Summer Travels Chapter 1: Michigan

We set out for Michigan all the way back in July to attend my cousin Katie's wedding. Just so happened that my nephew Cullen's 4th birthday party was the same weekend and we were able to fit it all in. Thanks to the wonders of the portable dvd player, Myles was a dream the whole way up. We drove straight from our house to Erin and Fidel's. I met Erin on the first day of kindergarten, and as Myles gets closer to that age I realize how precious friendships grow over the decades. Erin is pregnant with her first baby, and we had a fabulous time with her and Fidel, seeing all that she's been sewing for the baby, and enjoying the way they connect with Myles.

The next day we made our way to Howell to see my high school friends Kara and Melissa, and to meet Kara's son Sebastian, who is even cuter in person than he is in all the beautiful photos on her blog. Myles was very eager to meet Sebastian. Seb has CP, and at first Myles' energy was a little overwhelming since Sebastian had just woken up from his nap. But we finally found our groove with Myles blowing bubbles with Seth out on the deck and Sebastian watching from inside, smiling and giggling. It was very sweet. Sebastian responded when Myles greeted him and touched his leg, and he has the most beautiful spirit. Kara is an unbelievable mama. She is unrelenting in her devotion and care, and does so many things on a daily basis that I never even have to think about in my parenting life. The challenges are immense, but no doubt the rewards are unmatched. We learned a little about how the i pad is providing a new and effective way for kids with disabilities to communicate, and it's a beautiful thing. Although I haven't seen Kara since my sister's wedding way back when, she looks just the same as she did in college. Melissa was also there, in all her raw-vegan power, that smile ever-present...it's good to see your friends in love.

After our too-brief lunch at Kara's mom's house, we departed for Corey and Irene's new house. I dropped Myles and Seth off for Cullen's birthday party, and made my way to the farm for the rehearsal. Seth and Myles came up later that evening, and the next day we got to breathe in farm life. I grew up going up to Hemlock, not far from Saginaw, to visit my Grandma and Grandpa's dairy farm. We pass endless fields of corn along the way. My Uncle Scott and Aunt Shelly have lived and worked on the farm since they were married, when I was a kid. A few years ago, they created a pond and built their own log cabin on the property, and relinquished their house (which had been my great-grandparents' house) to my cousin Mike and his wife Sara. Scott and Mike farm full time, when Mike's not busy with his two little girls, and my Grandpa still likes to get on the tractor and do a few things around the farm too, despite the fact that he's now in his eighties. He gets around pretty well too. The farm has lots of milking cows, a few bulls, calves, chickens, chicks, dogs, geese that float on the pond, and swallows that fly over it. It really is a beautiful place to be. After the rehearsal, Katie took the four-wheeler around the pond, giving rides to some friends and the kids. We stayed in the cabin, got to enjoy some raw milk with our breakfast, and Myles swam in the pond, rode on a tractor, and called to the calves, who seemed a little shy. Along with Sara and her two little ones, we walked up the road to my Grandparents' house and enjoyed some lemonade and conversation, a very rare treat since I live so far away. I said to Seth, someday when Myles is old enough, we can just send him to the farm instead of camp and he can help out and learn something about farm life.

The wedding was a lot of fun. It was a little strange to return home to an extended family who's known me my whole life, but they've never seen me in a clergy robe or leading a service, something I do every week. I guess I was thankful for this chance to share with them a little of who I am in my life now, because they don't get to see it. And it was truly a vacation, a little Sabbath rest, to relax on the farm. The reception was overrun with kids...I have twelve cousins on my mom's side and most of them have multiple kids, along with Myles and my brother's three boys. They are at that age when they aren't too cool to be on the dance floor, so there was lots of shaking going on.

My mom drove home with us on my dad's birthday, and we saw the most beautiful double rainbow while we were talking about him. He would have loved this trip. I can see him smile, hear him laugh, envision him on the dance floor cutting a rug. Sure do miss him.

Myles Says: Yesterday I was headed out on a run at 6:30 and it was still dark out. Myles said to me, "Mama, be very very careful because it's very dark outside. And don't let the monsters get ya."

Mylestones: Today Myles had his first day of preschool in his new class for the year. His teacher is Miss Nancy, and some of his best-good friends from last year have Miss Kim, so he's not in the same class with them. Nevertheless, he had a good first day and reported that he likes Miss Nancy. This week Seth bought him the game "Go Fish" and every night we've been playing. Myles cracks up every time someone says "Go fish!"

That's it for now...signing off to chocolate chip cookies and another episode of LOST (we're on season 4).

I Got a New Attitude!

We are recently back from a trip to Michigan, and I'll include more photos from that trip later. But I couldn't resist posting this one (now!) because it so perfectly captures the Myles 'tude. My parents used to call my move "the Mandy stomp" and so perhaps some of the attitude comes from me. But rest assured folks, when two Tauruses get together and have a child, the odds of said child having a spirited strong will are quite high! Or maybe it's just the 2's and 3's.

Mylestones: This week we created our much-talked about chart, in which Myles can see what's going to happen during the day, can mark off when he's accomplished things, and can even earn some stickers for doing some chores around the house (three year old chores include emptying silverware from dishwasher, clearing plate from the table, washing windows, and helping to feed Juniper). Myles also put on an amazing show for me on his bike today...I highly recommend the balance bikes, I can see how next summer he might be riding a big boy bike with pedals (and no training wheels) since he's got the balance part down. Myles can also now "read" 5 Little Monkeys by himself. Okay, so he can't really read, but he looks at the pictures and says the words that he's memorized. We are working on identifying the first letter of words and the sounds that go with each.

Myles Says: He keeps us cracking up. The other day we were watching Planet Earth and came to the part where a wolf chases, catches and eats a deer (which I usually fast forward through) and I said, "This looks like a scary part, let's fast forward." Myles replied, "Don't be scared mama, I'll protect you." What?? Also, the other day I received something in the mail related to my dad that made me cry. Myles quickly asked what was wrong, and I told him that I still miss my dad (Grandpa Voss) since he went to heaven to live with God. Myles said, "It's okay, Mama. When Grandpa gets back from heaven he can help you." After that he ran to the fridge and got out an ice pack and brought it to me saying, "Here mama, I got you some ice, this will make it better." He's recently stumbled on the fact that saying "You don't love me!" (with a big smile on his face) will illicit an amplified "YES I DO!" from his mama, so we've been playing around with that. I love to tell him, like my mom told me, that he'll never really understand how much I love him until he has kids of his own one day (if he does).

Our trip to Michigan was so wonderful, and I need to make time to blog about it. Stay tuned...