A girl can dream

These three aren’t family, but oh, how I wish they were.

Family

Photos of the three of us tend to only appear at Christmastime but I’m hoping to change that.

Two pictures a year isn’t asking too much, is it?

Semantics

Abby: “Daddy, I put away all that stuff you told me to PLUS I put the bag away.”

Matt: “Great!”

{Abby begins to smile and dance around.}

Matt: “Wait a second. Do you mean you just took the bag full of stuff and put it all in one place?”

Abby: “Wellll….”

My kid is sneaky. But my husband is a pretty quick learner.

Hamming it up

This is very much what life is like in Abby-world.

Everyone else slightly out of focus, calm and intent while she is anything but.

A kid and her (borrowed) dog

My child desperately wants a dog.

I desperately do not want to take care of a dog.

When we asked her who would feed, walk, and clean up after a dog she answered quickly and nonchalantly, “You will. I’m not big enough.” This has created an impasse that will last at least until she wises up enough to pretend like she would be the one to take care of a dog.

Thankfully we know people who don’t mind caring for a dog. And who don’t mind letting Abby pretend that their dog is hers.

This morning she told us that her favorite thing in Virginia was, “throwing the ball for Tom.”

Not the museums, the swimming, or the cartons of ice cream she ate. Not the family, the late nights, or the learning mahjong at the tender age of four. Not the road trip, the zoo, or the mountains.

Throwing a ball for a dog tops her vacation memories.

To each their own.

Roy, Pam, Tom- please come visit us. We miss you already.

(Don’t forget Tom’s leash. Abby says she needs to buckle it on all by herself again.)

Just a thought

God works all things for good. It’s what I imagine the best part of being God is- not the omniscience or the omnipresence, but the ability to turn the tide. To add one more joyful pebble and watch the scales tip.

I think too many of us wait to “have it all together” before we do something, before we do anything. Oftentimes our brokenness is what is most attractive to others. Limping may not win a race, but it sets a great pace for talking with someone else along the way.

Road Trip(s)

This is what I have done over the past 48 hours.

Gray Beauty

We’ve been trying to decorate a room or two at a time around here. But for whatever reason, in every place we’ve lived, our bedroom has always been the last to be shown any love.

I’m super happy to say that is a tradition that has ended.

We sold our bedroom furniture and bought a new (very old but new to us) bed and dresser and today my husband (the artistic genius) managed to mix the perfect paint for the walls. That’s right, he mixed it himself. We bought several different shades from the store but none were quite right, so he created his own.

Did I mention he’s a genius? He is. Did I mention the paint is one of my most favorite colors in the world? It is.

I promise once I’m back home and things settle down, I’ll post some photos of the full room. For now, here’s a peek:

I love her.

Is there anything more wonderful than daydreaming on a rainy day?

It is the first step…

I’ve spent, oh, about 20 years complaining that my straight hair refuses to behave most days.

Today I admitted to myself and my family, that I do not have straight hair. In fact, I have curly hair.

(this is the face of stunned disbelief)

Shocking? Yes. It came as a complete surprise to myself, Matt, Abby, and Daniela- my hair stylist who was happy (and being paid) to support my denial for as long as I wanted.

Matt did question how this information has managed to elude me for the better part of two decades. I have no answer for that.

(this is disbelief from a side view)

I don’t expect to reach the point of acceptance anytime soon, but I am acknowledging now that owning a bathroom full of products designed for straight hair is not the same as actually having straight hair.

(this is just ridiculous from a back view)

So if you see me out and about with this crazy mop on my head, feel free to not make eye contact. I know it takes some getting used to. I’m still a little jumpy around mirrors myself.

(this is fear hidden by curls)