Something old, something new...

It's been awhile. So here's a collection.

Something old...

In last week's news... Munchkins on parade.

Last night E reminded me of a "moment" just before K was born. The theme song from Charlotte's Web popped up on the IPod and started playing--"Ordinary Miracle" by Sarah McLachlan. "I love this song, Mama," she said between bites of soup.

"Me, too," I replied. I love it just because she does, but also because the night I went into labor with K., we watched Charlotte's Web together, piled in a heap on the couch. It was January, Mark was working, I was enormous, and we had nowhere else to be, so we watched the credit roll just to listen to that song.

It's not that unusual
When everything is beautiful
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

The sky knows when it's time to snow
Don't need to teach a seed to grow
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift, they say
Wrapped up for you everyday
Open up, and find a way
To give some of your own

Isn't it remarkable?
Like every time a raindrop falls
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

The birds in winter have their fling
And always make it home by spring
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

When you wake up everyday
Please don't throw your dreams away
Hold them close to your heart
'Cause we are all a part

Of the ordinary miracle
Ordinary miracle
Do you want to see a miracle

It seems so exceptional
That things just work out after all
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

The sun comes out and shines so bright
And disappears again at night
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

Sure, it's a little cliche', but by that time my body was hours from giving birth and the hormones were running wild.  I just remember thinking how true it all felt, how this baby was both ordinary and miraculous, and how he would know just when to make his entrance in the world.  About an hour later I was in labor.  Much later, after K was born and his diagnosis sort of blindsided us, that song kept popping into my head. I guess it was stuck there, but what a perfect song to get stuck in your head when you need some reminding that the son in your arms is just as much miracle as anyone else's son. And perfect as is, too.

Something new...

E can count in her head now.  We must all assume a posture of complete silence while she counts, say, the number of ducks on a page of a picture book...with JUST HER EYES. Then, "Ten!" Why yes, yes there are ten. She's very proud of this.

Ever our daredevil.  And the light. How I love fall light. I'm the shadow puppet in the far right corner.

A ventured into the world of toilet training for a day. That was very new, and we were very excited. But in her own words, "I'm done with that now." She's also entered the world of imaginative play where plastic ponies talk and dried flower stalks become magic wands.

An example of the I'm not cooperating face.

Another. Notice the eyes watching and waiting for the effect of her pout.

 K is addicted to the "so big" game. It's like he has marionette strings attached to his dimpled little wrists.  "How big is K?" He waits for the cue. "So" the arms shoot up or out or behind, wherever he can get them to go, "Big!" And then the head tilts back, the mouth curls up, and eyes squint shut in a so proud of myself smile.  He loves when we pile on the praise.  Just don't get too loud about it, or he might cry instead. He's also sitting, waving, and today...clapping.

Something borrowed...

"You say grace before meals.
All right.
But I say grace before the play and the opera,
And grace before the concert and the pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing,
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink."

G.K. Chesterton, From an early notebook (mid-1890s)

Early morning in our front yard. Frost and sunlight mix. And the world is diamonds.

Is all of life such a feast? I have been working on new eyes. The world through a lens is a fascinating, intricate thing. Grace.

Something blue...

The sky today which was accompanied by 70-degree weather. So mild for this time of year. And these...

For some reason, this blog prefers this picture vertical. Personally, I like it horizontal.  I guess we'll all have to use our imaginations.

We've also been making attempts at holiday picture photos.  There have been three takes. So far, no luck. But we'll get there.

Take 1. We're tempted to use this one. Anything else would be false advertising.