A Snowy Adventure!

Carolyn tried out sledding last weekend. In general, she likes it--in a quiet, breathy, filled with awe kind of way.



It took a while to master actually sitting up on the sled.



Pa-pa took her for her first run down the hill.



Mama just had to get in on the fun, too!

C's First Christmas

I know I'm late getting Christmas photos up. But here they are anyway.




Are these for me?



My little Schroeder in the making. Thanks Pa-pa!



After a long day of opening presents and enjoying her first Christmas, Carolyn settled down for a long winter's nap with the Teddy Bear her daddy got for her.

Children's Museum in Kansas

During our trip to Kansas, we took the kids to a Children's Museum. To our delight there were displays especially for Carolyn-sized people. Here are a couple of photos I got there.



Playing with water is always a good pass-time.



Mmmmm.... Turtle!

A Chair is a Chair... Or Is it?

Today we got out the old kidlet-sized rocking chair that was mine when I was a baby. "Pa-pa" cleaned it up and gave it a little shine, and set it in the living room. When Carolyn and I returned home from shopping, I plopped her down on it, and she promptly settled into it. After a few moments of rocking, she was ready to find out what else she could do.

Within five minutes, she had used it as a walker--pushing it around the room to get to where she wanted to go, she peeked out from the bars on the back like she was in jail and explored the world as it appeared that way, and most notably, she used it as a ladder--pushing it up next to the gliding rocker, standing on the seat, and trying to hoist herself up onto the bigger chair--Grandpa swooped in and stopped that from happening though. (Darn it, Pa-pa!)

As I watched her I was struck with the thought that the world would be very different if we retained that innate creativity. If we walked into a room, and didn't just see chairs and desks and pencils, and computers for their given purpose, but if could see all the potential that they contained.

Babies teach good lessons, don't they?

Inbox Sweetness

I found this in my inbox today... He was in transit on the birthday day and the ones surrounding it, so it's a little late, but I don't mind at all.



*sigh* I love that man.

Coming Soon:

A return to regular life programming!

I realized at Mommy Group today that the Women's retreats that were being advertised were coming up AFTER our return to Washington! That means... Mine and C's return, and Andy's too!

Also it was finally confirmed today that we OFFICIALLY have a house to move into when we get back! It's three bedrooms/1 bath--right amount of space WITH A GARAGE, and a small yard, and for a monthly rent that we can afford! Plus it's within walking distance of my closest friend's house! I am just elated!

So... Soon and very soon I'll be back into a place where I feel like life is a little more normal. I just can't wait!

Quarter Century

A few years ago I would have said that 25 looked old. No... no... Not OLD. Not, "OH I'm so old...... old." But... adult. I would have shrunken away from the idea like I did my Ipteenth birthday (that's the one after 15 in case you are wondering).

I'm 25 today. It doesn't look old. It looks... Well it looks ok. I told my friend Ang a couple of years ago that I wanted to have a baby by the time I was 25. And... I have a beautiful baby girl now. That feels right. That feels good. I'm glad God planted that desire in my heart, and brought it to fruition.

I feel like I can stand up into 25 today. And what that means to me is, that I can stand up into the fact that I am becoming an adult. I NEVER want to lose the ability to be childlike. But I find that things that looked so "scary" in the 'grown-up' world, I am handling.

This year... This crazy year has aged me. In some ways I feel much older than I am. In others I still feel like a scared little girl.

But mostly today I just feel like me. I feel 25. I feel like I can be me. I feel like I can be here.

Only 24 more to go....

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