She Loves - Series Day 5: Be Brave

I'm having a major Aha moment as I get ready to write this. JLKRU#*$&(PQDE. Seriously, this one made me laugh audibly, because I was literally so, so wrong.

So just when I thought yesterday, 'tomorrow's verse will probably be me repeating everything I've said today,' God stepped in and proved otherwise. I mean, technically He didn't step in; He was was already there, knowing this miniature lesson would happen long before I was even born. Kind of like a curvy road, where you are certain there's a hairpin turn just over that hill, but instead it's a stop sign at a 4-way intersection? [I'm all about analogies, folks]. But yeah, this is kinda like that. The road didn't step in to change its course; it was already there.

And perhaps that's way deeper an analogy than is needed for this [actually it is], but whatever. TODAY was normal for the most part, or at least the version of normal that is normal for us. And then we got home, and Sydni said something in rebuttal on why she did something: "MYOB," she muttered. Days before this she'd told me that at school, this acronym means, Mind Your Own Business. There was of course immediate reprimanding, which in this case meant standing in a corner for 7 minutes, loss of iPad privileges and a conversation at the end to discuss why it was said, why we have consequences and why we don't behave like that in the future.

seven, sassy... sydni ♥

I was fully prepared to put on my stern but forgiving mom face, because that's what I've learned generally works for these things, but no less than 30 seconds into our Come here and talk with me chat, my 7-year-old started opening up to me about everything that's weighed on her heart from school over the past couple weeks. She shared with me that she has a couple of good friends, but also has bullies in her class. Through tears not because of our earlier encounter at home, she told me she is sad because people are mean and although she tries to be nice to them, she gets angry and is sometimes mean in return. And she doesn't like being mean, and she doesn't know how to stop being angry when it's happening and that she knows she's not being a good example. And she doesn't feel like anyone else is trying to be a good example, and it's hard being the only one.

And in that moment, I crumbled. I cringed at the harsh words that other children use with each other. With how that makes her feel. With the part of her innocence that is peeling away layer by layer, because she is doing something completely natural: Growing up. With the fact that there's nothing I can do to console her in these moments, because she has her mother's stubborn tendencies when she's upset.

We talked at the foot of the staircase for almost an hour. I grappled with two channels running simultaneously in my mind: one of all the ugliness I've seen up to this point as an adult, resulting from the pressures and perceived unrealistic expectations of this world. I've seen people give in, give up, or lose themselves entirely. The other of my daughter - my child, who is still waiting on her adult teeth to grow in, experiencing and processing through new, uncomfortable emotions for the first time.

She told me kids call her dumb, an idiot and stupid. 

As a parent, there were several different emotions I experienced in that split second. Let's be real: Biting my tongue from nobody who was actually in room is tough. I listened as she bared her heart to me, and prayed that I would find the right words to say. She is my first [and only, for now] child, so every day is very much new for both of us. We are learning as we go, and honestly, I swallowed down more than a few knots of almost-fear and discouragement as we sat and talked. How do I handle this?! How do I help her feel better? HOW am I supposed to protect her?! 

And then that still small voice said [very directly] to me exactly what I hadn't realized was on today's list for verses:

Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. [NIV]

Again, my Aha moment.
Heck yeah I was uncomfortable tonight, trying to be the strong when my child was weak. I didn't have the answer to her problem. My suggestions weren't what was needed. What was needed was for her to talk it out, get it off her chest, and be reminded in the end by me that she is NONE of the things she is called by other kids. She was reminded just.how.much she is loved and adored by her family, her friends, her neighbors, her Sunday school class, etc... and more and most importantly by Jesus. I told my daughter how incredibly proud I was of her not for how she did or didn't behave at school, but for being brave enough to tell me things that, for her, are painful. I told her that being brave looks like a lot of different things. It could be her not letting a bully push someone around. It could be her helping someone else when it's not convenient for her. And in this and SO.MANY.OTHER cases, it's being brave enough to stand up for herself because she believes in herself.

And so, Moms... and Dads.. and everyone else who has ever been the shoulder cried onto - or on some days, the crier - have we not forgotten what we've been commanded to do? It's not a suggestion. It's not a recommended best practice. It's a command. We are called to put unconditional faith in Him, which as a result mutes fear, quenches discouragement and above all, creates the type of inner strength and courage to believe we are beautiful. We are worth it. We are fearfully & wonderfully made.

So be brave today. And tomorrow.
And if you can't, find someone who can be brave for you - because hey, there is no story in which the hero is brave every single day. There is no happy ending that didn't have a valley in the middle. And there will always be those other kids - whether they're literally kids, or adults whose behavior looks eerily similar. I didn't think I was going to be brave tonight, but somehow, we managed.

And that's all we can do sometimes.

A SIDENOTE: Suicide Prevention Awareness Month was "officially" last month, but here's the deal: November 14th will mark 7 years of having lost a very close friend to the grips of suicide. She was a beautiful friend, soon-to-be mother, daughter and sister. She fought her battle and lost. And because of that, we lost. We lost her, and we lost our chance to carry her through the days when she could not be brave. If you are her: on the verge of giving up and giving in, I can only say this: The people who love you - who really, truly love you, are in greater numbers than you know. The people who care for not just your well-being, but your life - are all around you. You may not even know some of them yet. But they - WE - are here, and if it's one of us that you need to talk to, please... please.. please..... please just.. ask. We are broken humans, just like you, but on at least one day, we needed someone else to be brave for us. Joshua 1:9 - Please do NOT be afraid, because in your loneliest moment, you are still loved. 

As I told my daughter tonight: I will choose to be brave today, because I might need you to be tomorrow.
♥♥♥♥

xo | cmd 

"I Will NOT Pee My Pants"

This one goes out to all the mothers of small children out there. It's actually more of a plea for confirmation of our efforts, along with perhaps an affirmation that we're not the only ones who are dealing or who have dealt with this.

Basically, my 5-year-old is in a phase now where potty "accidents" are back to being a regular occurrence. Simply put, it's frustrating, discouraging and on nights like this, when we've been through the ringer for [now] 4 consecutive nights on the same subject: NO MORE ACCIDENTS.

Here's the thing: Sydni's not not potty trained. She doesn't get confused or intimidated by the big bad toilet. Sydni is insanely intelligent and knows right from wrong. She understands the concepts of disappointment, guilt, deception [lying] and covering up something. She also understands the practice of consequences and will respond honestly when asked if she feels her consequences are fair or not [and most of the time, she feels they are warranted]. HOWEVER, even given aaaaall of those impressive traits that she does have, it's ironically one of those traits that cripples her when it comes to this whole... not peeing pants thing.

See, Sydni takes after both her dad and me in distinct ways, though it's usually clear which one she resembles. One thing she inherited by no fault of her own from both of us though, is a sense of intensity. While his and my natures of intensity are truly very, very different, they seem to have combined into one big, solid and nearly impenetrable wall of stubbornness when it comes to certain options with Sydni.

What do I mean by that? Well, here's what's been happening lately: Sydni's in the 4th or 5th week now of potty accidents, both at school and after school before either her dad or I pick her up. We've already been through the phase of frequent accidents when her dad's second child was born. That string of accidents eventually dwindled down to nothing, and now... almost 6 months later, we're in another round daily pants swapping.

*Sigh. Oh, Syd.

Sydni's issue is this: She will get so engaged with whatever it is she's doing, especially if it's a craft or art project [that's from me], or a sport or otherwise potentially-competitive anything [ugh, from both her parents], that unless she has someone to remind her to take a potty break, she won't do it. She knows what she's doing, but like I said, she's so intense that more often than not, she'd rather finish the task at hand than let anything step in between her and completion.

Get what I'm saying here? Does ANYONE out there have a similar issue with their 5/6 year olds?
If you have, then WHAT is your advice for me, for her dad and for all other parents who are dealing with this?

What we've done so far:

1. Implement an incentive program, in which she earned a dollar for each day she didn't have an accident. That worked out well while it lasted; I'd purposed that to be a one-time thing to boost some confidence and get her back into the habit of trying her best to take breaks, etc.
2. Take things away: This included toys, technology, even being able to sleep with 'her' dog Stella at night. It seems to have made a little traction this week, but clearly weren't breaking through entirely.

So tonight, I tried out one of the oldest book tricks I could muster: The age old art of writing sentences. Lots. of. sentences.

oh... syd... :|

Mama's out there, I'm really hoping you'll pray for me on this one.. for me, and for her dad when she's there. If nothing else, I hope perhaps this will encourage another parent or set of parents out there who are battling the same or similar issue with their minis. I'm hoping this is just another phase of adjustment, and that we'll be able to crack through her bright but stubborn little drive so that she'll realize taking a breather isn't just an essential part of potty usage, but in life, too.

Parenting, guys. It's a learning process and we're all in it together.

Stay tuned :).

xo | cmd

A Day In The [Lodge] Life

When you come to the Dren Lodge to stay, chances are.. you'll wake up like I did this  morning:

#HOME.

I somehow got up early and did a round of sun salutes [surya namaskar!] beneath the giant gable windows, and breathed in the traces of cedar and lavender that are permanent scents here. Every detail of the decor here has been deliberately set in its place by my mother's creative mind, inside the log home that is nearing its 30th year of fulfilling my father's dream to build it from the earth to the chimney. Everything about my childhood can be tracked back to this house, and the lyrics to Miranda Lambert's song, House That Built Me may as well be tattooed on every surface of the place.

No matter where I end up in this world, THIS.. is my home.

And because it's my home, it's where I get to work.
I'm a knucklehead for not swiping my mom's memory card; Sydni had a hayday with the camera while we were outside stacking wood for two hours. My mother, whose mind and body very clearly defy their age, was even found at one point about to bush hog the entire space behind one of our fences.

I mean, a family who lumberjacks together... stays together. Amiright?!
[And yes, once I steal mom's pictures, I'll share.]

We managed to finish our day's to-do list in a considerably short amount of time, which left room for showers, naps and play time before dinner. Post-dinner meant some solid time with my family, and I would not have traded this night in for anything the city could ever offer me.

love these three! 

.... EVEN.. if that means we grit our teeth while Ohio State contested MSU - for the win, might I add. ;) [Sorry, dad].

Mom brewed some Teavana, which served to warm us up, as well as provide comic relief.

dad & rob.. haha.

There's nothing better in life than family.
Aaaaaaamen.

xo | cmd

Happy NOVEMBER!

I'm a day late on ushering in November, but today seemed far more fitting a day to do so than yesterday anyway. 

yes! 

I woke up today with two immediate options: 1 - Early church service and then yoga at Rhingeist, and 2 - Regular church service and no morning yoga.

It's Sunday. I wanted to sleep in a few more minutes before five full days of up-at-its before 6am, so 11am church it was. Anyway, we walked into today's message not knowing what to really expect, and walked back out with a commitment to return in the evening for an informational session.

You see, November is National Adoption Month! Here's the little blurb I posted along with that collage earlier this afternoon:

#November isn't just my #birthday month; it's #NationalAdoptionMonth! I'll bid adieu to my 20's in a few weeks, but my love of and appreciation for my own #adoption will never age. 

My biological mother's choice to surrender me reflected courage & selfless sacrifice in hope for her child to prosper beyond her resources - the type of selfless love I can only hope to exercise in my own life. Her last declare of maternal rights was that I be placed in a practicing Christian home. I was an #orphan. A couple who valued family over biology were called to choose, #adopt and love me as their own. And with that, I was placed by grace into a home half a world away.

My life would have been exponentially different if not for adoption. I am among the SMALL fraction of orphaned children who are #blessed enough with a second chance to find life and #giveback.

I'm #HONORED to #CELEBRATE #family this month. Cheers, all my fellow #adoptees & #adoptive families! Happy November!

It's something that I often take for granted, when I'm flying at lightspeed through a day in the life that I live, in this culture of ours that is all hustle & bustle, with deadlines and consequences for missing them. I don't always think to count the opportunity to participate in this life as a blessing rather than a burden, because the alternative is a rather stark contrast.

Amen? Amen.

So after a morning message about our purpose in life to reach out to people... to love and honor people.. to give of ourselves to people, we decided to come back in the evening to gather information on the church's planned mission trips for Spring 2015.

I'm happy to share more in detail about these upcoming trips when the time is right, but for now, I'm going to only ask that anyone reading along today, for whatever reason you're here reading - just... pray. The two trip options as they stand now are either Haiti or Panama. Both have clear advantages, and drawbacks as well.

PLEASE PRAY! ... 

... For the leadership team at my church, whose planning well precedes the initial meeting they held today. 

... For the other people who sat there for an hour watching past footage and testimony of those who've been to these places and touched the mission with their own hands. 

... For those who are there, in the middle of unimaginable poverty, disease, famine and spiritual desolation, reaching into untouched groups of people with the purpose of enrichment & love. 

... For the orphans, who, like myself, are/were not responsible for their circumstance. Pray that they will find the peace, attention, love and adoration they both crave and deserve. Pray that they, like I as well, will by grace become a tenfold blessing to a family that's missing what will be completed by adding even just one, beautiful little spirit to its bind. 

... For Rob & me, as we pray together over this, to determine if.. and if so, which trip to commit ourselves. It will be a spiritual, physical & financial commitment that we won't make overnight. 

One of my truly beautiful friends Marianne leaves tomorrow for a 3-month Italy endeavor: a mission-bound trip on which I have no doubt she'll grow just as much as the kids she'll be reaching. We're called to step OUT of our comfort zones. We're called to do MORE than live in the safety of our own schedules. 

We're called to lead, to love and to LET GOD do the rest. 

Happy Sunday, to you & yours!! 

xo | cmd

Family Day on the River & Sydni's Birthday Party!

My family is here today!

It's not often that my parents and sister come down to Cincinnati to visit, but today was that day, and it was awesome. My mom, dad, Heidi & her son Jonathan made the trip from Mt. Vernon to spend the day with us, which we decided would happen on the river.

We'll start the photo reel off with my mom, who cracks me up like nothing else. This is her, before the boat has even fully left the boat trailer on the loading dock. Sydni doesn't even have her life jacket on yet; I think mom got hers on while we were still in the truck ;)

oh, mom (: 

Then there's my dad, looking as dapper as could be ;)

♥♥♥♥

give it a go, dad ;) 

We stopped for only a brief moment, far up the river to test out the waters, but decided quickly that today just wasn't the day for all of that. Instead, we set our sights back downstream to the LBYC for some lunch.

sister! ♥♥

pre-lunch siesta

Once we stopped at LBYC, it was lunch and then the most important item on the agenda: Birthday Presents!! 

it's time!!!

reading cards

art set

crazy sand! 

you & me 

It was finally time to load up and head on back.

syd's new baby! 

hugs from aunt heidi!

love this candid of heidi in the background! ;) 

With birthday presents in tow, we headed back to the house, where the fun continued.

my little girl, and her little girl!

so. stinkin'. sweet.

Unfortunately, Heidi & Jonathan were due back in Mt. Vernon, so they left as the evening approached. My parents were in for the night though, so we ordered pizza, found some movies and tested out some of Sydni's new gifts while we waited on our food.

kinetic sand with nana! 

I couldn't have asked for more out of today. I'm so happy they were able to come down!

xo | cmd

HAPPY 32nd ANNIVERSARY!

1...2....3.........4......10... 20....30...

32!!!!!

Today is the 32nd anniversary of two of the greatest parents to hit planet earth, and today, I wish them the absolute best. I wish I had stolen at least a digital copy of a few more pictures of my parents in their "yesteryears," as Mom calls them; I wanted to illustrate how although they have certainly put a few more years under their belts, their youth is more defined than most of my peers.

check these two out! ♥♥

Words really don't give proper justice to how much I love them, but for what it's worth, I literally owe them my life... but not in the traditional capacity of a parent-child relationship. The fact that I'm adopted isn't news to anyone who knows me, but there is never an inopportune moment to pause and be thankful for that transpiring of events. I would know a very different lifestyle if not for them; with the recent tsunami tragedy in the Philippines, there is no telling if I would even still be on this earth today. To commit your lives to raising children not born to you is something I don't yet know, and something I only hope I have the compassion to do if that blessing presents itself to me.

Happy 32nd Anniversary to my beautiful parents. Thank you for the examples you've set along the way, for the realistic expectations you've helped me to develop and keep, for the standards you've taught me to have and for the unconditional support, forgiveness and love you've given me in spite of the times we all know I did not deserve it. Here's to another year of your lives together; I am beyond thankful to have you in mine.

I love you!

xo | cmd

Little Family Friday

This was what I woke up to this morning [after being booted from my own bed, hah..]

my loves: the humans & the furballs alike!  

Our daycare gal closed up for the week for Christmas vacation, so Sydni stayed at home and hung out with Rob while I was at work. From what I gathered throughout the day, they didn't do half bad.

I'm becoming disoriented with my days; I wanted to try and get home for lunch today, but realized halfway through the morning that it's Friday... and of course that means office lunches. Whoooop!

And, Elisa brought me another Christmas present [love!!!!]: facial mask therapy & gourmet chocolate. I'm really not complaining.

Plus, we ordered in from Piada, which is always a good thing, too.

piada delivery!

yummmmmmm....

Since it's the holiday lull, and because my bosses are amazing, we got off work early. Rob & I took that opportunity to head to the new house to meet up with Dave and drop off boxes. Let me rephrase that: The first boxes of our stuff is OFFICIALLY dropped off in the new house!

box #1 in the new house. woooo!!

Back at home, we curled up together to enjoy ourselves for the evening before we launch north to my parents' in the morning. I have to say... this is one of my most favorite things to see, ever...

my little family. i love this more than anything!

Tomorrow we'll be up in Mt. Vernon to see what Santa brough to Nana & Pappy's house.
We'd better get some sleep!

xo | cmd

NEWS, Part 2: New DIGS (:

Today started like this:

breathe it in!

^ I love ... winter at my parents' house.
I also love getting to see my little [well, not so little, I suppose] Maine Coon fuzzball Kobi (:

kobi cat!

There is a season for everything, as it's said:

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time forpeace.
-Ecc 3:1-8

This has definitely been a year of many, many different seasons. The underlying themes have been a balance of challenges to overcome, accompanied by the grief and admittedly the stress that comes with it, and countered by the pure joy in realizing God's timing is never a millisecond too soon or too late in His answers - which, by the way are likewise never in anything but my best interest.

Rewind this year to May, when I completed the first phase of my transition back into Cincinnati. Becky became a saving grace to me, as I found myself living with her for nearly a month in between finding a place of my own. I lived off a small collection of my things and had a split life between her apartment and a storage unit. When I found the house I have now, I counted it a profoundly-timed answer to months of prayer. Sydni and I found a soft place to land, finally, in June of this year.

settling in

I cried the first night Sydni and I both slept in our little house; the first half of the year had been a roller coaster of anxiety, nerves, prayer, supportive friends & job transitioning as well, and somehow I managed to get us back to Ohio and back into a track of stability. We had a "new" place of our own, a new job and new starts on many other levels.

We have thoroughly enjoyed living in this little community, specifically our little dead end street neighborhood; it's teaming with small families and relatives who knit together to ensure it stays safe and that each other are provided for. I've been welcomed by many of them and while we've not necessarily grown close, it's absolutely been a massive encouragement, nonetheless. My closest friends are within a short drive of us, and Rob has had no problems finding us to visit.

And we started planning. Rob had intentions of moving here in July of next year, but an unexpected riff in his job security brought his employment to a premature halt, which accelerated the need for revised plans. My little house quickly became perfectly adequate to something of a primary element of consideration in weighing out our next steps.

With time not necessarily on our side, I was faced with the need for a new car & apparently a new house as well, within a very limited span of what I deemed ample time. I have never idolized or hungered for excess money, but time has always been something I value in the highest regard. You can't take it away once you've given it, and those you earnestly give it to usually don't thwart or dismiss it. In this case, we were faced with needs outweighing our financial limitations... or so it seemed. Time was ticking away loudly in my head, day and night. I set a deadline of December 31 to finalize vehicle plans. Those materialized from start to finish in about four days after nearly five months of searching; that was yesterday's celebrated blessing.

TODAY, I received the paperwork signifying a three-way commitment between a new landlord, Rob & myself that will begin in February. 

we... can't wait (:

February 1 will be the official date that we convene again as a unit. We have accepted and managed the task of a long-distance relationship since April, which has proven to me that I have never felt so dedicated and synced with a significant other, ever. I for the first time have felt appreciated for what and who I am and what I can give, not the measure of my professional success, size of my bank account or notariety of my friends' names. I am recognized as a competent individual playing a partnership role, not an employee or muted voice in joint decisions. I am held accountable by realistic standards, and trusted with transparency. I've never had that before... and now, finally, I will have him, the man who has catalzyed my distanced mind and heart, at my side to support, encourage and love me the way I will him. Like I said, time is the most important thing we can give in this world; it's also the most important thing we'll ever receive. We, along with our dogs & of course my incredible Sydni, will finally settle for the first leg of our time here in Ohio, alllll together.

*Squeal!!

More updates on the new digs as I have them.
I'm blessed, beyond measure & beyond what I deserve.
Amen!

xo | cmd

NEWS, Part 1: Hello, Subie!

So, I mentioned yesterday that I've been on the cusp of transition in a few different things. The course of events over this year have certainly tested me in many arenas, but just as I was afraid that feeling of being overwhelmed would take over completely, I was proved wrong. Which is what usually happens, because I serve and love a God who knows what timing is best, despite my constant and futile efforts at predicting or demanding my own schedule. Let me be clear first that I count myself among the elite few to be blessed exactly as I have desired in specific requests. I have learned over time that the biggest blessings sometimes come in the form of a declined request from my prayers. This time around, though, I had one of those gut feelings that this one was meant to be, and it came to fluition within a matter of days from discovery to completion.

Without any further adieu, meet the new Subie!!

drove up in red, drove home in blue!

playful thinking at the goetzman dealership, circa 1939!

you... are... mine ♥♥♥

subaru love ;)

No, folks, it's not the STI I thought I wanted, but it's my new muse and I am beyond excited to name her, drive her and of course add her to the membership roster of what apparently is the Subaru club of Kalyn & myself. I joke, I joke.
Anywho, that's the bulk of the excitement for today; there is one more big ticket item on the agenda for tomorrow & I'll letcha know if/when that pulls through, too!

For now, I'm fireside with a fleece blanket at my favorite place on planet E:

winter glory!

Happy Saturday!

xo | cmd

All Together ♥

First things first: BREAKFAST! [Rinse & repeat with us.. duh..]
* I think I'm losing the battle of favorites here....

"noooo mommy, i wanna sit with mr. rob!"

Well THEN. Haha. Luckily for me, I still have the meatballs [aka S&S Pups, Extraordinaire].. They never disappoint. Okay, maybe sometimes, but I love 'em all the same and was glad to have some time to play with my other two, very furry kids.


stella.. sasha.. sasha.. stella... ♥♥

Rob's mom & stepdad stopped by for a little while; I wasn't expecting it but it was great for Rob's mom to finally meet Sydni. Syd made sure to show off her superhero skill by flying laps around the yard just for them. And yeah, Rob & his stepdad rode the chopper through the grass.. don't mind the tracks ;)

Once they'd left, we realized that the pups had annihilated a stuffed animal [not Syd's, thankfully], leaving little beanbag pebbles scattered all over the floor. I'm sure this was an act of retaliation for us not letting them join the outdoor festivities. In our defense, we would've spent the rest of the afternoon chasing them around the city had they gotten out, unleashed.

You might call this chaotic, noisy or unorganized. I call this the absolute perfect way to relax, with my favorite humans and dogs, all under one roof. It's not often now that we are given these types of days, but when we get them, I celebrate that. This is [& they are] my life. I am so .. so blessed.

I finished off today with some fried rice for all of us, which I have to say paired up with the chicken Rob grilled juuuust perfectly. The littlelest of us all is the biggest food critic, and her plate was clean, so I'll call that a win (: 

easy fried rice!

What a Day.
I. Love. Them.

♥ words just don't cut it....

This didn't turn out to be a bad weekend at all...
Homeward bound now.
xo | cmd

Monday: Come & Gone

Sign of a good morning?...

love. this. part.

... when your best friend calls you, first thing in the morning (:
[& when you nearly miss the call because you're trying to get a screenshot..haha..woops!]

 

Definitely not a bad way to start the usually-dreaded Monday. The day itself was a little sluggish, but I did get to have another great conversation with my mom before it was over. That being said, things are in an upward swing and I feel hopeful, from the core, for the first time in a while.

By the time the day did end, I was ready to veg out some, and just relax.
And then, I remembered I had laundry to do.
And then, I remembered my dryer still needs a plug adapter.
And then, I remembered we hung a clothesline yesterday before Mom & Dad left.
And thennnnn, I got really excited, because I honestly prefer line-dried clothes anyway.

I'm certain some days that I was born into the wrong generation. It's simple stuff like this that I love. It was awesome.

the original dryer (:

Not a bad start to the week. I've got to mow this lawn here within the next couple of days, but we're taking things one step at a time now that I feel like my feet are on the ground and not spinning endlessly above it.

Kalyn's in town, too, until tomorrow, when she and Keifer fly back to AZ, pack up all their stuff, and then MOVE TO OHIO at the end of THIS week. I can barely take it, I'm so excited! And hopefully, Rob will be here for the weekend, too. I owe him a trip there now, but either way I miss him more than I could tell any of you... and it'll be perfect to see him, in whichever state it happens to be. 

Good news? Four days til the weekend ;)

xo | cmd

& A Few [More] of My Favorite People (:

Today was definitely an improvement from yesterday (;

1 | Breakfast with two great friends from here [Ali & DeShawn] at Crackerbarrel. We met them mid-morning for a table full of food like we usually do, and some little gifts for Ali since she's switching jobs here within the next couple of weeks:


except for the wooden carved turtle, this was our gift...
... sydni did most of the picking.. pretty good job! ;)

Oh, and DeShawn [Damanji] got a small taste of Sydni's favorite pasttime... and no, it's not checkers. It's the "I WIN" game, and today she granted herself 12 trophies and Damanji got... a sticker. Womp womp womp...

"i win!" - sydni

We finished breakfast and decided that with all of the rain and storming from late yesterday, we'd bypass the zoo. Instead, we headed off to the Magic House in St. Louis, a place where Sydni has always had fun, and definitely did again today. It was a little chilly when we arrived, but it worked out to be a beautiful day by the time we were back outside to play in the sand pit.

Something funny Rob pointed out:


this is true. this is so true.

Some other documentation for the day...


fun @ the magic house! | st. louis, mo

& of course, she just had to have Mr. Rob help her with everything. Well, correction, she insisted on helping him... with everything.


who's helping who? who knows...

Oh, and sand sculptor Dan Belcher was here, too! Check it out...

amazing!

We had a great time. Sydni played herself out so thoroughly that she was out before we even left the parking lot. Before she did that though, she found a piece of 3M tape and was toying with that. I didn't notice until she'd gone quiet that she'd taped it over her face and then passed out [not because of the tape... haha]. It was pretty funny though.


hahahahahaha. she'll love seeing this one day....

Hilarious. She's somethin' else.

From there, we headed to Shiloh again to meet up with Dawne and pass off a very groggy Sydni. I'd promised Dawne she would get to see her some while we were visiting; I'm not sure who was more excited about it: Sydni or Dawne. Either way, we dropped her off, then made our way back to Granite to go to Rob's parents' for a minute. We took the meatballs, aka Stella & Sasha with us, which may have been more of an adventure than we'd thought... they did well, all things considered. Haha.

Once we were wrapped up with some things at his parents, we opted for some sushi and (shhhhh,) a date over in St. Louis at the Drunken Fish [Rob's decision - gooood call!]. Neither of us had been, but heard it was great so we tried it out. Delicious.


suuuuuushiiiiiiiiiii. win.

You can rarely go wrong with good sushi. Add the perfect company and you've just built the perfect night. All around, today was a great day and I'm left again feeling that overwhelming sense of gratitude for these people in my life.

Amen? Amen.
G'Nite (:

xo | cmd