June 3

Our little Meredith Grace turned 6 today.  She has had the best day ever, celebrating in many ways.  She has been sung to a few times, opened some gifts, eaten yummy treats, played hard, and been loved on by her family.  My birthday is also in June, and as a kid (AND as an adult!) I had many birthdays while the family was on vacation.  So, I learned from my mom (the queen of all things celebratory) the art of making sure that your daughter feels special and celebrated on her birthday, even while not at home.  Meredith was pretty surprised when I pulled out gifts that I had wrapped (thank you Sarah!) and stowed away in my suitcase.  We had her birthday dinner at Chili's to ensure a noisy, racous, off-key birthday song to end the meal.  Following the song, she got a yummy birthday browie, which we all helped her devour.  Add to this fun day swimming, and more Disney channel, and you have one happy six year old. 

Tonight,  I asked Daddy what he remembered about the day that Meredith was born.  We both recalled eating blueberries while I was in labor, my mom and our doula being at the delivery, he remembered the warm blankets that the nurses kept bringing him (huh?!). We talked about the head of black hair that Meredith was born with, her dark skin, but most memorable of all, the look on her face as she stared up at him, her daddy, when she graced the world with her adorable presence.  This is a look that marks her sweet little face on a daily basis.  She was literally born with it.   

Happy Birthday, dear girl.

You are one of a kind

and we are blessed by you every day. 

Day 1

After a long day of travel, Florida has welcomed us with it's hot temperatures and sticky climate.  Even though our travel day was long, it was really good.  Every leg of the trip was smooth and predictable.  After much fun on the plane, crazy-people-watching in the airports, and 200 snacks and drinks later we arrived.  The kids travel so well.  They really are experts at it, and I am always so proud of them when we travel.  Usually,  I am the one who needs a time-out some time during the day, impatient with typical airline annoyances and tired from long day/ late-night preparations for the trip. But with 1700 miles behind us, exciting days ahead of us, we are quite happy to be here.  

Last night, we went swimming, ordered yummy Italian take-out from  Carrabbas, jumped on the beds, watched the Disney channel, annoyed each other, and went to sleep faster than we ever have. 

We have woken up with have dewy skin and curly hair, and we are anticipating what our first day will bring us. The most exciting thing about today, June 3rd, is that it's Meredith's birthday!  She is 6 today, and is as cute as ever.  She told me this morning that she feels taller because she is 6.  Patrick is an amazing trip planner and has fun things in store for us each day.  In a minute we will begin re-packing up our 13 pieces of luggage, loading our red rental van, and heading further south.  It's going to be a great day!!!  I can feel it... along with the HOT temps.  This Colorado girl, cold from our long winter and wet spring, is inviting the HEAT to warm my insides up!!! 

 

Vacation Time!

For the past few days, we've been doing the "get ready to leave" dance.  This dance is filled with combination moves,  some graceful, others not. Twirls of remembering things to pack followed by turns of the lists lining the kitchen counters of things not to forget.  Other things, we want to forget.  To leave behind, if only for a week, the rough stuff.  We know that it won't go away, but at least we can get away from it for a bit.  That's what vacation is for!  

Patrick and I are great dance partners.  "Did you remember to cancel the milk" - spin, "Do you need a new swim suit" - spin, "Have you paid the electric bill" - dip, "Why yes, honey, that's all taken care of"- big finish.  We work so well together getting ready for a trip, if you don't count all of the freak-out moments that he has to endure of mine of what's not going to get finished or cleaned or emptied or organized.  Why is it that right before you leave town for a week (maybe I'm the only one like this!), everything becomes so urgent?  Mow the grass, cut the hair, clean out the closet, wash the sheets, organize the files, re-paint the bedroom... oh that can wait...weed the flower beds, water the garden, make a list, check it 3 times.  Prioritizing to-dos isn't my strong suit, and when it comes to leaving our home for a week, I have to do much self-talk to set things aside for when I get back.  Because, those walls will still want to be re-painted when I get home!

So, instead, I've been trying to focus my efforts of the things that actually pertain to vacation.  Get the sunscreen, grab my new book,  charge the I-pods, pack the birthday presents, pack the camera, include 18 swimsuits (3 for each) and organzine 13 pieces of luggage.  The most important thing on my list is for us to have an amazing time together as a family - a priority I hope to have no trouble with.  We will celebrate 2 birthdays (Meredith's and mine), re-visit favorite spots, canoe down a new river, hug extended family members, relax under the Florida sun and watch it go down over our favorite ocean.

The day ahead is a busy one, and I imagine that it will be filled with so much anticipation that none of us will be able to sleep tonight.  And with excited hearts, bright and early tomorrow morning we will say goodbye to our pets, so-long to the veggies and flowers, and we will say hello to Summer 2010.  We welcome you.