My grandfather, John C. Parkhurst, was exceptional in every way. He was a noted community leader, pivotal in Illinois legislature, devoted to service, and a respected attorney. His works helped to create the Peoria we know today, not to mention impacting the entire state of Illinois. These are some of the articles that have appeared in the Peoria Journal Star since his death two weeks ago:
John Carlton Parkhurst remembered for service, song
Who's next in line to put their stamp on Peoria?
The link to his obituary is no longer active, but it was written by his six children and was a beautiful tribute to his life.
But as accomplished as he was, I remember the grandpa, not the statesman. I was the first of his twelve grandchildren, his "Famous Amos." I remember playing at his great old house growing up. A creek ran through his backyard, and he and my grandma Hattie used to bring out wicker baskets into the backyard, take us down into the creek, and play Moses in the Bullrushes with us. Parky was always the loudest voice singing the hymns at church, booming out from the balcony. He taught Sunday school, and when I got into high school and college, I became his teaching partner for the fourth and fifth graders. Parky talked to God like He was a friend, and his great faith was evident in everything he did.
I used to spend the night at Hattie and Parky's house when my parents were out of town. It was a great old house, full of interesting things. I remember how patient and loving he was with me. When I was little and refused to eat vegetables, he recited a poem to me about "peas with honey," then smeared a butter knife with honey and painstakingly lined up peas in the honey for me to eat. He played with me on the staircase, helping me find the halfway point, then read me A.A. Milne's poem about sitting on the stairs and being "halfway up and halfway down." I remember going out for breakfast with him, and Parky making me write down my order before I could eat, so that I could practice my spelling. He sat in bed with me at night, reading endless bedtime stories, not just the words on the page, but discussing the illustrations and what I thought about the stories. Parky loved with written word. He read constantly himself, and it was the eloquent letters that he wrote home to my grandmother during World War II that caused her to fall in love with him. He loved playing with words to find just the right combination, and every birthday and family occassion growing up was accompanied by an original Parky Poem. When I grew up to become an English teacher, it was due in no small part to the love he instilled in me for reading and writing at an early age. As I began work as adult, Parky always asked me what my classes were doing, and he constantly told me that he wished that I "had been his teacher."
Parky loved music of all kinds. One of my earliest memories is of sitting at the piano with him, listening to him sing and play "Ball and Chain." Photos show him also doing this with each of his six children, as well as his 12 grandchildren. He sang in the church choir, and he performed in Corn Stock, a very cool local theatre group. All six of his children caught his love for music and passed it on to their kids. My uncles still sing in church choirs, and most of the siblings have performed in various bands over the years. My uncle, as well as his wife and kids, are still deeply involved in Corn Stock. As for us cousins, nearly all grew up to play the piano to some degree, and most of us also sing or play various instruments. None of us have quite the same booming voice as Parky, though--no one does.
That voice was famous while I was growing up. He was on speech team in high school and never outgrew his love for oration. He delivered messages at church and spoke at numerous community events, in addition to his full load as an attorney. He focused not on just word choice, but on projection, enunciation, and dramatic pauses. Every time I ever did any kind of reading or public speaking in front of him, his critique afterwards included exhortations to "enunciate" and "project."
Hattie and Parky's house was always open, to everyone. I think most of my childhood friends made it over there at least once over the years. They hosted at least one huge family gathering every month, often in the backyard on Parky's Patio. All our Thanksgivings and Christmases were there, and we have a series of great family photos in front of the fireplace, watching our family grow each year. Growing up, I was as much at home at their house as I was at my own. We kids ran wild across the big yard, playing in the creek, under the huge pine trees, in the sandbox. My mom and her siblings tell stories about the many parties and gatherings held in their house as they grew up. I remember Hattie and Parky taking us out to dinner all the time, in various locations across Peoria, most particularly Vonachan's, Lum's, and my personal favorite, Long John Silver's. Even though Hattie and Parky were famous in our community, they never acted like it. We went out for fast food with both of them wearing sweatsuits. They were completely unpretentious.
Still, though, there was no denying the fact that everyone knew them. Being the child of one of his two daughters, I didn't share his last name, so people didn't always realize that I was related to him. But there was always an odd little feeling of pride that came when the recognition would spark in adults' eyes and they would say, "OH, you're John and Harriet's granddaughter" and look at me with a new measure of respect. Everybody who met them loved Parky and Hattie, not just for their endless civic accomplishments and awards, but for the love and kindness that they showed everyone they met.
My grandmother Hattie lost her battle with cancer when I was a junior in high school. She was the love of Parky's life, and after her passing, he spent hours and hours every week sitting at her gravesite, telling her in detail about what all of their kids and grandkids were up to. He always talked about how he had been so blessed to have her in his life. When I graduated high school, his gift to me was the center diamong out of the engagement ring he had given her way back in the 1940s. That diamond is now the stone in my own engagement ring, a reminder not just of my commitment to Ben, but of the overwhelming love that my grandparents both shared and exuded, and an inspiration to live in the same way.
The past few years have been very rough on Parky. He has been living in a nursing home, moving around in a wheelchair, often assisted by oxygen. He was in and out of the hospital, and there were many close calls with his health. There were times when he needed to be reminded who the people around him were. But everyone at the nursing home loved him. Even if he was confused about who was who, he still treated everyone around him with respect, and would ask people, in that great booming voice, his tone making it clear that he genuinely cared about the response, "And how are YOU today?" When Bryn Elizabeth was born in 2005, he was already in the nursing home, and all of our pictures of them together show him in a wheelchair. But he was thrilled to meet her and told everyone, "When I was young, I had a Tin Lizzie. Now, I have a Bryn Lizzie!" He was so proud of his entire family.
I could go on and on about what an amazing man our Parky was. He exuded love, faith, and commitment to helping others in all that he did. They don't make many like him. He will be sorely missed.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
An Update
My dear friends and loyal readers -
I just have a second, but I wanted to update you all on what's been happening in our lives. Last Tuesday night, my mom called me and let me know that her father, my grandfather Parky, my last remaining grandparent, was in the hospital in critical care. He had actually been in the hospital for nearly a week then, following what we think was a stroke, but his condition was worsening. I packed up and left Indy for Peoria on Wednesday, leaving the girls with Ben and an assist from our wonderful sitter Lauren during the day.
I was able to spend a great deal of time with my grandfather and the rest of my extended family at the hospital on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Thursday, the family met with the doctors, who told us that his condition would likely not improve. He had a living will and had made clear his wishes not to have his life sustained by artificial means, and after a difficult meeting, the family decided to withdraw any medical interventions that might cause him pain or discomfort. At that point, we knew it would only be a matter of time before he passed.
On Friday, I made the drive back to Indy for an OB appointment (more on that at some later, more cheerful time), and then Ben and the girls returned to Peoria with me--LOTS of driving! We are so grateful that we did it, though, because Parky passed on Saturday morning.
We had the final viewing for our family yesterday (he is being cremated), and now we are in a holding pattern to see what comes next. Ben returned to Indy with my sister Kristin on Sunday evening, but Bryn, Shay, and I are still in Peoria. We will have a family ceremony sometime this week to bury his ashes, and we're not sure yet when the actual funeral will occur, although that will hopefully be determined this afternoon. So for right now, the girls and I are just trying to be a help to my mom and the rest of the extended family, and waiting to hear when these ceremonies will take place. Depending on the dates that are chosen, we may just remain in Peoria for the duration, or we may return to Indy and come back another time.
Huge thanks go out to everyone in Indy that has helped with our dogs and rescheduling our lives over the past six days, as well as everyone in Peoria who has provided companionship and comfort for us. I know that many of you have been praying for us, and we certainly appreciate that outpouring of love and faith. Thank you, all, for your friendship. I'll keep you all updated as we find out more.
I just have a second, but I wanted to update you all on what's been happening in our lives. Last Tuesday night, my mom called me and let me know that her father, my grandfather Parky, my last remaining grandparent, was in the hospital in critical care. He had actually been in the hospital for nearly a week then, following what we think was a stroke, but his condition was worsening. I packed up and left Indy for Peoria on Wednesday, leaving the girls with Ben and an assist from our wonderful sitter Lauren during the day.
I was able to spend a great deal of time with my grandfather and the rest of my extended family at the hospital on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Thursday, the family met with the doctors, who told us that his condition would likely not improve. He had a living will and had made clear his wishes not to have his life sustained by artificial means, and after a difficult meeting, the family decided to withdraw any medical interventions that might cause him pain or discomfort. At that point, we knew it would only be a matter of time before he passed.
On Friday, I made the drive back to Indy for an OB appointment (more on that at some later, more cheerful time), and then Ben and the girls returned to Peoria with me--LOTS of driving! We are so grateful that we did it, though, because Parky passed on Saturday morning.
We had the final viewing for our family yesterday (he is being cremated), and now we are in a holding pattern to see what comes next. Ben returned to Indy with my sister Kristin on Sunday evening, but Bryn, Shay, and I are still in Peoria. We will have a family ceremony sometime this week to bury his ashes, and we're not sure yet when the actual funeral will occur, although that will hopefully be determined this afternoon. So for right now, the girls and I are just trying to be a help to my mom and the rest of the extended family, and waiting to hear when these ceremonies will take place. Depending on the dates that are chosen, we may just remain in Peoria for the duration, or we may return to Indy and come back another time.
Huge thanks go out to everyone in Indy that has helped with our dogs and rescheduling our lives over the past six days, as well as everyone in Peoria who has provided companionship and comfort for us. I know that many of you have been praying for us, and we certainly appreciate that outpouring of love and faith. Thank you, all, for your friendship. I'll keep you all updated as we find out more.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Brynie's Babies
We've got a bit of situation on our hands. It seems that I am not the only one in this household who is with child. Bryn tells us that she is pregnant with twins and will be delivering them any day now.
This actually started back in July, when we traveled to Peoria for a friend's wedding. While we were there, Bryn announced to Grandma and Grandpa that she had a baby in her belly. We weren't sure where she got the idea at that time, since we hadn't told her that I was pregnant yet. We kind of assumed that she was just playing pretend and that the idea would pass soon enough.
Nope.
In the weeks following the wedding, Bryn continued to talk about her baby. She decided that it was a boy, and she named him Clark. (Those remembering her Superman obsession will get this reference.)
I eventually decided to use "her" baby as a jumping-off point to discuss the one that I will be having. I was trying to explain to her that we don't always know if a baby is going to be a boy or a girl before it comes, and I asked her, "What if your baby is a girl?" She thought about this very seriously for a few minutes, and then announced, "Then I will name her Lois Lane." I laughed and told her that was just fine. But after this discussion, she apparently decided that she wanted both a boy baby AND a girl baby, and now she tells everyone that she has two babies in her belly, and their names are Clark and Lois Lane.
Cute, right? Yes, but it's getting out of hand.
When Bryn saw me taking my prenatal vitamins, she asked what they were, and I explained that they were medicine to help my baby grow big and strong. She then demanded that she be allowed to take medicine for HER babies. This was okay, as we'd been trying to get her started on vitamins anyway. What is not okay is that every single morning now, she announces, "I need my medicine for my babies!"
When she saw me getting out of the shower one day, she asked me why my stomach was growing. I told her it was because the baby was growing inside there. I went to get dressed, and when I came back to the bathroom, I found that she had stripped down and was examining her own belly in front of the full-length mirror. "Look, Mommy, my babies are making my belly grow too!"
When her preschool class did a lesson on families, they made these really cute little tree crafts with a leaf for each member of the family. At the end of class, though, her teacher pulled me aside and asked me if I was having twins. I said no, and she asked why, then, Bryn had wanted to put leaves on her tree for two babies. *Sigh.*
I tried to have a reasonable discussion with her about this a few weeks back, asking her who she thought was going to take care of her babies when they came. We talked about all the things that babies need, and after thinking about it, she said, "That is a lot of work. You will need to take care of my babies for me, Mom." (Please, please, please do not let her repeat this statement during her teen years!!!)
Now that she has had babies in her belly since July (after all, 3 months are a very long time when you're 3 1/2), she is getting very impatient for them to come out. She keeps telling me that they will come soon, and she is determined that hers will come before mine. Sometimes she even gets upset and cries and says that she wants them to hurry up and come out. And how will they be coming out? Through her belly button. Or at least that's what she tells me.
Recently she came and got me during naptime with a very panicked look on her face. Completely seriously, she said, "Mommy, I think my babies are about to come out!" I had no idea what to do with that, so I sent her back to bed. This incident was closely followed by a very serious pooping incident that I will avoid describing. Let it suffice to say that she seems to fully understand that babies make your belly feel pretty gross sometimes.
The other day, while eating breakfast, Bryn took a bite of cereal, chewed, swallowed, rubbed her belly, and said, "Yum-o! That is good to baby Clark!" Then she took another bite and said, "And that bite is to Lois Lane." So it seems that she does understand that babies live in their mommies' bellies and need their mommies' food to stay healthy. What she does NOT seem to understand is that she does not ACTUALLY have babies in HER belly.
While this was all super-cute at the beginning, and it actually has given me a springboard to discuss pregnancy with her, it's all getting rather out of hand. I sat her down and had a talk about how my baby is real and her baby is pretend. She agreed and went along with this for about two days, until I realized that she doesn't know what "pretend" means. I then told her that my baby is "real" and hers is "just for play," and she got very agitated with me, insisting that hers is real too.
Our contingency plan was to buy her some baby dolls when my baby comes and tell her that they were her babies. When I tried to talk to her about this, though, she got very upset and told me that hers would be real babies, that cry and need to be rocked and like to drink milk.
So, friends, short of running out and adopting two more babies (which I would love to do, by the way!), any ideas on how to resolve this? :)
This actually started back in July, when we traveled to Peoria for a friend's wedding. While we were there, Bryn announced to Grandma and Grandpa that she had a baby in her belly. We weren't sure where she got the idea at that time, since we hadn't told her that I was pregnant yet. We kind of assumed that she was just playing pretend and that the idea would pass soon enough.
Nope.
In the weeks following the wedding, Bryn continued to talk about her baby. She decided that it was a boy, and she named him Clark. (Those remembering her Superman obsession will get this reference.)
I eventually decided to use "her" baby as a jumping-off point to discuss the one that I will be having. I was trying to explain to her that we don't always know if a baby is going to be a boy or a girl before it comes, and I asked her, "What if your baby is a girl?" She thought about this very seriously for a few minutes, and then announced, "Then I will name her Lois Lane." I laughed and told her that was just fine. But after this discussion, she apparently decided that she wanted both a boy baby AND a girl baby, and now she tells everyone that she has two babies in her belly, and their names are Clark and Lois Lane.
Cute, right? Yes, but it's getting out of hand.
When Bryn saw me taking my prenatal vitamins, she asked what they were, and I explained that they were medicine to help my baby grow big and strong. She then demanded that she be allowed to take medicine for HER babies. This was okay, as we'd been trying to get her started on vitamins anyway. What is not okay is that every single morning now, she announces, "I need my medicine for my babies!"
When she saw me getting out of the shower one day, she asked me why my stomach was growing. I told her it was because the baby was growing inside there. I went to get dressed, and when I came back to the bathroom, I found that she had stripped down and was examining her own belly in front of the full-length mirror. "Look, Mommy, my babies are making my belly grow too!"
When her preschool class did a lesson on families, they made these really cute little tree crafts with a leaf for each member of the family. At the end of class, though, her teacher pulled me aside and asked me if I was having twins. I said no, and she asked why, then, Bryn had wanted to put leaves on her tree for two babies. *Sigh.*
I tried to have a reasonable discussion with her about this a few weeks back, asking her who she thought was going to take care of her babies when they came. We talked about all the things that babies need, and after thinking about it, she said, "That is a lot of work. You will need to take care of my babies for me, Mom." (Please, please, please do not let her repeat this statement during her teen years!!!)
Now that she has had babies in her belly since July (after all, 3 months are a very long time when you're 3 1/2), she is getting very impatient for them to come out. She keeps telling me that they will come soon, and she is determined that hers will come before mine. Sometimes she even gets upset and cries and says that she wants them to hurry up and come out. And how will they be coming out? Through her belly button. Or at least that's what she tells me.
Recently she came and got me during naptime with a very panicked look on her face. Completely seriously, she said, "Mommy, I think my babies are about to come out!" I had no idea what to do with that, so I sent her back to bed. This incident was closely followed by a very serious pooping incident that I will avoid describing. Let it suffice to say that she seems to fully understand that babies make your belly feel pretty gross sometimes.
The other day, while eating breakfast, Bryn took a bite of cereal, chewed, swallowed, rubbed her belly, and said, "Yum-o! That is good to baby Clark!" Then she took another bite and said, "And that bite is to Lois Lane." So it seems that she does understand that babies live in their mommies' bellies and need their mommies' food to stay healthy. What she does NOT seem to understand is that she does not ACTUALLY have babies in HER belly.
While this was all super-cute at the beginning, and it actually has given me a springboard to discuss pregnancy with her, it's all getting rather out of hand. I sat her down and had a talk about how my baby is real and her baby is pretend. She agreed and went along with this for about two days, until I realized that she doesn't know what "pretend" means. I then told her that my baby is "real" and hers is "just for play," and she got very agitated with me, insisting that hers is real too.
Our contingency plan was to buy her some baby dolls when my baby comes and tell her that they were her babies. When I tried to talk to her about this, though, she got very upset and told me that hers would be real babies, that cry and need to be rocked and like to drink milk.
So, friends, short of running out and adopting two more babies (which I would love to do, by the way!), any ideas on how to resolve this? :)
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Boy vs. Man
As I mentioned in a previous post, Shay's newest saying is "oh man!" This really cracks me up. She uses it all the time, and it's so incredibly cute the way she says it. Ben, Bryn, and I have all started saying it too because it's so adorable.
What I noticed the other day, though, is that when she gets excited about something, she says "oh boy!" instead. This led me, the English major, to a contemplation of how subtly different the words "boy" and "man" are, yet how differently they are used in this context. I mean, I'm sure that Shay could not identify the difference between a boy and a man in people (nor could Bryn). Yet when used as an expression, she's got it down.
Doughnuts for breakfast?
Oh boy!
Time to clean up our toys?
Oh man!
Want to play outside?
Oh boy!
Bryn doesn't want to watch the same movie as Shay?
Oh man!
Daddy just got home?
Oh boy!
Time to get up from naps?
Oh man!
(or at least that's how I feel! :))
What I noticed the other day, though, is that when she gets excited about something, she says "oh boy!" instead. This led me, the English major, to a contemplation of how subtly different the words "boy" and "man" are, yet how differently they are used in this context. I mean, I'm sure that Shay could not identify the difference between a boy and a man in people (nor could Bryn). Yet when used as an expression, she's got it down.
Doughnuts for breakfast?
Oh boy!
Time to clean up our toys?
Oh man!
Want to play outside?
Oh boy!
Bryn doesn't want to watch the same movie as Shay?
Oh man!
Daddy just got home?
Oh boy!
Time to get up from naps?
Oh man!
(or at least that's how I feel! :))
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Bulldog Babies
This weekend was Butler's Homecoming, and Ben and I took the girls to campus to check out the festivities. We wandered around the mall and did all the fun free stuff, but we left before the football game began in order to get home for naps. Here are a few of my favorite shots:
After naps, we hosted a Butler band reunion / cookout at our house. We didn't realize how big this was going to get when we first offered to host! We had 22 adults and 15 kids at our house, and it was crazy fun! It was so good to get caught up with old friends and to meet some of their kids for the first time. Good times--Go Bulldogs!!
After naps, we hosted a Butler band reunion / cookout at our house. We didn't realize how big this was going to get when we first offered to host! We had 22 adults and 15 kids at our house, and it was crazy fun! It was so good to get caught up with old friends and to meet some of their kids for the first time. Good times--Go Bulldogs!!Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Quotable Conversations
We've heard some pretty funny stuff around our house lately. Unfortunately, it seems that I usually play the role of straight man. Here are some examples:
The girls and I spent the day at Fair Oaks Farms and got to see a baby cow being born. I viewed this as a somewhat traumatic experience, as the baby cow got stuck and needed to be pulled out. Bryn, however, apparently found it humorous.
Bryn (to her teacher): I saw a mommy have her baby!
Teacher: Really?
Me: She means a cow. We went to the farm yesterday.
Bryn: And the baby got stuck!!
Teacher: Oh my!
Bryn (laughing): Her feet were sticking out of her mommy's bottom!!
*****
Shay's new favorite expression (repeated at least every 10 minutes): "Oh man!"
*****
While watching "Glee" online with me, Ben had a somewhat bemused, somewhat disgusted look on his face.
Me: You know, you don't have to watch this if you think it's so dumb.
Ben: No, it's fine. I recognize the show for what it is.
Me: And what would that be, exactly?
Ben: Made for you.
*****
After being asked to put on her shoes:
Bryn: You are making me crazy, Mom!
Yes, honey, and the feeling is mutual. :)
The girls and I spent the day at Fair Oaks Farms and got to see a baby cow being born. I viewed this as a somewhat traumatic experience, as the baby cow got stuck and needed to be pulled out. Bryn, however, apparently found it humorous.
Bryn (to her teacher): I saw a mommy have her baby!
Teacher: Really?
Me: She means a cow. We went to the farm yesterday.
Bryn: And the baby got stuck!!
Teacher: Oh my!
Bryn (laughing): Her feet were sticking out of her mommy's bottom!!
*****
Shay's new favorite expression (repeated at least every 10 minutes): "Oh man!"
*****
While watching "Glee" online with me, Ben had a somewhat bemused, somewhat disgusted look on his face.
Me: You know, you don't have to watch this if you think it's so dumb.
Ben: No, it's fine. I recognize the show for what it is.
Me: And what would that be, exactly?
Ben: Made for you.
*****
After being asked to put on her shoes:
Bryn: You are making me crazy, Mom!
Yes, honey, and the feeling is mutual. :)
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Catching Up: A Few More Things
As the end of tonight's turbo blogging, a few odds and ends that didn't fit in anywhere else....
Everybody loves the circus!
Everybody loves the circus!
Our family after the circus
(while I'm short, I'm not THAT short--Ben is standing a step above me)
Bryn and Shay with their friends Emily and Chris during a multi-family outing to Chick Fil-A
Bejeweled Shay
And this is what happens with 3-year-olds are allowed to dress themselves...
Catching Up: Fall Festival
We attended Fall Fest in Zionsville last weekend to celebrate the end of my job and my return to stay-at-home motherhood. The girls had a fantastic time!!
Enjoying the petting zoo
Bryn with her new fireman's helmet and Nemo face (er, arm) painting
Baby's first tattoo
Choo choo!
Harley girls
Harley girls
Enjoying the petting zoo
Catching Up: Bryn's First Day of School
This is Bryn's second year at St. Andrew's Nursery School. She absolutely adores it and couldn't wait to get back this fall! We think the school is a huge godsend, as it has transformed her from the shy, clingy little girl of last fall to the chatterbox of the present day. I was pretty bummed this year because I wasn't able to attend her first day, since subs don't really get days off. But Ben had a great time taking her and getting to be part of the whole experience.
Ready to go
Enjoying the classroom toys next to her friend Chris
Pretending to call Mommy to tell me what a great day she was having!
Bryn and Chris with their incredibly fantastic teachers
Ready to go
These are the only tears that Bryn shed on the first day. Why was she crying? Because they got to school too early and Daddy suggested going to get a doughnut instead of waiting in the parking lot. All Bryn wanted to do was go to her school!!
Enjoying the classroom toys next to her friend Chris
Pretending to call Mommy to tell me what a great day she was having!
Bryn and Chris with their incredibly fantastic teachers
Catching Up: Weekend at Camp Tecumseh
During the first weekend in September, our family headed up to Brookston to celebrate Camp Tecumseh's 85th year. This was a fantastic chance to get caught up on old friends from our camp days (5 years as a camper and 5 years as a counselor for me, and I even dragged Ben along for one summer as a counselor) and show our girls the place that we love so much. They quickly fell in love with it too and had a truly fantastic weekend. We all spent the day trying out various camp activities, such as the Black Hole slide, the Three House Treehouse playground, paddleboats on the lake, the new frisbee golf course (that one was just Ben), a trail ride for Bryn, new games, a picnic dinner, and a campfire full of favorite songs and skits. Ben and Shay headed home after the campfire, and Bryn and I spent the night at camp. In the morning, we had breakfast in the dining hall, went to outdoor chapel, and even fit in another trail ride before heading home. What a fantastic weekend!
Ben and the girls at the top of the Black Hole slide
Is she really big enough for this?!?! Bryn on "her" horse, Minnie.
Bryn with the chickens at the mini-farm--she couldn't get enough of this place!
Ben and the girls at the top of the Black Hole slide
Equestrian Bryn, ready for her first horse ride
Bryn petting her horse of choice--she had to have a white one!
Is she really big enough for this?!?! Bryn on "her" horse, Minnie.
Bryn with the chickens at the mini-farm--she couldn't get enough of this place!
Catching Up: Bryn's Dance Class
Here's the first of several photo posts tonight, my attempt to get caught up on sharing the cuteness of the past few weeks. Bryn has recently started dance classes at a local studio. The classes are a half hour a week and feature a combination of intro to ballet, tap, and tumbling. Bryn absolutely loves them!
Dancing across the room
Trying out a backbend for the first time
With her friend Ella before class
Model student--can't wait to learn ballet!
Showing off her dance outfit at home
Dancing across the room
Trying out a backbend for the first time
Ups and Downs
It has been an odd sort of week. I have absolutely loved being home with the girls, getting to spend time with them and be part of their daily routines. I love getting back to my "real" life, starting back into activities that I have really missed over the last year. Here's a quick run-down of what my first week "off" entailed:
Friday night - We went to the Zionsville Fall Festival, which is basically a carnival. The kids had a fantastic time eating snowcones, playing overpriced games for cheap prizes, and riding every kiddie ride there. Based on the absolute glee on her face while riding, I think our Shay is going to grow up to be a thrill-seeker!
Saturday - Grammy Tina (my mom) visited, and she went to the circus with us. Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey were in town, and we sprang for far better seats than in previous years. This year we could actually see what was happening rather than feeling like we were going to fall off the edge of the world. :) The girls loved the circus (and the snacks that went with it!), but I think Grammy liked it best of all, not having been to one since her kids were little! Then home for late naps, and then out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (super yum!) with Grammy and Aunt Kristin.
Sunday - Grammy headed home, and we went to church. A nice, relatively quiet day to get caught up on things.
Monday - The girls were champs and accompanied me on errands all morning as I attempted to get caught up on the million things I have neglected over the last six weeks. We celebrated by going out to lunch at Steak 'n' Shake with Cathy, Christopher, and Samuel. At night, I actually cooked a big elaborate dinner--something that hasn't happened in a very long time! Between my nausea over the summer and the busyness of working this fall, our diet has not been the greatest. I cooked good stuff every night this week and am really excited about getting back into the routine. Ben keeps moaning and groaning that he's going to gain weight, but I know he secretly likes it. :)
Tuesday - I took Bryn to preschool, and then Shay and I ran some more errands, including a long-overdue trip to the bank to iron out some things with our mortgage and my retirement account. We then played at the playground for a nice long time, and I got a good long catch-up phonecall with my friend Melissa, who has recently become a mommy to baby Will. Tuesday evening held dance class for Bryn--trust me, you cannot wait to see the cute pictures of this!
Wednesday - The girls and I headed to my Mom to Mom group at church. I was part of this group for the two years that I stayed home before, and I really missed it last year. It was SO good to get back with all these wonderful ladies and meet some new ones who have joined over the past year.
Thursday - Preschool for Bryn again. She adores her school and begs to go even on the days that it doesn't meet. While she was in class this day, Shay and I drove across town to attend her first Kindermusik class. We had both girls in a Family Time class last fall, which is designed for families with kids of multiple ages. That was fun, but already I can see Shay getting so much more out of a class designed especially for her age group.
Friday - The girls were again angel babies while I dragged them on errands. After way too short naps, I yanked them out of deep sleeps to throw then in the car and drive to my OB's office, where Ben met us in the parking lot and took them to the park during my appointment. I am thrilled to report that the baby has a good strong heartbeat and all is going well!! When we got home, Rob, Andrea, Hannah, and Hailey joined us for an evening of dinner and games. Bryn and Hannah are so cute playing together!
Saturday - I got up early and headed out to a nearby church for the Start from the Heart parenting conference. I got soooo pumped up from this and learned so many great things! I'll have to do a separate post just about that. Following the conference, I ran some errands for crafting supplies for the many projects I have planned. In the evening, we went to church and then went had a scrumptious dinner with the Julius clan, Mike, Kathleen, Emily, Sarah, and Kristin.
Sunday - Ben and I worked in Bryn's class at church this morning. Since then, it's been a pretty quiet afternoon and evening of getting caught up on some things around the house. Our big project was moving the crib and toddler bed out of Bryn's room and then moving in a big bed (actually the double bed I used before we got married). Tonight will be her first night in that!
So those were all the "ups" of the week, and I have several photo posts to follow to illustrate all those great things. The "downs" of the week have largely been remember. This week marked both the three-year anniversary of my first miscarriage and the one-year anniversary of my third miscarriage. While we are in a really good place right now, with two beautiful girls and a healthy baby on the way, it was still very, very hard to remember those babies that didn't make it. It made for a very odd juxtaposition, being so happy about being home with the girls while still being so sad about the bad things that have come before. Thank you to the many, many friends who expressed such an outpouring of love and support this week--love you all!
Friday night - We went to the Zionsville Fall Festival, which is basically a carnival. The kids had a fantastic time eating snowcones, playing overpriced games for cheap prizes, and riding every kiddie ride there. Based on the absolute glee on her face while riding, I think our Shay is going to grow up to be a thrill-seeker!
Saturday - Grammy Tina (my mom) visited, and she went to the circus with us. Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey were in town, and we sprang for far better seats than in previous years. This year we could actually see what was happening rather than feeling like we were going to fall off the edge of the world. :) The girls loved the circus (and the snacks that went with it!), but I think Grammy liked it best of all, not having been to one since her kids were little! Then home for late naps, and then out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (super yum!) with Grammy and Aunt Kristin.
Sunday - Grammy headed home, and we went to church. A nice, relatively quiet day to get caught up on things.
Monday - The girls were champs and accompanied me on errands all morning as I attempted to get caught up on the million things I have neglected over the last six weeks. We celebrated by going out to lunch at Steak 'n' Shake with Cathy, Christopher, and Samuel. At night, I actually cooked a big elaborate dinner--something that hasn't happened in a very long time! Between my nausea over the summer and the busyness of working this fall, our diet has not been the greatest. I cooked good stuff every night this week and am really excited about getting back into the routine. Ben keeps moaning and groaning that he's going to gain weight, but I know he secretly likes it. :)
Tuesday - I took Bryn to preschool, and then Shay and I ran some more errands, including a long-overdue trip to the bank to iron out some things with our mortgage and my retirement account. We then played at the playground for a nice long time, and I got a good long catch-up phonecall with my friend Melissa, who has recently become a mommy to baby Will. Tuesday evening held dance class for Bryn--trust me, you cannot wait to see the cute pictures of this!
Wednesday - The girls and I headed to my Mom to Mom group at church. I was part of this group for the two years that I stayed home before, and I really missed it last year. It was SO good to get back with all these wonderful ladies and meet some new ones who have joined over the past year.
Thursday - Preschool for Bryn again. She adores her school and begs to go even on the days that it doesn't meet. While she was in class this day, Shay and I drove across town to attend her first Kindermusik class. We had both girls in a Family Time class last fall, which is designed for families with kids of multiple ages. That was fun, but already I can see Shay getting so much more out of a class designed especially for her age group.
Friday - The girls were again angel babies while I dragged them on errands. After way too short naps, I yanked them out of deep sleeps to throw then in the car and drive to my OB's office, where Ben met us in the parking lot and took them to the park during my appointment. I am thrilled to report that the baby has a good strong heartbeat and all is going well!! When we got home, Rob, Andrea, Hannah, and Hailey joined us for an evening of dinner and games. Bryn and Hannah are so cute playing together!
Saturday - I got up early and headed out to a nearby church for the Start from the Heart parenting conference. I got soooo pumped up from this and learned so many great things! I'll have to do a separate post just about that. Following the conference, I ran some errands for crafting supplies for the many projects I have planned. In the evening, we went to church and then went had a scrumptious dinner with the Julius clan, Mike, Kathleen, Emily, Sarah, and Kristin.
Sunday - Ben and I worked in Bryn's class at church this morning. Since then, it's been a pretty quiet afternoon and evening of getting caught up on some things around the house. Our big project was moving the crib and toddler bed out of Bryn's room and then moving in a big bed (actually the double bed I used before we got married). Tonight will be her first night in that!
So those were all the "ups" of the week, and I have several photo posts to follow to illustrate all those great things. The "downs" of the week have largely been remember. This week marked both the three-year anniversary of my first miscarriage and the one-year anniversary of my third miscarriage. While we are in a really good place right now, with two beautiful girls and a healthy baby on the way, it was still very, very hard to remember those babies that didn't make it. It made for a very odd juxtaposition, being so happy about being home with the girls while still being so sad about the bad things that have come before. Thank you to the many, many friends who expressed such an outpouring of love and support this week--love you all!
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