Soaring and Stillness: Life with the Chickadees

It's been a week of movement here in the nest. The chicks are growing and stretching their wings and, at times, my patience. Our five are mostly enjoyable, sometimes undesirable, always memorable. Five minutes, five moments that you desire to savor or discard. We're taking five...GO. 1. On Saturday, Little Bit decided she liked the dog. Santa brought us Tallulah Mae two years ago for Christmas, when the prof finished his grad program. The youngest has been yea or nay on her ever since...until Saturday, when I caught this glimpse of my girl and her new best pal. I was thrilled. 2.Due to the fact that we don't have the Big Ten Network (it's not even offered here in the South via our cable provider) we miss multiple Michigan games a year. However, while on the road to the beach I figured out that we can listen to the broadcast via my Droid. I was in heaven. I also realized we could "watch" (play by play on the field) on the computer. My man, using all of his t...

A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain . -Mildred Struven I've decided that the examination of the spot that one places her tush would be a good blog topic; actually, it may be a series of posts. I could be way out in left field like way way out but honestly, the locations we park our posteriors tell a whole lot about day and our lives. Some rarely pop-a-squat, while others spend hours in one position. I am usually up and down, rather than in a sitting position. My spot changes by the hour and sometimes by the minute depending on what the chicks' schedule holds. Location isn't always about comfort (it's usually never about this) but generally about view. My view...early yesterday afternoon Our eldest is feisty, spirited, and strong willed. She's also graceful and sweet, with a soul as deep as the river is wide. She's a gift. When she's not putting me through the fire ...

TGIF I'm not a TGIF'er , but as of today I may be a convert. Seriously. I don't know about anyone else, but coming back from three days at the beach is enough to make a gal long for sun and sand indefinitely . Even when that girl deals with an illness where sun isn't supposed to part of the program. Good chicks can break the rules some of the time, right??? Our take five for the week, in no particular order 1. Last Thursday (yes, I know I'm going on a day eight, but this was a highlight of the month outside of sun and sand) I was able to spend over two hours on Skype talking to my best friend. Amazing. Little Bit did a show for us and Legs was at dance, so I honestly was able to just see and talk to her for over 120 minutes. It was glorious, grand, and just what my heart required. 2. BOTH of the free photo books I made arrived in the mail. I am seriously impressed with the quality, look and feel of the Picaboo book I created with our professional family photos t...

It has been an amazing, whirlwind week full of memories, laughter and moments to cherish. I wouldn't trade it for the world. 1. On Saturday, we surprised the chicks with an extended weekend getaway to Wild Dunes in South Carolina. They were shocked and thrilled, in that order. I planned and packed in a day--a never before and probably never again feat. 2. Little Bit experienced the ocean and beach for the first time. Ever . Legs grew up living 20 minutes from those waters, but our little boo had never felt the waves lap on her legs or the breeze swirl through her hair. It was magical. 3. We were able to relive moments and memories. So much of our bigs littledom took place in Charleston that as we drove in to the darkened city it was a road filled with remember when and over there... although long past, it brought back sweetness. 4. We took our first true "vacation" as a family of four. Seeing as the little bit is six, it was long overdue. I'm not sayin...