cool)
What's that?
There's the _____!
Hat (The Cat in the Hat)
Zzzzz (plane sound)
Choo choo!
Tella (Nutella)
Per (Perrin)
Step
Ice
Yeah!
Dog
Nutting! (Nothing)
Mama!
Dada!
Papa
Kecky
Nooooo. --In response to my asking, "Is the dog there?", when reading the last page of his Curious George lift-the-flap book.

Week 5, Day 1

2011-11-06T20:53:00.002-05:00

Last week I got a little behind in my training, between Keith working long days and the sun not coming up until 7:30, but today I started week 5 with the big jump to running for 8 minutes! I'm thrilled and surprised to report that I completed each of the three 8-minute intervals with no problem. I definitely think I'll be ready for 12 minutes next week. Week 6 is two intervals of 12, Week 7 is three intervals of 12, and Week 8 is the full 30 minutes.

For anyone wondering, every session includes a 5-minute warm-up walk and 5-minute cool-down walk. The time for the in-between walks varies.

This experiment has been one of the most fascinating experiences of my life. Thanks for reading along.

Trick-or-treating 2011

2011-10-31T21:12:00.003-04:00

Church carnival in pictures

2011-10-31T11:05:00.002-04:00

Henry's La-Z-Boy

2011-10-31T10:19:00.001-04:00

Number 6

2011-10-30T21:50:00.003-04:00

Yesterday about 9am Keith and I began celebrating wedding anniversary number six with a little getaway/staycation in Greensboro. Why Greensboro? It's a long story that ends with us wanting to stay at a certain hotel. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

We spent the morning shopping and had lunch at an authentic Italian deli. The owner, Giacomo, is an Italian from New York who processes his own meat and makes his sausages fresh every morning. His restaurant has a huge following and has been featured in numerous publications. My sandwich was to die for! I told Keith we might just have to move, because I didn't think I could live without more Giacomo's in my life.

We then had a couple's massage at a day spa before checking into our hotel, the Proximity. We first became interested in the Proximity when it was being built. It was the first hotel in the nation to receive LEED platinum status, the highest certification for green architecture and design. It is the sister of the historic O. Henry hotel, where we've had dinner several times, but the O. Henry is traditional, while the Proximity is sleek and modern. Both are luxurious and have amazing attention to detail. As silly as it sounds, I loved the fact that our room had a great magazine selection! I really could go on and on.

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant, Print Works Bistro, which was incredibly beautiful. We had a lovely meal and then headed out to a late movie. (Well, I have to admit it; we stopped at a toy store on the way. We're always thinking of Henry!)

This morning I slept until NINE O'CLOCK. Before hitting the road we went out for breakfast at a cafe we'd heard great things about. We really owe Keith's coworkers at Cone Hospital a big thank you for both the breakfast and the day spa recommendations.

Where, you ask, was Boobookitty? At home, getting spoiled rotten. Thank you, Grammy!

Keith's Wednesday night

2011-10-27T07:29:00.002-04:00

The dog's tether got caught under the grill. Said dog took off after an animal, knocked over grill, and broke grill.
Dog ate whatever fell out of grill.
Dog vomited on carpet.
(Later)
Henry got out of bath.
No diapers were in the basket.
Keith opened closet to get more diapers.
Henry peed on floor.
Henry giggled.
(Later)
Keith steam cleans the vomit spot.
We can still see it.

Best part of the night: Facetime with Perrin
"Perrin, do you know what Henry did?"
"Yeah."
(Jonathan whispers, "Say 'what.'")
"What?"
"He pee-peed on the floor!"
Giggling and making a dead-on Jonathan face, "Oooooh! Henry's in trouble!"

Week 4, Day 1

2011-10-26T15:17:00.002-04:00

Whooooa, little doggy.

This week's interval is jog 4 minutes, walk 1 minute, and I felt discomfort for the first time. My muscles have whispered to me in the past, but today my calves yelled, "Hey, lady! What's this all about?" After the first set I wasn't sure if I would finish all 5, but I did manage to get through each running interval, albeit slowly on the last one.

The first four weeks are about building up a beginner's endurance, with week 5 being the first big jump: 4 minutes to 8 minutes. Weeks 4 and 7 have supplemental podcasts (4.2 and 7.2) for those who aren't able to conquer weeks 5 and 8 right away, and I'm now starting to believe I might need them! If I can't make the 8-minute runs without walking I'll do the supplemental week, which backs it down to 6 minutes.

I know it might sound like I'm giving up, but I promise I am not! I still hope to finish in 8 weeks so I can do the Reindeer Romp without walking; I'm just trying to be realistic as well. I already have a crackly knee and I don't want to damage anything. (Yes, I made up "crackly.")

I'll keep you posted!

Ganyard Hill Farm

2011-10-24T16:08:00.002-04:00

This morning Henry and I went to a pumpkin patch with our friends Allie and Jordan. (Allie has three beautiful boys, and her youngest was born just a month before Henry!) I think you can see below that the boys had a wonderful time together -- once I convinced Henry to leave the school buses in the parking lot and go into the farm!

Papi, Kecky, and Boomer

2011-10-24T15:08:00.002-04:00

On Saturday evening Henry's Big Papi, Kecky, and Boomer came into town. Henry absolutely loves all of his family, so he was tickled to see Papi and Kecky when we met them at our favorite sushi restaurant Saturday night. Boomer spent the night with a friend at Duke. Keith, Phil, and Becky picked him up while Henry and I went to church Sunday morning.

Sunday afternoon Keith was my hero and prepared spaghetti and meatballs, bread, and pecan pie for supper. (I threw together a salad, haha.) I had tons of papers to grade, so we all kept Keith company in the kitchen while Henry napped. When Henry woke up Kecky played with him at the park while I did my quick run. (Week 3 is finished!) Afterward, Papi tried to entice Henry to play baseball, but Henry was more interested in his trains. He did hit the ball off the tee a couple of times, and I would have gotten a great picture if my Nikon's battery hadn't been dead. Ergh.

I did get a few pictures with the old camera before Henry went to bed for the night.

He is warming up to his Elmo costume, thank goodness. We've tried it a few times; the first time he was utterly terrified of it. Last night he actually seemed excited to show everyone.

This morning the crew we said good-bye, Keith was off to work, and Henry and I were off on an adventure. Stay tuned!

Working lunch

2011-10-21T09:44:00.001-04:00

While we were in NY, Henry spied Shelby's Leaptop. Its narrator is Scout, the same voice as his Leapfrog telephone and Leapfrog stuffed dog, which says "Henry", sings, plays lullabies, says the alphabet, etc. - and is the only stuffed animal Henry has ever loved. Aunt Sandy decided Henry needed the Leaptop and sent him one that very week. As you can see, he loves it!

Before bed

2011-10-20T13:21:00.001-04:00

Henry's latest bedtime reads are Thomas ABC and The Cat in the Hat pop-up book, which he calls Hat. In the second picture he's actually pointing at that book and saying, "Hat!" He has also become quite a fan of Curious George. He looks so precious sitting in his chair and propping his feet on the ottoman. I love it.

Yum yum

2011-10-18T19:20:00.002-04:00

It's no secret I love to cook, but what I don't love is meal planning. A couple of weeks ago, Keith suggested something to help me out: soup and salad every Monday. That kind of meal is so not Keith that I quickly said yes before he could change his mind! We figure it will be a fun opportunity to try new soups this fall and winter, and it will give me a "given" for at least one night each week.

Last night we tried a black bean soup. I thought it was good, but today it was GREAT. I've copied the recipe below with the changes we made. Give it a whirl! And be sure to make it a day in advance.

Black Bean Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
~~1 green bell pepper, chopped~~
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
2 cups cubed cooked ham
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
~~1 cup sour cream~~

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Mix in 1 can black beans and chicken broth. In a blender (or food processor, like I did), puree remaining can of beans until smooth. Mix into the pot. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Mix in ham, cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Garnish with Cheddar cheese and sour cream to serve.

Running Diaries

2011-10-15T17:40:00.001-04:00

Today was Week 2, Day 2 of my training, which means I have done 5 workouts so far. I told Keith on Thursday that the first jogging interval is always the toughest, but after I knock that one out I feel great. Today I had a breakthrough in that the first interval didn't feel uncomfortable; this time I immediately found my pace and felt good.

I am planning to run the Reindeer Romp 5K on December 3, benefiting Girls on the Run. The event occurs exactly when my 8 weeks end, and I know repeating a week isn't uncommon (especially weeks 4 and 7), so I'm not sure if I'll be ready. However, I am assuming that I will be! If I'm not quite finished with the training I will still do the race and plan to do another in the spring. (From what I have found online, our area has a bunch in April and May.)

I have drunk the Lululemon Kool-Aid and absolutely love their pants. No chafing, itching, wind resistance, or slippery sounds. I think it's probably the closest thing to running in my underwear. I originally got a pair for pilates and I'm glad I did.

I suppose that's it for now. I'll check in again when there's something to report.

Playing on a Thursday

2011-10-14T12:08:00.001-04:00

About to ride the Y-bike

Knocking on the front door

Trying to eat the pumpkin

Kissing the blue hubbard squash

Wardrobe

2011-10-13T09:47:00.000-04:00

A couple quick notes about Henry's recent wardrobe...

Last Sunday, in honor of Uncle Boomer's 18th birthday the day before, Henry wore this sweater vest to church. Boomer had given it to him for Christmas last year, but our little fella was still too small for it at the time. I was so overcome by how old he looked that I had to take a picture as Keith was putting on his shoes. (Part of the big boy appearance is that awful haircut as well. The same lady who did a great job last time did a horrific job this time.)

This morning, for the first time ever, Henry asked to wear a hat. Around age 1 he developed an intolerance for them. Today, though, he looked up at his hat hanging on its peg, pointed, and said, "Elmo!"

My little candy corn

2011-10-08T19:24:00.000-04:00

On Friday night the three of us went to the wedding of a friend of Keith's from Baseball America. It was at Shady Wagon Farm, and I was looking forward to seeing how the bride used fall colors (my favorite) to decorate. She had amazing taste and decorated the space so beautifully! Anyway, the grounds were pretty, so I took the opportunity to snap some pictures of Henry with the little camera I threw in his bag as we were running out the door.

The drummer for the band saw me trying to keep Henry away from their equipment (they were taking a break), and he asked Henry if he wanted to try it out. Uh, yes. He loved it.

This old dog, continued

2011-10-07T22:49:00.001-04:00

Over the summer I began hearing about a program called Couch to 5K, a program designed "to transform you from couch potato to runner, getting you running three miles (or 5K) on a regular basis in just two months." My typical response would be a non-response, but for some reason the idea actually intrigued me. Later on I learned that my friend Ellen was doing the C25K training. Knowing she has three children, I was inspired by her hard work. I know how hard it is for a mom to find time for herself. Finally, I had a strange dream a few weeks ago. In the dream I was running, and it felt natural. My body didn't feel awkward. My limbs were light and free, not weighed down by the inescapable force of gravity. When I woke up, I wanted to recapture that feeling.

I decided then that C25K was something I definitely wanted to try, but I didn't know yet how I was going to make it work. Henry and I walk at least 4 times a week, but I don't have a jogging stroller, nor do I want one. The evening before bedtime is sacred time for Keith and I, and the time before that is busy with dinner, bath, and bedtime for Henry. So how could I tackle this problem?

First, I shared my vision with Keith. I explained how I wanted to give running one more try, how the C25K program seemed feasible, and how my dream had inspired me. As I saw it, my problem was time. Because running feels incredibly unnatural for me, a stroller makes it all the more uncomfortable (I've tried it before), meaning I have to run without Henry. When would I do that? Keith encouraged me and promised to help me reach my goal.

Second, I had to gather the motivation to wake up early. We decided that when Keith does not have early surgeries, he can certainly watch Henry while I run at a decent time in the morning. When Keith has to leave early, I need to wake up early and do my run before he leaves. The good news is that the training takes between 30 and 40 minutes (30 is the goal), and the trail I'm using is a 2 minute drive from the house, so I can get it done pretty quickly.

Finally, I needed to download a podcast that would tell me when to run and when to walk. I inadvertently downloaded 5K101 instead of C25K, but the idea is the same: You train three times a week, walking and running at intervals that grow longer in the running as the 8 weeks progress.

After all that lead-in ... drum roll, please ... I began this morning! How did it go? Honestly, the first running interval was weird. I had a hard time finding my pace and getting in a rhythm. The old feelings of inadequacy and discomfort resurfaced, but I kept pressing on and was surprised when I actually felt ok at the end of the 2 minutes. No stabbing cramps in my abdomen, no gasping for air, no legs feeling as if they were flailing about. During the 3 minutes of walking I actually felt myself looking forward to the next running interval. Who is this person?, I thought.

After reading comments from "graduates" on the web, I know that I will struggle as the weeks progress. Weeks 4 and 5 are particularly tough, apparently. I know today is only the first day. But for me that's exactly the point - it's my first day. Something in me actually wanted to start this. I debated on whether to publish these two posts or keep them in my draft folder, but I ultimately decided that publishing my running journal would give me accountability. I'm not sure how many people are still reading this blog, but if you are, feel free to push me if I start to flounder. 3.1 miles is not a long distance, but it might as well be around the equator for me. And I need to finish this. For the boy who threw the basketball and smashed my glasses. For the kids who laughed because I didn't understand football and, wanting to be a good student, tried my best to understand. For the little girl me who couldn't turn a cartwheel. For the adult me who thinks marathoners are just crazy. Most of all, for the me who had this strange dream a few weeks ago and wants to see it happen in real life, the me who wants to know she can.

Here's to learning new tricks!

This old dog might learn a new trick.

2011-10-07T14:55:00.002-04:00

I am the very antithesis of an athlete. If you're in my inner circle, this will come as no surprise to you. No part of me has ever wished to join a sport team or run a race. I admire women athletes, but I don't aspire to become one. I cheer on my friends who run marathons, all the while wondering what in the devil is wrong with them.

My condition began from the womb. I emerged a girl who loves reading, writing, listening to and playing music. When, at 6ish years old, a friend asked me to play on a soccer team with her, I said no without a moment's hesitation. In fact, even now, I can remember wondering what on earth would possess her to ask me that question. In 4th grade I had the same reaction when my best friend asked me to be a cheerleader with her. Me? Are you serious? That was so not my bag.

Throw into a bowl my natural skills and interests. Then stir in the terrible experiences I had in physical education class -- glasses broken by the basketball I couldn't catch, students laughing when I asked the teacher what a "down" was during our football lesson, no one ever picking me for a team, and on and on. What you get is a giant cake full of hating athletics.

Fast forward to college, sophomore year. I am dating Keith, and he is a Health and Exercise Science (HES) major. His muscles are taut and beautiful. He can run or bike all day without thinking twice about it. I figure he's the perfect person to help me get out of the HES requirement for all Furman students.

"Come on, there must be some way. A doctor's note? A therapist's note that it will cause psychological damage?"

"Mere, you just gotta do this. What's the worst that's gonna happen?"

Clearly, he had no idea.

So I began HES 10 in the spring of 2000. My Nazi teacher required us to run a 5K loop of campus during the first week of class and the last week of class. In the meantime, we would be following her guidelines (and keeping a log for a grade, mind you) for exercise and proper nutrition, showing us in the end how much we could improve our bodies.

Did you catch that 5K bit? I'm not sure what was scarier for me - the running, the doing a fitness test in front of the whole class that included chin-ups, sit-ups, and push-ups, or the BMI caliper test. Don't know what that is? Let me explain it. Nazi teacher squeezes your fat with calipers to determine your body mass index. (Furman has since squelched this practice.)

Without a magical note to excuse me, I began my first 5K run with a sweet girl like me - thin, in pretty good shape, but not an athlete. A lot of the class was in front of us, but we were not the last ones in the pack. Whew. About 2/3 of the way through the loop, we had slowed to a brisk walk only a couple of times, mutually encouraged by the other. But then it happened. I can remember exactly where I was and how I felt. I was running by the chapel where I would one day marry my sweetheart. I could see the Physical Activities Center, the finish line, in the distance before me. I knew I was so close. Alas, my legs could not see the same sight, and I hit my wall.

No, not a real wall. My wall. As if I were in slow motion, I felt my legs crumble. Tendon by tendon, ligament by ligament, muscle by muscle, they stopped working as I fell to my knees. Gasping, I told my running partner to go ahead. I wasn't sure how I would finish, but I eventually found the strength to stand and then walk. It wasn't my usual power walk - no, it was more of a crawl, but I finished.

After that day I began running fairly regularly with my best friend, who was also taking HES 10 but in a different class. We worked out together too, and before long it was the end of the semester. I was one of the most improved in my class. I'll never forget that I started the class only doing two chin-ups and finished able to do seven. I was extremely proud I'd made it without any major humiliation (only the one girl saw my running collapse). However, I absolutely had no desire to run again. I did what I had to do to get a good grade and complete the graduation requirement.

The extent of my exercise remained fast walking for the next 8 years. Then, a few months before we became pregnant with Henry, I decided I wanted to start pilates. As you know, I love it to this day. What you might not know is that I also began jogging a bit. With no proper coaching or technique, I quickly gave it up. Even my desire to have the healthiest "home" possible for Henry did not keep me going. I took extremely good care of my body, though, and at 8 months pregnant I was doing some pilates exercises that shocked me. I never regretted giving up the running and have never thought about it again.

Until now.

Stay tuned...

Rewind

2011-10-06T21:38:00.006-04:00

When Henry turned 2 we had our wonderful friends Sam and Erin take some photos of Henry playing on a playground. I don't know why it took me so long to post these, but we love them. Keep in mind that it was July, which explains Henry's red face and sweaty hair. Believe it or not, Sam made them look a lot better with his photographer magic! I love that he captured a typical day of playing with my sweet boy. These are are our favorites.

If you're in the Triangle, look up Sam -- attorney by day, photographer by night!

October is welcome here.

2011-10-05T14:17:00.003-04:00

Henry's Daddy is 34

2011-10-04T16:14:00.002-04:00

Ten Reasons I Love My Daddy, by Henry Dangel

1. He reads to me.

2. He works hard to make sure I am fed, warm, and safe.

3. He makes me laugh.

4. He does fun things with me when Mommy is at work.

5. He taught me how to love Dobby.

6. He finds cool videos and letter games for me on the internet.

7. Kids need discipline and boundaries to feel secure. My Daddy gives me those in spades.

8. When he has to work early, he puts me in bed with Mommy before he leaves.

9. He loves Mommy.

10. He loves me.

Happy Birthday, Daddy, from Mommy and Henry.

Admiring Thomas

2011-10-03T12:39:00.001-04:00

Last night I put a Thomas tattoo on Henry's hand.

It was kissed, licked, and rubbed off within one hour.

A Day Out With Thomas

2011-10-02T14:03:00.002-04:00

Last year Grammy treated Perrin to A Day Out With Thomas at the NC Transportation Museum in Spencer, and this year it was Henry's turn! On Friday we asked Grammy to bring Perrin along as well, assuming she could convince him to leave Grady. We thought Henry would have even more fun if his cousin was there. I think we were right! And at the end of a long and wonderful day, Henry went to bed with his new Thomas book under his arm.

I see Thomas!

Perrin kept "reading" the map to us.

Henry couldn't wait to see Sir Topham Hatt!

But then he was a bit nervous.

An afternoon with Gran

2011-10-02T14:02:00.002-04:00

After our time with Thomas we grabbed some lunch, and then Grammy and Perrin drove home, while we drove to Greensboro to see Becky (Gran). She was in town for her high school reunion. We had a nice visit with her parents and sisters as well. Dr. and Mrs. Garrett live a stone's throw away from a little park and lake, so Henry had some fun in the cool air before we finished our journey home. The icing on the cake was when we were telling Henry to hug Gran good-bye; clear as day, he said, "Kecky." I guess she won't be Gran for awhile!

Henry's 1st Dental Visit

2011-09-30T11:50:00.002-04:00

Today Henry visited Dr. John and Miss Lauren at a pediatric dentist office. I was so proud of how well he did! At this visit he did not have the full cleaning. He learned about the tools and touched the spinning toothbrush. Then the dentist came in and examined Henry's teeth and cleaned off some plaque that I was concerned about. To make children under 3 more comfortable, Dr. John does a "knee to knee" exam. Henry straddled my lap and then laid back into the dentist's lap, while Lauren pointed the light over him. This way Henry could see my face and hold my hands (and his train, haha). He whimpered a bit as I laid him down, but then he was fine. He picked out a toothbrush and a toy - a car, shocker! Then he got his first No Cavity Club button.

In this picture he had just noticed the fish tank, a big hit!

H's latest

2011-09-28T21:54:00.001-04:00

I thought I would take a few minutes to document Henry's latest cuteness.

On one of his Elmo videos Destiny's Child (remember them?) is singing a song about walking. The chorus goes, "I've got a new way to walk - walk, walk." Now Henry says the "walk, walk" part.

He's also saying most letter names and/or sounds. O is probably his favorite, but he also loves to make the Ha sound for H. G is one he recognizes but cannot say yet. I remember G being hard for Perrin too. He called my mom Mimi instead of Grammy for awhile, so I imagine Henry will be the same way.

I credit his letter awareness to Starfall.com, which Keith read about in an article on the 100 best web sites. Henry loves it almost as much as Thomas. When he wants to play the letter games he points to the computer and says, "C! O!" (Why those letters? I don't know.) Most days he wakes up from his nap saying this.

When Henry wants one of us to stop doing something, he yells, "STOP!" and pops his own hand.

He constantly wants to go somewhere in the car. I drove to Bojangles yesterday and got him a biscuit just because he wanted to ride. (And he ate almost nothing on Monday, so I figured he could use the calories!)

He doesn't want to be left out when I'm holding another child. If I'm sitting down to hold Grady, he walks over and places his cheek on Grady's cheek, cooing, "Awwww." If I'm holding Shelby, he calls my name and climbs on me until I hold him as well (or hand Shelby to someone else).

He has distinct ways of recognizing and/or showing affection for each of his grandparents, which they all love.

Last, I've probably mentioned this before, but he could live on Flintstones vitamins! At this age he can only have half of a tablet per day, much to his dismay.

30 hours

2011-09-25T21:13:00.006-04:00

Yesterday we left the house at 6am and went to Henry's favorite place in the world, the airport, to make our way to New York City for Keith's cousin Kristan's wedding. We arrived at the New York Athletic Club in plenty of time to have a late breakfast with Keith's mom and grandparents and visit awhile. Henry looked out the window over Central Park for at least an hour, enthusiastically watching the traffic, people, and horses and carriages. Soon Paul, Sandy, and SHELBY (!) arrived, and we all had lunch together before getting ready for the wedding.

We decided to sit on the back row of the church so that we could slip out if need be. Honestly, the children were amazing. Henry played with his trains and Shelby just walked back and forth, quiet as a mouse. The daddies walked behind them, keeping them in the back. Henry and Shelby did get antsy after 15 minutes or so and Henry was starting to giggle a little loudly, so Sandy and I took them out to the vestibule for the remainder of the service. Fortunately, there was a sound system out there so we could hear. (I also peeked through the crack in the doors a few times.)

Sandy and I had been planning coordinating outfits for months, but of course the children would not cooperate for a picture of the two of them.

In case you're wondering, he was a wee bit dusty after rolling on the floor. Haha! He was still precious.

Tell me that dress is not precious!

Here's Henry sitting outside on the steps after the wedding.

After the ceremony we had a little while before the reception began, so we went back to the room to freshen up. Henry decided he needed to make some phone calls.

During the reception Henry snoozed. Here are Mommy and Daddy.

This morning Henry and Shelby had a little playdate in Shelby's crib.

This is on the 24th floor of the NYAC. The view over Central Park is amazing.

Henry taught Shelby how to run...

On the way to the airport the cousins held hands.

Kristan has a made-to-order bakery business, Kreated by K, and she made cake pops (K-pops) for all the guests. Henry enjoyed one in the security line at the airport this afternoon!

The 30 hours we were in NYC were a whirlwind, to say the least, but they were good. We saw Kristan get married, we visited family we rarely see (which made us excited for Thanksgiving), and we laughed a lot. As a bonus, Paul, Sandy, and Shelby took us to the airport today on their way to Boston. During our drive I got some sweet time with my niece.

Congrats, Kristan and Chris! We love you!

Golden Oreos

2011-09-23T13:12:00.002-04:00

And a bonus pic. This is Henry watching the interior designer create a Thomas bedroom at the end of his new Thomas video. Can't you just imagine that he's thinking, "(Sigh.) I want that."

Lumberjacks

2011-09-20T21:50:00.000-04:00

On Saturday morning all the boys helped Papa cut down some trees to make room for his new garage and workshop. Well, ok, the big boys helped and the little boys played.

What was Gradybaby doing during all the fun? Sleeping and eating!

Nivens Apple Farm

2011-09-20T21:49:00.002-04:00

On Sunday we took the boys to Nivens for our annual outing of buying apples, playing, seeing animals, and taking a hayride. This year we added something new by trying out the corn maze. The pumpkins won't be harvested until next weekend, but we saw some huge ones growing in the patch!

Miss Shelby

2011-09-20T14:27:00.003-04:00

Today I want to tell you about my niece Shelby. You don't see many pictures of her here, but it's not because I don't love her; it's because she lives in Alabama and I see her way less than I would like. In fact, I'm taking pics from her mom Sandy's blog in order to do this post. Henry and Keith were lucky enough to see her in June, but for me the last time was January.

A fun fact is that both Henry and Shelby were born the day after their due dates. On August 11 she turned 1 year old with an ice cream theme party that Sandy created with all the love and happiness you can imagine. She waited an awfully long time to have that opportunity and felt her girl deserved the best day possible. Every time she added a new detail to the party, she sent me a quick text or email with a picture. I enjoyed watching the party come together from afar.

Shelby loves Little Einsteins and Mickey Mouse Playhouse. She enjoys Gymboree and is even beginning to enjoy bubbles, which terrified her for about a year.

She is a budding fan of the Gamecocks and the Patriots.

(This picture might be my all-time favorite.)

Just like her cousin Henry, Shelby loves playing in water and loves brushing her teeth ALL BY HERSELF, thankyouverymuch!

Shelby is also a little fashionista in the making, as you can see in the beautiful pictures from her first birthday shoot.

Sandy has loved dressing and accessorizing her daughter (see Gamecock picture above). Who wouldn't? She has more clothes than anyone can count, thanks to two girl cousins and plenty of gifts from loved ones. Rumor has it that she can't even wear everything.

Since we have few occasions together, and since - let's face it - we don't have many years of them allowing us to do it, Sandy and I like to dress the kids alike when we can. Thanksgiving last year was so precious.

Even though my baby is a big boy now and it breaks my heart (wahhh!), they will be just as cute this year! Stay tuned for great pictures.

I hope this has been a nice glimpse of the lovable little ball of sugar that is my niece! We look forward to hugging her very soon.

Shucks.

2011-09-16T11:38:00.001-04:00

This morning I bought Henry a new Thomas DVD. (Honestly, I needed some diversity.) Most of the DVDs start over when they are finished. Um, not this one. As I was doing some things around the house, I heard Thomas end and a designer start talking. I thought, "Hmm, that's weird. How did HGTV come on?" I walked in the room to see the movie still going, but a designer was showing how to create the perfect Thomas room with, of course, all the available Thomas merchandise. Mural, map of Sodor, bedding, drawer pulls, train lamps, etc.

Guess who was completely sucked in? That's right. Henry.

My plans for his big boy room may not be Henry-approved.

One Fine Day

2011-09-15T08:26:00.001-04:00

It started out like any other Wednesday. Henry played a bit in the cool morning, and then we got ourselves ready for my Bible study and Henry's playtime in the nursery.

Things started to go wrong around noon. For whatever reason, Henry refused to nap. He sat in his crib and talked to himself for 75 minutes. I finally gave up and lifted him out of the crib. Thank goodness the lack of nap did not affect his mood. He was as good as gold all afternoon, even though Mommy was a bit frantic.

Why, you ask? Daddy sent a text to let me know his second surgery was not going well, and he wouldn't be home before I left for school. I called everyone I could think of to watch Henry for about 45 minutes between me leaving and Keith returning, but no one was available. At about 4:00 (45 minutes before I had to leave) I sent Keith a text that Henry would come to school with me and Keith would have to come get him in Raleigh. Yesterday my students were doing an ipod scavenger hunt in the library, so it was actually the perfect day for this to happen. No biggie, as long as the librarian leading the activity was understanding. She was.

We pulled up in front of the library and Henry was sound asleep. So asleep that he didn't move when I unbuckled his seat belt. I felt terrible lifting him out of the car seat, but as soon as he woke and saw all the buses driving by, he was cheerful. Thank you, God.

Well, as my students did their thing and Henry played with his trains and colored in his Curious George coloring book, the clock ticked past the time Keith was supposed to arrive. I called to see where he was, but there was no answer, leading me to believe he was still in surgery. Oh, no. At this point I was nervous but thankful I had the forethought to bring dinner for Henry.

The clock was approaching 7:00 when Keith sent another text to say he would be there at 8:00. EIGHT O' CLOCK! Class ended at 7:00 and the next was at 7:30, so I took Henry outside to play in the grass and charm the college ladies. That worked well. We even found some students giving away free lemonade.

Just before 7:30 we boogied back to our room in the library and started the next scavenger hunt. At 8:00, while the students were running around doing the hunt, Henry and I boogied back outside, down the sidewalk and did the trade-off with Keith. He pointed toward his car, I pointed toward my car, I kissed the fellas, and off I ran!

At 9:00 I left and bought myself a well-earned Starbucks!

As I drove home I thought about how God was in all the details of the day.

Henry was in a great mood despite not having a nap.
He woke up easily from the car nap.
I thought to bring dinner for Henry.
Both the librarian and the students were gracious.
None of my neighbors or potential babysitters could help. What if I had left Henry with them, saying Keith would be there by 5:30, only for Keith to arrive at 8:00? What if they had evening plans of their own?
My lesson plans called for a library day, which I only added to the syllabus the day before classes started.

It was one fine day, after all.

It is now time for the weekly edition of...

2011-09-12T18:50:00.003-04:00

... "Holy cow, I love my boy so much."

I found this in my draft folder today. I'm not sure why I never hit Publish Post.

I know I go on and on. I know it. And if you don't want to read about it, I completely understand, but this blog is my time capsule and scrapbook and journal for Henry. What kind of mom would I be if I wasn't completely honest? If didn't tell him how crazy in love with him I am? If I didn't capture all the details of his existence that make my heart sing? So excuse me when I get sentimental or when I just create lists of his recent activities and fascinations. I really can't help it.

* Yesterday we ran some errands as a family. On the way home I asked him if he loved Perrin, and he quickly said yes. However, when I ran through the list of everyone else in the family, he was silent.

* After supper we were looking through his "Look and Find" Elmo book and I was amazed, not for the first time, at his desire to match like items. Every page has pairs of items hidden in the pictures. Balls, stuffed dinosaurs, toothbrushes, whatever. We have never taught him this, but it took approximately .6 seconds for him to catch on. When we play, "Can you find the....," if the item has a match he finds both. Sometimes he just opens the book to a page and finds the matches without me saying anything at all. I know this is normal behavior, but it makes me so proud and full of wonder to see him learning.

* He amazes me with his random food affinities. Last night he ate lettuce off my hamburger, cucumbers in vinegar and dill, and pickles. I also saw him dunk a french fry in ketchup for the very first time, just because he saw his daddy do it. Precious.

* The nights are going great without the pacifier, but he misses it at naptime. Keith found him in the crib sucking on Mickey Mouse's nose a few days ago.

* On Sunday morning when I came in his room, he was standing with his elbows on the side of the crib, smiling and resting his chin in his hands. It was like he was saying, "Well, hey there! What took you so long?"

They'll pick you up

2011-09-12T13:48:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago someone ran into my car, and today was the day to take it into the shop. Enterprise picked me up (yep, that commercial is for real) and brought me to their place to get my rental. It went down like this.

Fella 1: We have a Chevy HHR, Ford Fusion, Dodge Avenger, or Chrysler Sebring.

Me: I'll take the Fusion.

Click, click on the keyboard.

Fella 1: Oh, that one is out getting the tires rotated.

Fella 2: The Sebring was just rented.

Me: Ok, what do the Avenger and HHR look like?

Fella 1: Let's take a look.

Walk to the window.

Fella 1: Shoot, the Avenger has a flat tire. (To Fella 3: That Dodge has a flat tire.)

Me: Welllll, I guess it's the HHR!

I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but when I saw it, my inner voice said, "This is soooo not comparable to a Honda Accord."

I'm pimping the base version of this for a minimum of 5 days.

You know it's hot.

Henry and Gordon

2011-09-10T15:07:00.001-04:00

Henry the animal

2011-09-09T13:35:00.003-04:00

I'm glad I keep the camera close, or else I would have missed Henry's animal imitations. Watch to the end for the best one ... he thinks he's a dog.

My 30th year

2011-09-08T13:17:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I turned 31, and as I walked this morning, I realized 30 was a momentous year.

1) I learned what people mean when they say marriage is hard work.
Though Keith and I were never in danger, we had external forces pressing in our marriage that we'd never had to battle before. We've come out on the other side of the valley stronger than ever, but we certainly endured much to get there.

2) I learned it's ok to be angry . . . for a little while.
This one deserves a post all its own, but for now I'll let it suffice to say that I learned how to be angry and then let go. Anger never lasts, but in this circumstance I didn't let it simply peter away with time. I chose to end it.

3) I realized I am not a scrapbooker.
I love looking at scrapbooks. I enjoy making small, themed scrapbooks as gifts or to document vacations. I enjoy making greeting cards. I do not enjoy the time-consuming process of documenting all of life moments: printing pictures, designing layouts, buying products. (Oh, don't get me wrong; I loved shopping for the products - just not the purchasing.) It dawned on me that the reason I was always playing catch-up was because if I really loved it, I would make time for it. I make time for reading, writing, cooking, work, and family, don't I? So I've learned to let this obsession go. Yes, obsession. Whether I was actually scrapbooking or not, thinking and worrying about it wasted too much of my time.

4) I learned to be FREE!
See #3 for an example. I learned to be free from everything I thought I should be and just be the one God made me to be.

5) I took a risk.
This one was hard. I had a dream in my heart that I was afraid to say out loud. The last time I did that, the dream failed miserably. This time I'm stepping out with more faith and more assurance that I'm actually doing what I'm called to do.

6) I finally feel like a good teacher.
It doesn't matter what anyone else says about you if you don't feel it yourself. I used to live in fear that one day my boss would find out my secret (that I had no idea what I was doing and no business being there) and fire me. I don't live that fear anymore.

7) My mind feels 25, but my body is changing.
How can I weigh exactly what I weighed pre-Henry and not look the same? This is frustrating and mind-blowing, but it's a blessing too. Since turning 30 I've seen my body age, so I've upped my exercise and tried to be more aware of what I put into my body. It's His temple, after all.

8) Just for my health, I recently stopped drinking Diet Coke.
I won't lie; this was torture at first. The longer I am without it, however, the easier it becomes.

I could never have predicted all that happened in my 30th year. I look forward with anticipation to what 31 will bring.

Bedtime

2011-09-06T14:52:00.001-04:00

New Hope Valley Railway

2011-09-05T11:28:00.001-04:00

Look, Mom! It's coming!

Not so sure at first...

Watching a man play the banjo

Music cures all

2011-09-03T11:28:00.007-04:00

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the crib this morning.

From 6am to 9am, I could have sworn someone had stolen Henry and replaced him with a monster. We heard nothing but whining; I hate whining.

But then Daddy turned on Henry's jams, and we soon had a dancing boy on our hands.

He likes to dance with laundry.

So what are some of Henry's favorites?

Bust a Move
I Love it When You Call Me Big Papa
Empire State of Mind
Teenage Dream
Touch the Sky
Ice Ice Baby

PS Can anyone tell me why my pictures are really clear and then turn fuzzy when I put them on the blog?

Lovebugs

2011-08-30T21:59:00.001-04:00

Off the board

2011-08-28T17:07:00.001-04:00

The big cousins

2011-08-27T21:26:00.003-04:00

Grady Moore Dale

2011-08-26T17:11:00.002-04:00

8 lbs. 8 oz.

20.5 inches
11.59 am

I realize I don't have a family of 4 picture or a picture of Jonathan, and I apologize. I will get those tomorrow or from another camera. Some pictures were taken while I was picking up the sugar cookie favors that Stephanie had made.

This morning Perrin woke me up at 5am wanting bacon. Honestly, I think he was just excited to meet Grady. He kept asking when we could leave for the hospital. He was wearing his special Big Brother shirt (Grady has a matching one) when we arrived, but as you can see above, we never got a picture of Perrin in it. Grady came into the world with a Carolina Panthers uniform for his big brother, and Perrin would not take it off!

He is enamored with Grady and kissed him 100 times. When we left today, he wanted to stay and "take care of Mommy and Grady." I promised we would go back tomorrow, and he was ok with that.

Stephanie's labor was much easier this time and both she and Grady are doing well. Thanks for the love and well wishes!

Goofball!

2011-08-24T21:38:00.007-04:00

Today Mommy played with the camera while Henry played with his wacky train track and Lego container.

Psst... The last 2 were taken with the old camera. Can you tell? :)

Tummy tickles

2011-08-23T20:38:00.002-04:00

Henry loves for me to tickle his tummy with my hair. Keith snapped these before I put Henry in his pajamas tonight.

The Ham

2011-08-22T21:16:00.001-04:00

Dinner

2011-08-20T17:27:00.001-04:00

Gnocchi with brown butter, shallots, zucchini, tomatoes, and parmesan. Oh, it was wonderful. Thanks to Cooking Light mag for a great meal. I did throw in shrimp for the man of the house.

(I know my pics haven't been the best quality lately. I keep my old, little camera in the kitchen for easy access, but the nice camera I have to put away. I do have an active toddler boy, you know.)

Cereal

2011-08-19T10:19:00.001-04:00

In at least one way, Henry is very much his mommy's child: He loves cereal. He eats cereal (along with other foods) at almost every meal, as well as for snacks.

This morning we made an emergency trip to Harris Teeter because Henry finished the last of his cereal and organic milk for breakfast. On the way to the car, he reached behind him, pulled the cereal out of the bag, and placed it in the seat beside him, trying desperately to pry the box open.

In fact, last week's new word was cereal. As usual, he was doing the point-and-grunt in the pantry. And, as usual, I was saying, "Cereal? Do you want c-c-cereal?" I wasn't expecting a response, so you can imagine my shock when I heard him repeat me.

"Cereal."

"WHAT?! Did you say cereal?"

"Cereal. Cereal. Cereal!"

This is his first three-syllable word, so I'm really excited. That night he also said salad, and his 2nd favorite word this week (after cereal) is Gord for Gordon, the train.

We're so proud of our little man.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-17T10:53:00.001-04:00

First Day of 4K

2011-08-15T14:20:00.001-04:00

No, we're not sending Henry two years early. It was the first day for Perrin! Yes, my nephew, who grabbed my heart with his tiny baby fist and never let go, went to school today. I heard he was excellent and had a great day!

The driveway won

2011-08-14T13:05:00.002-04:00

(Hamming it up, as usual.)

Not again.

2011-08-13T22:29:00.006-04:00

Once upon a time, I loaded up a truck and drove 3.5 hours north on I-85 to a new land. My family helped me unload all my belongings and move them into the house I would soon call home. Two weeks later, I married my sweetheart and moved into that house with Keith.

Though I was a bit homesick, I was madly in love, and the Lord sent me two girlfriends in short order. Unfortunately, one of those friends soon moved away, and I grieved her departure. Friend 1 was gone.

But I still had Friend 2, and around the same time, I was making new ones. Through something new and strange called a blog, I had reacquainted myself with two ladies from home who had also moved to this land. Much to my surprise and delight, God not only sent me Friend 3 and Friend 4, but two of my best friends - the kind who would join the group of nearest and dearest, tried and true friends for life.

But then Friend 2 suddenly announced she was moving too, and I thought, Wow, people sure do move a lot around here!

Friend 3 moved soon thereafter. Her departure had long been expected, since her hubby was finishing up seminary, but losing one of my closest friends was hard. I was beyond thankful to still have Friend 4 in the area.

When Friend 4 unexpectedly moved away only 18 months later, I thought my heart would break. Looking at pictures of her new home caused me such pain, for awhile I could not bear to look at the very blog that had brought us together. Bitterness and anger seethed within as I asked God, Why did you bring me here to leave me all alone?

As you might imagine, God waited. He let me cry and rage. The Holy Spirit held me while I wept and brought me back to peace with God. What's more, He even brought me a precious new friend. I was ashamed of my tears and anger and thanked God continually, not only for the gift of friendship, but also for never leaving me and for always being one step ahead.

For well over a year I enjoyed a sweet friendship, a kinship, really, before the inevitable happened. Yes, Friend 5 and her husband learned they would soon be moving too. I knew I had a choice this time. Succumb to the anger or look ahead to the future; what would it be?

Tonight I had to say farewell, but I did so with peace. My last months with her were spent in an attitude of gratitude. Though the friendship will change, the places for one another in our hearts will not. The bond and the memories will last. I know this because, for better or worse, I've experienced it before. God has strengthened me each time, of course, but He's also helped me grow. I'm more willing to accept the change and the disappointment, because I know He holds the future. He's shown me time and again that He is always ahead of me, providing what I need even before I know I need it.

True story

2011-08-13T10:52:00.002-04:00

Mommy: I love you, BooBoo.
Henry: Dada.
Mommy: You love Dada?
Henry: YEAHHH!

The Y-Bike

2011-08-12T13:55:00.001-04:00

Henry got this Y-Bike from Grammy and Papa for his birthday. Until today he hasn't been very interested in learning to ride it, but this morning he hopped on by himself.

These are great bikes for teaching children to balance. There are no pedals or training wheels, so the child must balance with his feet. Perrin got a larger, wooden one last year, and he could fly on it. This year he got his real bike. I'm hoping this will be a good beginning bike for Henry too.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T16:35:00.001-04:00