I could hear the screams from the kitchen

Jack and I were working on a few things in the kitchen while daddy entertained the big kids outside with a car wash.

The kids claimed control of the hose and thought it was the funniest thing ever!

Baby Ducks

The kids were talking at lunch about the ducks we saw at the pond in D.C. and I realized I hadn't posted these pictures. This was one of my favorite days in the city. It was a rainy morning and kind of yucky, but shortly after lunchtime the sun came out. It was still a little overcast and cool but sunny at the same time. Jason came home early from his classes and we got on the metro around 3:30 to head down to the mall.

As we were walking past the reflecting pool, we saw the most adorable baby ducks with their mother. The kids were mesmerized, and we all stopped to watch them waddle into the water. The ducklings were so little and new that we actually speculated this may have been their first trip to the water.

When we got to the end of the mall, the kids jumped off the stroller to get a view of the ducks. Jason got several pictures, and I think they are some of my favorites of the trip.

This picture was taken just moments before Ella fell on the duckies. Things weren't quite as happy after that!

And this shot makes me giggle every time! The ducks kept diving down into the water to find food and it was so interesting to watch. The kids decided they were going to be duckies and "dive" for food as well. What you can't see is that Ella's crack is hanging out just as much as Bo's. She turned around right when we got out the camera, and we could not get both cracks together!

Oh, and if you zoom in on this shot, you can see the ducks diving in the background!

Sensitive

I think Jack's skin is a bit more sensitive than the other two. He got these giant red spots on his face after a few mosquito bites during our outside time. They don't seem to be bothering him too much!

Benji and Renee

I'm on J's computer tonight because he is doing a much needed tune up on my machine. My plan to post more pictures and stories is on hold, but I still have Internet access, and so I feel the need to post!

Have I mentioned that I have four amazing [and beautiful] sisters? I'm still on a bit of a relationship high after the chance to see each of them and visit during our time in Atlanta. They are each so fun and cool and unique.

Hannah rocks it on the volleyball court and has some serious "mad ups" [as Bo likes to say] and amazing athletic skills. She's home on a brief break before heading back to school for summer classes and training for the fall volleyball season. Oh, and did I mention she secured a full scholarship for next year? I told you she has mad ups!

Maggie graduated from college while we were in Atlanta, and I am still so glad that I got to be part of watching her get her diploma. Technically, the diploma cover was empty becuase she's wrapping up her credits with a Maymester class, but it's pretty much over for her. I am so proud of her and the woman she is becoming.

Emily is technically a sister-in-law [You don't really think my parents would have named two different girls Emily, do you?], but she is a wonderful addition to our family! She has such a heart for kids and she works as a social worker with children who have been abused. Amazing! She also lives with [and loves] my brother. That makes her awesome! She officially had her baptism into the sisterhood at Sarah's baby shower last week when she joined us for a little song and dance in honor of Sarah and her babies. And she rocked it!

And Sarah is the sister who is only 13 months younger than me. AND she's the one expecting twins.

Yes people, she has two babies in there! Hard to believe! I'm proud to announce that she has officially entered the blogging world, so you'll have to go check her out...
http://brunertown.wordpress.com/
BUT, I'll warn you now that she is super cool and snazzy and funny so please don't forget to come back and visit me every now and again.

I'm sure by now [if you're even still reading this] you're wondering why in the world I titled the post Benji and Renee...

While visiting in Atlanta and enjoying my sister's bellyness, we were all excited to hear that she and her hubby had selected names for baby boy A and baby girl B.

They will be Brooks and Reese! How adorable are they?

Anywhoo, the other night I was having this weird dream that involved all my sisters and a get together of some type, and my sister kept referring to Benji and Renee. I was confused, so I asked if she was talking about Brooks and Reese. She informed me that the names were still very much up in the air and she was really thinking about Benji and Renee instead and then she also starting throwing a few other B and R combinations that were oh, so odd.

I called her the next day just to confirm that she was sticking with Brooks and Reese. I offered Benji and Renee as an alternative, but she told me she would stick with the original plan :)

Congratulations to you, you made it to the end of a totally random post!

Unless my computer totally bites the dust, I should be back with more pics and stories soon!

My baby is ONE!

My plan is to have a birthday celebration for Jack this weekend. His first birthday came and went in a fog of 12 hours in the car, throw up bugs, and urinary tract infections. It hardly seems possible that my baby is already a year old.

Jack, I have to be honest here; months 6-10 were a little bit rough. It was a series of ear infections, sudden weaning, and frequent crying at meals or at times when you were not being held. J was traveling and working a LOT, and the reality of a needy 7 month old along with two other children was weighty.

That said, months 10-12 were an absolute delight. The day you finished your last round of ear infection antibiotics, you were a different baby. You are mobile, independent, and oh, so excited to go crawling after whatever catches your interest.

I think you're going to be on the move in a way your older brother and sister weren't, but you're definitely going to keep things interesting.

We were all excited to help Jack celebrate even though it was after 11 PM when we finally made it to my aunt and uncle's house.

I'm just thankful that Jack got to experience a little cake on his first birthday!

Oh, and something happened the day we left for our trip. Jack decided that he would start feeding himself since he was a year old. He's always been one to suddenly start doing things when he decides he's ready!

Somewhere during our two days in the car, Jack decided that he no longer wanted to be fed by me and now he even resists yogurt, which has been a staple favorite. He insists on putting all food in his own mouth.

It's so nice to watch him feed himself that I don't even care if he looks like this after most meals...

I love you Jack!

Road Trippin'

Here we are heading off on our journey. The kids don't get to watch much TV at home, so the portable DVD player makes trips quite the adventure.

Sweet Jack enjoying his first birthday on the road.

Back home: More of the same except we had a little bit more stuff to get in the car!

Jack helped out some on the drive...

17 hours

We made it home!

It was 17 hours in the car yesterday, and it was surprisingly pleasant.

I am amazed at my children. The past five weeks have shown me how flexible they are and they have made these travels so much fun. Jack "complained" for a bit towards the end of our day yesterday, but other than that there was hardly even a whine. Whew!

AND no one threw up. That is victory!

I spent most of today walking around in a fog of suitcases, clothes, and toys. Honestly, at this point, I'm not even certain if these words are coherent.

There's still much to do, but I think we are all glad to be home. I do wonder how long it will be before the kids plan a revolt and try to sneak back to Atlanta without me. They really enjoyed the constant entertainment and attention from great grandparents, great aunts and uncles, two sets of grandparents, 14 aunts and uncles, and 6 cousins [2 still in the womb].

There are many, many, many posts to come once I've sorted through the almost 400 pictures I took, but first, I must get enough rest to maintain a train of thought for more than about 8 seconds.

Stay posted...

One more day

I can hardly believe that this is our last day in Atlanta. I'm overwhelmed by how quickly the time has dissolved.

I'm watching Bo play with two of his cousins while three other babies nap. It's one of those absolutely perfect spring days and I just don't want it to end.

The reality that I am going to spend 14 hours in the car tomorrow is, well, daunting to say the least. And Jason informed me last night that he will be on call Thursday. No rest for the weary.

I hate it that I haven't posted, but if I'm honest, there really are not any words that do it justice. I am not even sure if my pictures are going to capture the reality of this experience. The trip has been like one really long exhale. I didn't even realize that I started holding my breath back in August when we last visited, but these past weeks have felt like a long release of sorts.

Showing the kids the historic sights and sounds of Washington, D.C.
Manuevering in and out of the car and in and out of spaces that are unfamiliar and that require lots of sharing and lots of extra patience.
Watching my younger sister Maggie graduate from college.
Seeing my sister's belly swollen with twins and celebrating with her at her baby shower.
Celebrating Mother's Day at home with my mother and my mother-in-law.
Visiting our newest cousin at the hospital and rejoicing with all of J's family in Mya's safe arrival.

It's been much needed balm for my soul.

As much as I love where we live and where we are right now in our phase of life, I've also realized that there is no substitute for being near the people who are most meaningful to me. I need relationship with those who know me and love me anyways.

I only hope this long cool drink is enough to keep me quenched until our next visit.

Countdown

11 hour trip from D.C. to Atlanta

10 days before daddy finishes his lectures in D.C. and joins us in Atlanta

9 bags or so filling the back of the van...5 people + 5 weeks = a lot of stuff

8 more days [at this point] of visiting before another loooooong day in the car to head home

7 grandkids in J's family to play with and enjoy

6 A.M. departure, and 6 passengers in the van

5 A.M. wake up

4 stops to a. potty, b. get gas, c. get food, d. all of the above

3 minutes [or so] of children crying in the car

2 videos for the kids in the car

1 van full of people very glad to be out of the car for a few days!

AND...drum roll please...

0 children with ear infections, throw up bugs, or urinary tract infections...yay!

Decaf or Regular

We rarely have coffee in the evenings, but with company here the other night, I made some coffee to go with our dessert. I didn't look at the package carefully and mistakenly made regular coffee instead of decaf coffee.

My mind was racing as I got in bed that night and I just couldn't seem to fall asleep. I realized two days later that I had not made decaf coffee and the mystery of my racing mind was solved.

It reminded me of an experience from the morning we moved away from Charlottesville after J's med school graduation. J and I got up early to go and get donuts for the friends coming over to help us pack the truck.

When J ordered his coffee, the owner of the local donut shop asked him if he wanted "decaf or rrrrrregular" [imagine a rolling R sound, not a stutter :)]. He then responded to my coffee request the same way. Then, as we tried to order donuts, he asked if we wanted "cake or rrrrrrregular" after every specific donut we requested.

We were exhausted, emotional, and extended to capacity and for some reason we found this absolutely hysterical. It was a moment of laughter that we desperately needed on a sad, sad day for us. At tense moments in our marriage we will sometimes break into a chorus of "decaf or rrrrrregular-cake or rrrrregular" just to relieve the stress.

Leaving Charlottesville was heartbreaking. We were newlyweds there. We lived in our first home. We navigated new friends, a new church, a new community. I had my first real job there. We had our first baby there. It was gut-wrenching to say goodbye to such a special place.

We were so excited to drive back for the day yesterday to catch up with some friends and go to church. It was a homecoming in many ways.

I told Jason that I love the way people know me there. They knew me before I was a mom, so they got a much less distracted version of who I am. AND they actually seem to like me! There is something so eternally comforting about being known and being loved. Awesome. And now, to see these dear friends know my kids and love on my kids. Fabulous!

As we drove around town, I could not help but feel like it had been only a matter of hours since we pulled out of there in our rented Penske truck. In the same sense though, it felt like an eternity since we lived those beloved experiences.

It was perhaps most startling to see that our little donut shop is now an empty lot.
I had a rousing internal chorus of "decaf or rrrrregular" as we drove past the deserted space in tribute to such a special place and a special time in our lives.

I fell on the duckies

On Friday, there was a brief respite from the rain, so we decided to take advantage of a long afternoon/evening walk down on the national mall.

J came home a bit early and we boarded the train with a picnic dinner.

We started at the White House and walked down the mall past the Washington Monument. It's not a short walk, and after several stops to let the kids run around and have dinner etc., we found ourselves at the reflection pool, exhausted!

The kids were so excited to see the ducks in the water and we saw several ducklings that were pure entertainment. We regrouped just across from the Lincoln Monument and prepared to begin the lengthy walk back to the metro.

The kids were taking one last look at the ducks when Ella noticed a few more babies and went running for water to get a better look.

She failed to notice the slight step up onto the edge of the pool, and with a sickening thud landed face first on the marble side of the pool.

Thankfully, she was just the right height to miss going into the pool, but she was sooooooo upset. Within seconds, she had a bright red and blue knot growing on her forehead. Ouch!

She was able to put some "ice" [a cold water bottle] on her head as we walked and that seemed to calm her down and help with the swelling.

The bump is getting better every day, and her bangs seem to cover it up pretty well, but she still loves talking about how she fell on the duckies.