Brightwood Lights

Now for the rest of the kid updates:

Andreas

When we chose our kids’ names, we never paid much attention to the “meanings” of their names. Andreas Karl was simply a first name we liked that works well in English and German and isn’t overly popular (at least, in the US!) paired with a family name (my grandfather was Karl). Thus, it wasn’t until a while after his birth that we realized that “Andreas” comes from the Greek for “man” or “manly.” Karl is an Old Germanic name meaning either “free man” or “man.” Ever since, he has been “manly man” to some of our friends, and sometimes to us, too.

Well, Andreas does his darndest to live up to that nickname. He seems to know instinctively what a boy “should” do or like, ranging from climbing EVERYTHING to picking up large rocks and stones to obsessing over “Autos” and “Flugzeuge” (cars & airplanes).

For as much as it is amusing to stereotype him, though, in truth he is a sweet little guy who is “comfortable enough with his manhood” to drink out of pink sippy cups, play with his sister’s dolls & strollers, and cuddle with his Mama or Papa (sometimes).

He loves water and swimming almost as much as his sister does, and he is currently obsessed with fish. I joke that I could drop him off at the Georgia Aquarium and pick him up three hours later without him even noticing my absence. His swimming trunks and sun hat have fish on them, making them a clothing item with a sky-high entertainment value.

Watching his personality grow and express itself is a neat part of parenting an 18 month old, and his exploding vocabulary allows him to tell us more and more of what he wants, likes and needs. He is still into EVERYTHING, taking every opportunity to throw toys into the toilet, empty a cabinet or dresser drawer, or “help” us with laundry or dishes. We look forward to seeing how he continues to change in the coming months.

Baby #3
So far, all seems to be progressing well with the pregnancy. Our last appointment was almost three weeks ago, and since then, I have begun feeling Baby move. We are scheduled for the 20-week ultrasound in a week and a half, and we are eager to have reassurance that he or she appears healthy. (And, once again, we have no intention of finding out baby’s sex until birth.) We will update again sometime after the ultrasound.

In order to fully update the blog, I have to do a massive wedding report. Massive. I already have three weddings to chronicle, two of which are sister weddings and thus deserve their own posts. The third was a cousin’s wedding in Maine, and a trip to Maine probably merits its own post, too. Those updates are in the works, but going through literally thousands of pictures (taken by friends, family, and professional photographers) is nearly a full-time job. Stay tuned for more on those, but for now, I will skip ahead to how the kids are doing. (Andreas’s post will follow shortly.)

Simona

The big news for our big girl is that Simona turned FOUR years old in June. We can hardly believe that we only have one more year before she has to go to school full-time.
Her celebration was somewhat muted as compared to last year, when we had a “family” party in Iowa on her actual birthday and a joint “friends” party with Caed, a neighbor & classmate whose birthday is the same week.

This year, we began the day in German fashion, with a table decorated with fresh flowers and a special breakfast. Her choice was to make pancakes with her Papa, and we enjoyed them with blueberries, applesauce, and mango juice.

Afterwards, we piled into the car for the drive to Peachtree City, where we spent the day watching World Cup Soccer, swimming, and celebrating her birthday again with more family. Her great-grandma, great aunt & uncle, and grandparents were all too happy to share in the party, complete with the “blueberry & vanilla, green-pink-and-purple” cake she requested. She opened plenty of gifts and cards and overall had a great day. (Thanks to all who made her feel special with calls, cards, and packages!)

Another recent Simona milestone was her second-ever haircut. Because she took the first two years of life to grow a full head of hair, it’s taken quite a while to grow her hair long, which is how she wants it. This was a 3 inch trim, again performed in “Salon Mama.” It turned out pretty well, but we forgot to take an “after” picture!

The other major highlight for Simona this summer has been SWIMMING. The girl spends so much time in the water, she may soon grow flippers! Between the pool at our apartment complex, the pool at my parents’ house, swimming lessons at a public pool, and the lake at my parents’ lakehouse in Alabama, she spends HOURS every week in the water. Her group lessons have been a fun chance to interact with other kids, and she has learned a fair amount; however, I think she won’t quite be a fully proficient swimmer by the time the end next week. No fear, though- it won’t take long before she’s fully morphed into the Little Mermaid she would love to be. A few pictures of her water adventures:

Swimming with Papa:

Kicking at swim lessons:

Swimming at the lake:

On the jet ski with her Opa:

Overall, Simona is a funny, smart, caring girl. She loves to take care of her little brother, adores being told stories, and chews gum any chance she gets. She is a girly girl, accessorizing her outfits, asking for make-up, choosing to wear dresses, etc., but she also enjoys running and climbing at the playground, riding her bike, and watching herself do a silly dance or make a silly face in front of a mirror.
Life is not only roses with a four-year-old at home, as she understands EVERYTHING and can no longer easily be redirected or distracted. We can see our own parenting flaws when she mirrors our poor behavior, challenging us to be more patient, gracious, and loving in our interactions with her and with others. She is discovering more of the world every day and constantly asks not only “why?” questions, but also “what if. . .?” questions. We are amazed and privileged to be witnesses and number one fans to our sweet Simona.

First off, my apologies for starting the last two blog posts with the exact same phrase. Poor form. I’ll work on that. Second, a warning: This is a LONG post!! It’s a bit dated now, but I wanted to write and post it more for our own memory than anything else. If it bores you, feel free to skip! Hopefully something more interesting will come along soon.

On to catching up. . .
Saying goodbye in DC was sad! This move has been a possibility for over a year, so in some ways, it was a long, slow farewell. Each season, month, and week of the past year has been marked by the thought, “This might be our last ________ in DC,” which has been nice, because we’ve been able to savor all of it.

In a formal sense, though, our “official” goodbyes really began late this spring. We have played with Chomp, an ultimate frisbee team in DC, every spring and fall since 2004, but we knew wouldn’t be able to play this spring. We had hoped to make it to one last game, but between weather and our schedules, we had to settle for an e-farewell.

In mid-April, I spent my last evening at “The Porch.” I have worked as an adult leader with this youth ministry on Capitol Hill for the past three years. In fact, one of the girls in my small group was even my “tutee” back when I tutored at the Neighborhood Learning Center from 2004-2006. Which means we’ve had a mentor/mentee relationship since she was in 4th grade, and now she’s a rising 10th! grader. Saying goodbye to all of the youth at the Porch- but particularly to my small group- was emotional. I so wish I could be there as they walk through there remaining years of high school– to see them in grow into young ladies, wear prom dresses, pick out colleges, graduate, etc.

Although we said farewell to a few friends from church and other social settings on an individual basis, we didn’t have too many other larger goodbyes until our last week in DC. Caleb’s office hosted a going-away luncheon for him on his last day of work, to which the kids and I were also invited. Several of his former co-workers who have since moved on to new positions were invited, and plenty of people came by to wish him well. Overall, it was a really kind send-off.

Then came “moving weekend.” We picked up our HUGE Budget truck on Saturday, May 1. That truck was a BEAST! I was glad that I didn’t have to drive it!
Many, many thanks to the wonderful friends who helped load our belongings, including Laryn, Corey, Rebecca, Sara, Jana, Mary Ruth, and Brett. An even more special thanks goes to our friend Janel, who watched Andreas & Simona ALL DAY that Saturday. Hers was hands-down the most taxing job of the day. She also hosted our family for dinner that evening. . . and I have no idea how she managed to cook for that 7 people while watching three kids all day!

Sunday, we ate one last breakfast at Pete’s, a diner on the Hill that we’ve visited a few Sunday mornings a year throughout our seven years in DC, even before we were married or had kids. After that, we headed to WCF for our final Sunday service. We had been given a brief time during the service to say goodbye to the congregation, but I was most emotional during other parts of the service. Looking at all of the faces, I couldn’t help but think that this is what the kingdom of heaven will look like: A random bunch of quirky people all trying to do their best to love God and love each other.

Sunday evening, our friends Heather & Kevin and Laryn & Janel hosted a going-away party for us at Heather & Kevin’s house, which was really special. So many friends came by to say goodbye, and aside from our wedding, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more surrounded by people who love our family. A huge thank you to our gracious hosts!

Monday, my dad flew up from Georgia to drive the truck back down. He loves to drive and was eager to take the opportunity to help us out. We were glad not to have to drive in two separate vehicles! We worked all day, loading final belongings and cleaning the house. Caleb and Dad concluded the day with a wild chase for our scared cat, which apparently involved crawling between drywall and the outer wall of the house, pulling the cat out of her hiding space with a hoe, and trapping her in a garbage can to get her into the back of the truck . . in the end, she did make the journey to Georgia, just not in her cat carrier as planned. Our friends Heather & Kevin again hosted us, this time for our last night in DC (Maryland, actually), while Dad drove overnight to avoid traffic with the big truck.

Tuesday, May 4, was the long-anticipated moving day. It was also the day of Simona’s “graduation” from Little Learner’s Playschool, which she attended for two years. It worked out perfectly to be able to attend the last day of class and feel like she had some closure around that. We love all of the kids and families we have met through the school and will miss this group, too.

After graduation and the class party and luncheon, we piled into our packed-up car and hopped onto 395 for the long drive to the Peach State. Watching the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol, the Pentagon, and the Potomac fade in the rear view mirror was sad. So long, Washington, D.C. Thanks for so many great memories and for becoming our home.

I know, I know. Lots of “catching up” to do on where we’ve been and where we are. So part one of this four part series is a recap of the (not-yet-mentioned) highlights of April in DC.

The first is the most important! In late March, we took a trip to Georgia to accomplish as much as one can possibly accomplish in three days: rent an apartment, attend Emory’s MBA orientation weekend, participate in a bridal shower for my sister, drive to Greenville, S.C. to have fun at her bachelorette party, and then get back to Atlanta in time to catch a return flight to DC. During those days, I had several hints that turned to suspicion that turned to confirmation, in early April, that baby #3 is on the way!
We are excited to welcome a new little one to our family but approach this pregnancy differently than the previous two. Having watched dear friends go through the wrenching experience of losing their newborn daughter in the past year has reminded us that we are not guaranteed a healthy pregnancy or a healthy baby. We know that at this point, “odds” are on our side, but we move forward with joy tempered by a heightened awareness that we cannot know what the future holds for us or this baby. We are due the second week of December.

The second highlight was another confirmation:

Good friends of ours from DC will be moving to Atlanta this year, too! A talented and successful friend earned her PhD from Catholic University at the end of 2009 and landed a 9-month post-doc position at Emory! She, her husband, and her daughter will be here from August until the end of May 2011. We are all thrilled that we will have friends whose company is “home” to us and can’t wait for their arrival.

The third April highlight were Grandma’s & Grandpa’s visits to DC. Caleb’s mom came for about 10 days to spend time with us and the kids as we packed, ran errands, and prepared to move. His dad spent one weekend in town, and the kids had a great time playing with Grandma & Grandpa. I didn’t get any pictures of Grandpa, but I have a couple with Grandma:

We would not have been able to move without all of Grandma’s help. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Fourth, Caleb and I celebrated our FIFTH wedding anniversary (and our TENTH anniversary of “couplehood”)! Because Grandpa & Grandma were in town, we spent a night away from the kids, wondering at how quickly the time has flown by and at how much our lives have changed in five short years! This year, all three of my sisters and one of Caleb’s brothers will be married (plus two cousins!), and reflecting on our own experience with marriage fills us for excitement for them. Sadly, I captured not a single picture to commemorate five years.

Andreas provided the fifth highlight: He FINALLY started walking! At sixteen months, little man decided to the time had come to explore the world upright and hands-free. (I think he was waiting for the one-year anniversary of his surgery!) We have been anticipating this since he began “cruising” at 8 months, so it’s been a LONG wait for “independent ambulation,” as it were. Here are a few of him and the trouble his new mobility let him cause:

Finally, the sixth highlight was simply savoring our last springtime in DC. The azaleas at the National Arboretum are stunning in April, and the weather hovers near perfect for much of the month. Simona FINALLY got her long-anticipated ice cream from the ice cream truck, and we soaked in our last days of trips to the playground and being with friends.

COMING SOON: Part 2- Saying Farewell and Adventures in Moving

I know, I know. Many exciting, life-changing events have transpired over the past month, but I am going to ignore all of that for now and give you what you’ve been dying for: The Race Report. (I promise more to come on life changes later!)

On April 11, 2010, I had the chance to realize a (small) goal I’d had since high school: Complete the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler in Washington, D.C. I’d read about the race in Runner’s World as a high schooler, and it sounded like one of those races every serious runner must have on her resume. So I resolved to add it to mine at some point.

As luck would have it, my first six years in DC did not allow fulfillment of that goal. April 2004, I ran the Paris Marathon. April 2005, I got married. April 2006, I was 7.5 months pregnant. April 2007, I was in Germany for my Oma’s 80th birthday. April 2008, I ran the Boston Marathon. April 2009, I knew I’d be 3.5 months postpartum and not in prime running shape.

And, as luck would (again) have it, the 2010 race was, for the first time ever, entry by lottery only. . . and I never win ANY random drawing. I figured entering the lottery was almost pointless, but, SURPRISE! My “group”- which included Caleb, our friend Janel, and me- was selected!

Caleb’s friend Mickey was in town for race weekend, so we even had built in childcare (from a brave bachelor!). Caleb and I headed off early on a Sunday morning:

And took in the Mall at sunrise one last time:

And then met up with friends from church who were also running:

I was in the “red” starting wave, which was maybe the third or fourth to start, and Caleb was in the “purple,” which was the last. (I had submitted a qualifying time; he had not.) My customary pre-race port-a-potty stop caused me to be a bit late in getting to the start, and I got cut off RIGHT at the start line as the last red runners began their race. That actually worked to my advantage, as I was literally at the very front of the blue wave when it was released, meaning I had open road ahead of me for the first .5 miles or so, until I started catching up with the red runners. Despite the crowds typical of a large race and some very sharp turns at points where the route doubled back on itself, I felt great and had a good run. My (secret) goal was to run sub-8:00 miles, and I finished in 1:17:28, which is a 7:45 pace.

Caleb, meanwhile, was VERY bogged down by extreme crowds. The purple wave not only ended up being a catch all for the slowest runners and those without qualifying times, but it also became the “lowest common denominator” for faster runners wishing to run with slower members of their group. He knew from the beginning he’d never be able to break through the masses to run a strong time, so he settled on good company and conversation with another church friend. They finished the race together, smiling despite working to avoid stepping on any toes (or heels) for ten miles:

Many of us regrouped post-race to cool off, and a number of us even dared to show up at church in our sweaty running clothes! (Don’t worry- we sat in the balcony, far away from the showered congregants!!) In our defense, we had to attend as Simona and the other children were singing during the service.

Of course, Mickey did a great job getting the kids dressed and to the church– we had no doubts he’d take naturally to parenting.

To round out the race report, it seems my lottery luck continues. Another running goal of mine is to complete each of the “world marathon majors”- Chicago, Berlin, London, NYC, and Boston. So far, I am 3 of 5.
Entry to the NYC marathon also is gained by winning a random lottery, unless you have entered the drawing unsuccessfully for three consecutive years. Then the race organizers finally take pity and grant you automatic entry for your fourth year. I entered unsuccessfully last year and was already planning on running by default on my fourth try (in 2012). In fact, I even promised Caleb after the Berlin marathon in September 2009 that I would take a break from marathoning for a couple of years. So convinced of my lottery luck was I that I even told him to plan on London in April 2012 and NYC that November. SO, I was shocked to learn in early April that I AGAIN got lucky and got into NYC this year- on only my second try! HOWEVER . . . I will be keeping my word to Caleb and deferring my entry to 2011 (more on that to come).

But in the meantime, I’m headed out to play some Powerball. Don’t even bother to wish me luck– I’m on a roll all on my own.