Georgia

We awoke at 4:30 on a Wednesday morning with plans to take the first T ride headed to the airport at 5:15 for our 7:15 flight. The suitcases were in the front hall, and we had checked the flight schedule the night before to see that every flight after ours had been cancelled. I was feeling a bit smug that despite the dread of getting up so early we had seemed to pick the only flight that would still get out before the snow storm.

The first thing I did when the alarm went off was check the flight....and learn that it was cancelled. Immediately we booked another flight on a different airline. We headed straight to the airport for a flight still planned for departure at about 7 am. At security I was brought into a back room to be searched because I didn't pass the hand residue test. With Sophia still strapped to me in the baby carrier, I encouraged the agent to do whatever she needed to do so we could keep moving. We ran to the gate and learned that they had been calling our names. After an hour on the plane and three de-icings we were brought back to the gate. I was tired, disappointed, and grateful to be kept safe.

The next day we were back on a plane headed to Atlanta. It was delayed twice, but we finally landed at 10 pm. Unfortunately our luggage went to Charlotte. 

Even with all of the delays, we didn't travel as long as Sophia's Great Aunt Jan and Uncle Ray, who drove from New Orleans on Thursday to be in Atlanta on Friday and drive back on Saturday. We loved being able to spend time with them as well as Ray's daughter and son-in-law.

Atlanta is home to one of my best friends since high school, Sarah. We try to see each other at least once a year despite the distance, and in the past 1l months there have been two new babies. 

We were introducing Sophia, and Sarah & Ronnie were introducing 7 week old Micah, baby brother to 2 1/2 year old Elisha.

A year ago we asked Sarah and Ronnie to be Sophia's legal guardians if anything were to happen to Josh and I. We chose them because of the way they love each other, their kids, and God.

During the weekend we stayed up too late after the kids were in bed, talking about how to discipline children, Trayvon Martin, and gay marriage.

During the day we played a lot.

We also ate really well. Before we boarded the plane, Sarah made a Sunday dinner of ham, cornbread, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, collard greens and banana pudding. Collard greens are one of my favorite things, and when I asked Josh if I could make them back home, he said only if they tasted like Sarah's (guess I need to find some "smoked turkey tails" in Boston).

Valentine's Day 2014

Dinner at our house has become a rather hectic experience. Close to Sophia's bedtime, we tend to eat quickly while passing her back and forth.

My experiences of eating out on Valentine's day have been somewhat hectic as well....crowded....loud....feeling a bit rushed as the table needs to be turned over for the next diners.

Last year we started a new tradition of going to the grocery store and picking out whatever we wanted for one meal.  Things we normally wouldn't splurge on (for example buying the pint of Ben & Jerry's, instead of the store brand). An essential item is good crusty bread with lots of butter, as that is probably my favorite part of eating at a restaurant. The other rule is that it is all prepared foods. Last year I went to Whole Foods, and this year it was Trader Joe's, both times the total cost of our meal amounted to about the cost of one restaurant entree.

Sophia was napping as we sat down for dinner.....I put on a favorite cd of Ella & Louis....sprinkled fake rose petals on the table along with Valentine's cards that had been sent to Sophia....and lit some candles (which made it too dark, so Joshua brought a table lamp in from the living room to preserve the ambiance). 

Yes, there was a high chair, a 'pack n play', an 'exersaucer', and a changing table decorating the perimeter of the room, but there was also table side dancing and discussions of where we might take a 10th Anniversary trip in three years.

When it came time for dessert, there was also a visitor.

For Joshua's Valentine's Day gift, I created a list of Thank You's for the ways he had shown love to his girls throughout the year. Some of the highlights: 

Washing diapers & dishes; Shoveling snow & cleaning up cat vomit; Reading "Big Red Barn" instead of emails & bouncing a baby during conference calls.

I love both flowers and chocolates, but I struggle with the obligatory nature of "The Man must buy flowers, chocolates, and a greeting card or get in trouble". I like the idea of celebrating love, but easily tire of the marketing suggesting that a $300 necklace is the best way of showing it. With all this said, I appreciated that Joshua unexpectedly chose to give me one of my favorite things this year, a book!

Made To Be As You Are

Dear Sophia,

You have my feet. Your face looks mostly like your Dad...but that gap between your big toe and the next came from me.

When I look at all your pieces....your feet....belly...nose, I never think, "If only this part was different". And I already wish for you that you could always feel the same way. 

Partly this will be up to me...how I talk about my own body and ...what I define as beautiful. But there will also be a very powerful societal surge out there that will lie to you. It will try to convince you that physical looks are most important, and may even tell you that yours don't fit the 'right' mold.

There is nothing wrong with painting your face or dying your hair (mine was purple when I was thirteen), but I hope you always know that you were created to be so much more than an ornament.

Sophia, I will tell you all of your life how God intentionally put you together and made no mistakes. Those who did not create you may have opinions about parts of you they think are too big... or too small. Opinions can feel hurtful, but that does not mean these are mistakes. 

You yourself may someday say, "I wish this or that was different". Whenever you feel like this baby girl, remember that God gave you toes that are long enough to pick things up with (I will teach you how someday), as well as ears that can hear, and eyes that can see.

And if those toes should fall off, as well as an eye and a ear, I would tell you how many people still love you regardless. And I would also tell you that those people were the ones to hold onto in the first place anyhow.  

I hope you eventually have lots of wrinkles around your eyes from smiling often. And if someday you ask me why my tummy sags in the middle, I will tell you it was once filled with a growing you, and how you were worth much more than a flat belly ever could be.

Much love,
Your Mama

Sophia & Sports

Sophia playing soccer with her athletic side of the Family

Sophia's Superbowl plans of 2014 are the same as her recent New Year's Eve plans, the main event will be sleeping. Much of this is due to her 8 month old status, but that cannot be blamed for why I spent Superbowl 2013 doing the same. 

If an interest in sports was a purely genetic phenomenon, Sophia would have a fifty percent chance of inheriting it.

Neither my Father nor my Mother spent much time playing or watching them. Since my Mom went to Ohio State and my Dad to the University of Michigan, they would tease each other about that sports rivalry. In addition my Dad collected baseball cards when he was a kid. That was about the extent of it.

During my own childhood, I liked to be the catcher in T-ball because you got to put on all this neat gear and you had to run the least. To this day I don't think I've run further than the gym class mile at a given time. A brief stint with indoor soccer a few years later was primarily because I wanted to wear shin guards. My best sport however was swimming. When we were doing warm up laps, other kids would literally pass me in the same lane. This created the sensation of someone swimming over you. At the end of the season I received a medal for "tried the hardest", a trend that has amplified in recent years with 'everyone gets a trophy'.

When I watch sports I have two reactions: boredom or anxiety/sadness for the losing team. I have to look away when the camera zooms in on the faces of the team that just lost, but my husband reminds me that they are usually being paid very well. I don't feel a particular allegiance to a team just because they happen to play in the city I am from, and generally would like to see the team win that has previously lost the most.

Joshua on the other hand was on soccer, football, basketball, and track teams. Watching football is one of his favorite things to do. He contends that playing sports teaches valuable lessons such as how to be a part of a team, how to lose well, and how to work towards a goal. If Sophia decides she would like to play sports I hope that she learns all these things. For my part I will try to not worry too much about potential injuries and cheer loudly for her team (even if they are winning).