Owie

Just to prove that I can post a short blog, here we go!

We've been enjoying walks in the evening this summer, usually down to the UPS campus and back, just about 20-30 minutes. The other evening, on our way back, Evelyn was getting antsy in her stroller-which is pretty normal-she doesn't like to sit too long, that one! So we took her out and let her run around a bit. She looked pretty much like a cute pint sized drunken sailer cause she is still pretty wobbly, although much faster, and even when she is staying on her feet she veers off first one direction and then the other, heading to whatever catches her eye. She definitely enjoys her taste of freedom and seems to have no fear of getting far away from us. She just takes off! But her desire for freedom often gets tangled up in her feet and she falls over (which actually happens to a lot of us adults too). And fall she did, surprisingly hard, resulting in her first skinned knee. Which I thought was very sweet : ) She thought it was very odd though, and kept saying "Knee! Knee!" and poking at it. She was really upset, more just puzzled, screaming more when we put her back in the stroller than when she fell. Here's to a childhood full of skinned knees!

Proud of Dada

I had a blog ready to post today about Evelyn falling and skinning her knee, but when I remembered it was 9/11, that somehow didn't seem to fit right.

Like everyone else I remember exactly where I was when 9/11 happened 8 years ago. But, fortunately it was not as traumatic or emotional for me because I didn't know anyone who was there or personally affected. That changed when I met Bard. He doesn't talk a lot about this, but since he doesn't read our blog, I can brag on him : )

Bard was working in New York when 9/11 occurred. In fact, he was working on Wall Street at the World Trade Center. He wasn't at the twin towers, the WTC is actually a huge complex and he was at one of the other buildings. However, his building was so heavily damaged that it was later condemned and they moved the company to a new location.

Bard was late for work that morning (no surprise there!) and actually should have been in the complex when the planes hit. As it was he was on the subway, preparing to get off at the stop underneath the twin towers. The stop that was destroyed when the towers collapsed. The train driver heard that something had happened and was told not to make that stop, so everyone was a bit surprised when the train zoomed by the station and went to the next stop. Bard had heard something about a plane but didn't think it was too big of a deal til he got out and started walking toward his work. I'm sure you have all heard the reports and can imagine the chaos that surrounded him.

I do not write this to share with you all the details of what he did, instead I want to share who he is. It will not surprise any of you that he was a hero that day. Instead of running, he stayed to help the people around him. He gave water to those in need and assisted in any way he could, risking his own health to be there for total strangers.

Matthew 25: 37-4o "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

I worry so much as a parent. Is she eating the right food? Am I disciplining her enough, too much, and in the right way? What should we do about school? All those issues fall away when I remember that she is learning the most important lesson of all, from her very own father. Compassion. Helping those in need. Love for others that spills out because of God's love for us. Evelyn is more fortunate and blessed than many other children around the world-her father is a hero in every sense of the word, because of what he does but mostly because of why he does it.

Goodbye Summer!

It's amazing to me that I am entering Fall with a toddler. Last fall Evelyn was so tiny, this is simply unreal! So here are some highlights from our last month of Summer and the pics are posted to the right:

*New Hampshire-Evelyn's favorite experiences: "Wawer & Boat!" Water, she loved looking at the lake and watching the boats go by. Every time Bard took her in she was surprised at how cold it was but with several people applauding her she warmed up in no time! "Ouside" Still one of her favorite words, she loved going outside because she could pick up rocks and "throw" them (see video on facebook for her "throw!") Having her at the airports and on the planes was hilarious, she loved seeing all the new things and talking to everyone, and threw a fit in the middle of the airport when I wouldn't let her step off the moving sidewalk by herself! But I know that overall her favorite part of the trip was the people. She fell in love with Lili, (Bard's grandma), Wally, (Bard's grandpa), and of course loved visiting with Grandee and Grandpa Steve again (Bard's mom and step dad). Best way to describe it, they ate her up! I'm not sure any other child in history has received that much attention! She has such a sweet and easy way of bonding with people. Our first morning there she did not seem bothered at all to wake up in a strange house full of people she had never met before. It was all just a fun adventure! I know she still treasures those relationships because just the other day I was changing her diaper and gave her a little stuffed dog to play with. I said, "Aunt Barbara gave you this dog when we were at the lake." She looked at me and said, "Lili!" I couldn't believe it, two weeks after coming home she remembers enough to associate Barbara giving her the dog and that it happened at Lili's house! But then again, Lili makes that impression on everyone : )

*We finished off our summer with a trip to the beach with my brother and his family. Now, unfortunately the trip ended up with the flu running through our family like, well, a virus! Tish got sick while we were there, Bard two days after we got home (please don't ask me how many times he vomited!) and my brother, niece, and mom also fell victim to the plague. Fortunately there were some good times, so we'll focus on those! Evelyn was not impressed with walking on wet sand at first-that's my city girl! But she got used to it and loved digging with her little shovel and pail, when Henry wasn't talking them away from her of course ; ) There was a big park that they loved running around in, complete with a huge slide and swings. But, hand's down the main thing she cared about was being with Henry. Or, "Henee!" We went over to their house on our way up, so we could load up everything together (you would not even believe how much crap you need to go away for three days with three children under the age of three!) Henry and Evelyn both burst into tears because they had wanted to play with each other and we made them stay in the car and then drove off. No way could they understand that after a quick 2 hour car drive they were going to play together for three days! When we arrived and got them out to play in this little field before heading to the beach, they ran toward each other laughing and shrieking each other's names-cutest thing ever!

*Even though we were so busy this summer, with so many trips, we still managed to take walks together almost every evening. In fact, Evelyn now asks to go on a walk. Friday evening BBQs with friends and family have been the best. When Evelyn sees me moving the furniture around for watching LOST after the BBQ, she says, "Abby!" and runs to the door because she knows our friend Abby is coming over. Trips to the zoo, dozens of adorable sundresses, playing in the fountain at UPS, getting a new kitten, and spending time on our deck have made it a great summer. I just packed up all her cute little sundresses and pulled out the sweaters. Bring on Fall!