Shine On Harvest Moon

A sure sign they're from the desert

Dylan and Caitlyn were watching "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" earlier this evening (the original, not the re-make) and when Charlie opened his birthday gift, a handsome hand knit scarf, they asked simultaneously as he wrapped it around his neck:

"What is that?!"

Crunchy Cuisine

We've had, for some time now, a little rock squirrel living just over our back wall. The kids have dubbed him "Mr. Squirrel", and once in a while, we'll see him hop into our yard and dash furtively from bush to bush. He's cute, but shy. He won't come down from the wall if there is so much as a bird nearby! Yesterday, Dylan had the idea to put some of the seed and nuts remaining from our birdfeeders into a dish for Mr. Squirrel. All day long we'd peer expectantly out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of our little friend, and finally, he appeared: at precisely the same time that one of our pet turtles meandered over to investigate what was in the dish. It was quite the funny sight, actually! One lazy turtle, taking his sweet time, poking his weathered, wrinkly neck out to sample the new treat...and one eager squirrel, nervously darting back and forth across the top of the wall, all the while eyeing the bounty below. He finally gave up, much to our disappointment. We were all really rooting for him!

Today was so busy that I hardly gave him a second thought. Late this afternoon, though, as I stood at the kitchen counter pouring some drinks for the kids, I caught a flash of movement out in the yard. "Hey, guys!" I said in a loud whisper. "Come see!"

There sat Mr. Squirrel, munching happily until he'd had his fill. Then, with a few quick moves, he scampered back up onto the wall, perched for a moment to peer around, and was gone.

To Honor Saint Francis

Recently, with cooler evenings and enough daylight remaining after dinner, we've been enjoying taking our kids for walks around our neighborhood, during which time they delight in "collecting" anything that catches their interest--sticks, rocks, pinecones...lots and lots of pinecones, which I've been saving in a sack in the garage on the off chance that we might actually some day need them!

Yesterday, inspired yet again by Danielle, I was actually cleaning out the garage when I came upon this sack of forgotten treasures. But rather than tossing them out, as I might have otherwise been inclined to do, I was struck instead with an idea that I thought Dylan and Caitlyn might really enjoy. Since today is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, and since he has long been one of my very favorite saints, I really wanted to do something special to celebrate with the kids, especially now that they are old enough to understand and appreciate the lives of the saints. So this morning we gathered three of those pinecones (one each for Dylan, Caitlyn, and Meghan) and we transformed them into some cute little bird feeders which we hung from the tree outside our dining room window. The kids really enjoyed it, and they loved being little "helpers" to Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals!

Beautiful Beginning

On this day ten years ago, I was a giddy nineteen year old eagerly anticipating a first date with the handsome guy who for months I had been pseudo-stalking around town: in and around the bookstore where he worked, on campus, off campus--I created any excuse I could to see or be near him. And at long last, after finally mustering every bit of courage I had just to say "hi", I finally had a date!

I remember the excited phone call I made to my mom, from a public phone in one of the lecture halls at school, immediately after talking to him for the first time. "MOM!" I fairly shouted. "You will never guess who I just talked to! Sandy-haired-guy! And he has a name! Darren. And...he asked me out!" A bit dramatic, I'm sure, but this was big. My entire family knew of my infatuation with him and, at times, even found themselves entrapped in one of my many fanciful plots to gain his attention. I couldn't have been more thrilled!

The night of our first date--October 4, 1996-- was every bit as romantic as a fairy tale, but I never could have imagined just how wonderful our "happily ever after" would be. I know that from the very beginning, God played his hand in it all--by bringing Darren here, to the place I have lived all my life, in a very round-about way, with many detours and delays but finally, here, to me. There is nobody else in the world with whom I would rather navigate this life, this beautiful journey on which we embarked with a simple first date all those years ago. I am still so very much in love with my handsome prince charming, and filled with such gratitude for all the blessings that have been bestowed on us these past ten years. I can only hope and wonder what the next ten years may bring!

Happiness Is...

...sleeping with your sweet baby until nine o'clock in the morning.

...discovering when you finally get up out of bed that your dear sweet husband has swept and mopped the entire kitchen and dining room floors.

...having chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.

...enjoying Mass with three reasonably well behaved children and one perfect soul-mate.

...excitedly retrieving all your Halloween decorations from their storage space in the garage and spending the afternoon finding just the right spots for them throughout your home.

...the smell of cookies baking in the oven.

...creating your own little Oktoberfest to which your dad and brother are invited.

...receiving a phone call on your way to work asking if you'd like to stay home "on call".

...and finally, knowing that even lacking all of these things, you would still be so richly blessed just to share your life with these amazing people who you love more than anything else in the world.