Happy Graduation!

I received my PhD diploma at graduation ceremonies last week.

I am so thankful for the family and friends that visited and the four (yes, FOUR) bouquets of flowers that were sent by loved ones far away. It was a wonderful celebration.

More pictures to come...

The Joys of Childhood

I wonder what life would be like if I faced each day with the joy that Eleanor exudes. A simple run through the park, a ride in the swing, a red balloon....

the simple joys of childhood bring such joy to her life.

Does every child have this joy? And then we just lose it? Or is it just Eleanor? 

I'm not sure.

I have felt a little down lately. Perhaps it's our lingering cold weather (the above pictures from the park were a blip in the weather a few weeks ago), or that I miss my family, or that I want to see my PaPa, or that finishing my PhD feels rather anticlimactic, or that I'm bored at work, or that- once again- Adam and I are in a sort of holding pattern as we think about moving to the next stage in life....

I'm not sure.

Once I read on a coffee cup that 

"Abiding joy does not exist because of what is happening around you, it exists because of the One who is living in you." 

Perhaps I should take a lesson from my sweet, joyful girl. Enjoy the simple things in life. Like a run in the park. Like the swings. Like a red balloon. Like her.

I have the most amazing daughter. I am so thankful.

Perhaps thankfulness for my amazing daughter, my amazing life...maybe that will refresh my joyful outlook on life.

I am so lucky.

The Beloved Bouncer

Some dear friends gave Eleanor this bouncer chair before she was born, and she practically lived in it from birth to six months because it was her favorite place to nap. I often put her in it just outside the bathroom door when I was taking a shower too....that is, until about October, when I ended my shower one day only to find her crawling down the hall with the chair strapped to her back. :)

Since then, the bouncer chair has been in my bedroom on top of Tucker's crate/house, waiting until I got the motivation to find the original box in our garage storage area, unassemble the chair, and put it in storage.

About 2 weeks ago, that motivation finally happened-- putting the chair in storage was on my to-do list! So I made progress by moving it downstairs near the garage door.

Only it never made it to long-term storage, because a little Bug found her bouncer again. :)

 So stinkin' cute.

And now every day, she takes a book to her chair to lounge and read. I tried to remove the toy bar across the top for easier access for her, but she put it back on. Apparaently, change does not suit her.

So what am I to do? The child needs a lounging space. Her only other lounging spot is the dog's bed in our closet (seriously, she sits in there with Jake and reads books all the time). But, regarding the chair, she has to be above the weight limit at this point. The chair is riding so low that I am afraid it will break.

In the next couple of weeks, I am going to have to purchase an arm chair for her, one of those little stuffed chairs from Pottery Barn Kids. They are so expensive, but my beloved toddler cannot continue with the baby bouncer chair or the dog's bed. Perhaps Adam will recognize that a new stuffed arm chair is a need.

;)

Happy Easter!

Adam came home early and surprised his girls. What an amazing gift-- a day with family.

HAPPY EASTER!

Eleanor and I are so sad that Adam is out of town this weekend-- he left this morning for an interview and won't return until Sunday night. We wanted to celebrate this wonderful holiday together as a family...but maybe next year.

I have been so excited about Easter this year. Eleanor's Easter basket is full of books about the true meaning of Easter (which of course has nothing to do with bunnies, ducks, or eggs!), bunnies, and ducks, as well as a magnadoodle and eggs full of snacks. :)

I can't wait to see her hunt for Easter eggs. She loves carrying bags and purses around the house and filling them with "stuff." (The other day I found my cell phone in a paper grocery bag.)

I have loved hunting Easter eggs for as long as I can remember with my PaPa, and with him in the hospital so far away, perhaps that is why this year's Easter feels more special than usual-  because I must start new traditions with Eleanor when I can't be with the rest of my family. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes and Traverse City, MI

Last weekend we took a little road trip to the northwest corner of our state to visit Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The dunes are over 400 feet tall on the coast of Lake Michigan-- you can see then in the background of the picture below.

About 2 weeks before our trip, the temperature was in the 70s, and it was supposed to stay warm. But the closer we got to our trip, the colder the forecast became. The high temperature during our visit was 42-- not to mention the wind chill off Lake Michigan. The best way to see the dunes is to drive along a 7 mile scenic route. Unfortunately, the road was closed due to "winter maintenance" (even though there hadn't been any snow for MONTHS!) so to get any closer, we would have had to hike or walk the 7 mile road. Eleanor's bad cold (she always seems to get sick when we travel) combined with the cold temperatures meant we mostly stayed in the car and viewed them from afar. I was really disappointed because I had had such high hopes for seeing the dunes and enjoying a warm weather vacation.

We also visited three wineries. The grapes thrive in this area because of the geography and water on either side of the peninsula. Eleanor was thrilled with the resident dogs (not pictured) at this particular winery.

Wow!

 See that white stuff along the water? It's not foam....

It's ice!

Despite the setbacks, spending time with my two favorite people was lovely.
We plan to return to the area in the autumn to see the leaves change colors.

And then maybe we will be able to enjoy the dunes more!