Chicago: Part 1

I'm only slightly embarrassed to admit that I'm having all kind of difficulty with blogger and seem to have used up all my space for posting pictures.  How can this be?!  I have years of preciousness ahead to share with you!  Thankfully I am married to someone who knows how these computer things work and I have faith that he will figure it all out for me very soon.

In the mean time, here are at least a few (dozen) of the pictures I took on our amazing adventure to Chicago last week.  If you don't know me in real life, let me assure you, all these extra children do not belong to me, although that would certainly be newsworthy.  The stars aligned perfectly this year for us to take our vacation with two families who we love and don't get to see nearly often enough.  It was awesome.  

Ahh, the ever elusive photo of all 7 children.  Dave and Ami are even in there as a bonus.

 I think my favorite thing about watching these children grow up has been seeing how much they all love each other.  Well, that and getting to know all the amazing, talented, kind, funny, and perfectly, unexpectedly one-of-a-kind they all are.

Can you imagine this crew in 10 years?  Now that will be a vacation to remember!

Have you ever wondered why some people chose to leave their children at home when they go on vacation?  Well the next photo illustrates just one reason why this is a wise choice.  Not that I have ever been one for good decision making.

Notice my dear friends helping me to get my monkeys safely across a busy street in downtown Chicago.  Now look for Andy.  Yep, climbing a wall, not crossing the street.  If you're thinking he is probably about to go running out into traffic once he realizes he is no longer with us, you've done this before.

Zadie and Harper (and Rosie) piled onto the sit and stand

at the Field museum

The perfect Thanksgiving day photo.  Seven special people to be thankful for.

Rosie really REALLY liked the little glass box at the top of the Sears tower.

Goodbye dear ones.  And thank you for sharing your holiday, your children, and your lives with us.

Wordless Wendesday

My baby can read

Did you know that Rosie is reading now?

 I know what you are thinking... "How can this be so?  She can't even talk!"  Have you considered that maybe she just doesn't want to talk because then she'll have to answer me when I say things like, "why did you eat the markers.... again?"

Oh, a mother knows these things.  Look how deep in thought she is with her little book.

She totally gets the symbolism and tragic irony.  I'm so proud.  I better go plan our Calculus lesson for the morning :)  Happy weekend!

Saying goodbye to Gandpa Mike

This post has been hanging over my head for days.  I don't know where to begin.   I keep thinking about that John Lennon quote, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

With three kids, life is always happening.  Every moment someone is sharing with you, needing you, loving you, counting on you, looking for you, missing you, asking you, or screaming at you.

Last Sunday night, Dave got a call that his dad was gone.  Totally unexpected.  Totally surreal.  I still keep waiting for Mike to call and check on me; ask me why I haven't posted to the blog this week.  He was, in part, the reason I started this blog and kept it fresh with pictures of our daily life and special moments.

Mike loved us, all of us.  And that is no small gift.  My children are still very young, but they will carry that love with them.  To know that someone treasures you gives you a sense of purpose and joy.  When I think of Mike, I will always be grateful that he planted that seed of love in all our hearts.  And I will do all I can to care for it and help it grow.

 

  We made it through the week.  Two soccer games, two Halloween celebrations, a beautiful funeral, and all the while I have wondered what the kids will remember of this week when they are older.  I know they'll remember the tears, but I hope they'll also remember the friends who walked with us- overlooked the mess of our home and our hearts and ate with us and laughed with us.  I hope they will remember how happy their family was to have them present.  There is no greater comfort when facing death than a new baby.

 Rosie won't remember Mike, but she will know that he loved her.  We will make sure of that.

Mike's sister, Marcia, told me today that the sadness will pass but the memories will last.  There are a lot of good memories.  Not enough, I wasn't done making them, but I guess that's true whenever you lose someone you love.  We'll have to go on making good memories and carry Grandpa Mike with us in our hearts.  I know he'll be along for the ride, wherever life takes us.

 Now, since I'm really not good with words.  I'll leave you with the sweetest thing I saw today.  A brand new memory.

Much love to you all!