30 November 2010

home again.


super duper cooper

highlights of the week included: cooper, time with the johnson's, fresh seattle crab, oprah reruns, my mom's thanksgiving cooking (although this is more like the highlight of the year), an evening with high school friends, three games of catan, the padres, time with the telling's, fresh seattle salmon, one very long parade (good idea, cooper), a day downtown, peppermint hot chocolate, mootz, and mocha mondays (followed by mocha tuesdays, mocha wednesdays, mocha thursdays and mocha fridays, naturally).


cooper is one of the sweetest boys i know. he is smiley, well-mannered and inviting. if my mom was missing from the room cooper would quickly notice, saying, "c'mon nana, c'mon nana" while extending a hand towards her. i was so thankful to spend 2 full days with the johnson's and to have the telling's over for an afternoon. it is always a gift to have a full family around the table.

16 November 2010

an awakening.

The day of my spiritual awakening was the day I saw--and knew I saw--all things in God and God in all things.
- Mechtild of Magdeburg

13 November 2010

a very special day.

today is november 13th, the birthday of not one, but two of my nephews! andrew and cooper were born one year apart on the exact same day. it is hard to put into words the joy that has since followed their births. i love living near andrew and look forward to seeing cooper soon while i'm in seattle over thanksgiving. i miss him!

three years ago today i was in argentina surrounded by a group of YAGM volunteers. upon news of andrew's arrival we celebrated with a cake, candles and happy birthday spanish-style. my sister and i reminisced earlier while watching this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvm86HcgPAA

so much has happened since then; 2007 feels like a lifetime ago. in some ways, i suppose it was. my prayer is that it keeps getting better. that by living through heartache and loss we experience joy, beauty and contentment more fully. ah, but i digress.

it was a perfect day for a pancake party! although when analisa asked andrew what he wanted to do for his birthday, he routinely replied, "eat tic-tacs with daddy." to which she would say, "really, andrew? that is what you want to do for your birthday?" and he would confirm, "yes. with blue and green tic-tacs, please."

we celebrated the first snow of the season with three inches on the ground by 7am. it has persisted ever since.  who knows what adventures tomorrow will bring, but today's will carry me through for a good while. 

grateful for family today.

Andrew "the bugger" Gerbig and me.

05 November 2010

andrew.

i love this little man.

this is andrew's new thing. ask him to strike a pose, and this is what you'll get.

03 November 2010

to love and be loved.

when we love well, everything else takes care of itself. this i believe.