To bed, to bed

How to get to bed early:
The cheap way- have some dicipline and go. to. bed. early
The expensive way- go on a trip to a place with a huge time difference for a week and come home on your new schedule...

I have gone to bed around 7 pm for the last two nights. Last night I woke up- wide awake 3am. After waiting around I finally went back to bed for a few more hours till baby B woke up.

Hoping I get back to "normal" before day light savings when time "falls back." I don't want to be going to bed any earlier than I have been!

9.11.11

Has it really been ten years?

I'm sitting in a dorm room at Jesus College in Oxford University, UK. Tim came to present at a Physics conference, and I came with him (more on this later).
On the street and as we made small talk with other tourists, local and foreign, it was remembered that today marked the 10 years since the twin towers were hit and fell. Before any of the lectures were given, it was mentioned that all those in attendance (from all over the world) remembered with those from the US, what happened ten years ago.

I remember coming up the stairs to my mother sitting on the couch in her bath robe staring at the tv screen. She said something hit the twin towers. The news reporter then said that they thought it was just a small plane. Then, the other tower was hit and we saw that it was no small plane... I then rushed out the door to go to seminary.
In seminary, the TV was on as the class watched the news. We were all confused and scared.
I will never forget the chill that went down my spine and the pit I felt in my stomach when the  towers came down. Next period was US history. Still, the news was on. We watched history as it happened.

Today I mourn for those who lost and were lost. But I also rejoice in the unity that was felt as the country came together to support each other because of what happened. Even though I wasn't in NY, I could feel it. Prayers were said, faith was strengthened. Trust was put in God that we would make it.

Today, ten years later, I remember that faith, and again, put trust in God, that we can still make it.

Where were you on September 11, 2001?

Made the Cut

The first hair cut is always bitter sweet. After being mistaken as a girl a week ago at church, we finally decided to have Brodrick's hair cut. This was the earliest hair cut for any of our kids. Amelia didn't have as much hair as Brodrick did till she was almost 18 months. Miles was almost twice Brodrick's current age when his hair was long enough (and nice and thick) for him to get mistaken as a girl.

Miles at 24 months

Amelia at 20 months

Brodrick just over 12 months

Brodrick's sportin his shorter locks.

Brodrick looks so grown up now! I am having a bit of hair cut remorse. I am sad to see the hair- especially the curls- gone. ( Know that the curls weren't always there, and when they weren't the hair was even longer....) But if there's one truth about hair, its that it will always grow back. And despite him aging over shears, he's still my baby.

family moments

We had a fantastic time on our vacation in Oregon! It was so wonderful to be able to take a break from day to day life and have new and fun experiences together. Here are some family snapshots from the trip.

swimming at the reservoir

visiting the Bonneville Hatchery

view of the Columbia River

Vista House at Crown Point

at the coast: Seaside, OR

Birthday Redemption

Since Miles found out about Spiderman this spring, he has told me he's wanted a Spiderman birthday party.

The little guy was a trooper, enduring 12 LONG hours in the car with the family, driving to Oregon on his actual birthday. 

A few days later we were finally found birthday redemption with a cake, complete with web, and Spiderman.

I can't believe my sweet boy is three! Happy Birthday Miles!

Brodrick turns ONE!

Brodrick one day old

Me and the babes

Happy Birthday Boy

playing in the cake

Brodrick turned one year old July 26th. That morning he partook of refined sugar for the first time in the form of a doughnut. A few days later, surrounded by my side of the family at a reunion, we sang to him again, ate cake, and got some pictures to document the first birthday.

I was never so relieved to finally have a baby as I was when Brodrick was born. After 5 days of hard, active labor, he was born via c-section. Before birth he endured a facial beating from being posterior with a facial presentation. He was born with a swollen, bruised face and popped blood vessels on his eyes. Later, he had colic and acid reflux. At the end of March, he broke his tibia and fibula. All this and he lives to tell the tale! He is one tough kid. Lets hope that this year is a bit more uneventful. Happy Birthday baby!

How does your garden grow?

Amelia got this butterfly garden for her birthday and we've been anxiously awaiting when she would finally get to put it to use. We ordered the caterpillars a few weeks ago, watched them eat and grow bigger each day, wrap into chrysalises and just in the last two days, discovered three of them empty and three butterflies in the garden. Its been quite an exciting process. We are hoping to be able to catch one of the last two chrysalises open and watch a butterfly emerge.