Excitement!!!

Look who likes cantaloupe! There are more pictures, really.


First, the backstory:
As many of you know, we've been trying to move out of the Washington/Baltimore/allergen corridor since we married and chose to live here. It hasn't worked out, obviously, as we're still here. I (J.) applied to Cornell in 2006, certain that they'd accept me. I didn't get in, so I applied to CUA as a library science student, hoping that it would bolster my applications the next time around.

CUA was all good and fun (some classes, anyway), and I spent Fall 2008 applying to five different schools: Cornell (again), Harvard, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pennsylvania, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. After visiting three of five (the Ivies), the rejection letters came in, all on Fridays: Cornell, Penn, Pitt, then, after a suspenseful, hoping-for-irony wait, Harvard.

Several weeks later, Virginia Tech accepted me (on a Wednesday). At this point, it was early May 2009. M. was coming in two months, and I had already signed my contract for work the following year. So I deferred, hoping that VT would be able to offer me money or an assistantship (which waives tuition and pays a small stipend).

So, in the first week of April 2010, I got a letter from Virginia Tech, the same letter I had received a year earlier, informing me of my acceptance into the program (which I already knew about), and that they could not offer me any funding.

This time, I knew better than to let that slide. I started asking questions. VT informed me that the STS department (I'll explain in a bit) couldn't offer an assistantship, but I might find one in another department. So I looked, and looked, and couldn't find anything. Meanwhile, I was applying to every job opportunity I could find--I think I sent my resume to 40 different places. I finally found two assistanships--one doing research on gendered knowledge of sustainable agriculture (which sounds awesome), and one at the library's Science and Technology Reference Desk. I applied to both, and within 24 hours of applying I received an email telling me that the research assistantship had just been filled. So my options are down to one lonely possibility.
To make this tale shorter, I was invited for an interview, and I was offered the assistantship. This was the only thing holding us back from VT; now we can afford to send me to graduate school. In the fall, I'll be working at Virginia Tech's library while taking classes toward earning a Ph.D. in Science and Technology Studies. We're moving to Blacksburg, Virginia, in August.

This has been a tremendous hurdle, one that's taken us four years to jump. We've been praying for a way to move out of this area, both for health and finances, and we'd just started changing our attitudes about living in Maryland for a long, long time. Now, we have the reason to move, and we're waiting patiently on finding a job for L., childcare for M., and a place for us all to live.


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Tré Petits

Here are a few shots from last week's miraculous visit (totally unlooked for) from Leah, Matthew, and Abigail. Sadly, Jon missed the visit, which occurred on a weekday. However, Miles and I got to spend a good couple of hours with this beloved family. We picnicked in the park. There were ants. The kids got to swing. It was classic.

Do you see why I keep associating Abby with Tinkerbell? She looks like she could grant you three wishes.



Matthew looks so wholesome :-)


Babies everywhere agree: The swing's the thing

9 months (and then some)

Well, I know it was three weeks ago, and he's closer to 10 months than to 9, but Miles has had a heck of a month and the 9 month visit was a major milestone. He was measured on April 12 at 29 inches (50th %) but his weight, at 18 lbs, had fallen to the 25th %. The doctor expressed some mild concern at this and encouraged us to fill him up! With all the solid foods he wanted. Nearly everything is allowed now, with the only concerns being some allergens (nuts, honey, etc) and foods he could choke upon (which is sometimes a guessing game). However, we've been doing our best and Miles has recently come to love chicken, cheese, pasta, pancakes, corn, broccoli, beans and, all-time favorite, bread and butter. We treat that like dessert; it's quite enjoyable to watch him suck the butter off, then cram the bread into his mouth greedily. Here he is sucking joyously on a whole pear:

Okay, maybe he doesn't look so joyous, but he wouldn't give it back either.

Miles seemed to come back from the appointment with fresh determination. It took him almost two more weeks, but at last he's got it: Miles CRAWLS. His first real determined crawls were an attempt to reach his cousin, Abby, who visited last week along with her parents (see upcoming updates for pics). Crawling has enabled him to have all sorts of adventures, from crawling under furniture and forgetting how to get out:

...to crawling into the kitchen to fight a duel with the swiffer mop:



This new development has gone straight to Miles' head, in a good way. He decided last weekend he would no longer need to be swaddled to sleep, either at night or for naps, didn't want to be rocked to sleep, instead preferring to be put down drowsy to fall asleep on his own, and he was going to sleep through the night (most of the time). We're trying to hide from him that this isn't actually rebellious mischief. :-) We're delighted by the New Miles.

Here's a slightly inferior video of his new feat. A bit long, but worth it (I think) for the face at the end:

Hancock's Resolution

On April 11, the three of us finally got to check out a local historical site that's interested us for months. Hancock's Resolution doesn't open until April, but we couldn't wait to go because
1. It's a circa 1785 working farm with free demonstrations and tours, cool educational opportunities, a beautiful garden and trails and
2. It's free (nearly always) !
We had a lovely, lovely afternoon being taught about the family, their way of life, and their interactions with historical events (such as the War of 1812). We also sampled farm-made cream and butter and got an interactive tour of the herb and flower garden. I went home with some lavender and mint!!
We will be back, despite the fact that Hancock's gave me my first tick experience. You should ALL definitely go. Just wear hip boots.

A few more family shots

Thanks to Aunt Claire and Matt for sending us some gorgeous shots of the family hanging out with M-dog while we were up in Rochester!

Trip to Rochester...

The three of us got to enjoy some time in the ROC with Grandpa Jim and Morai this past week. We took about a gazillion.5 pictures, but most are a featureless succession of Miles Being Adorable, so I've tried to winnow...

We enjoyed a day at Perinton Park:


A day at Seneca Park Zoo...

Notice the joey in this wallaby's pouch! Later, it stuck its tail out!


We also got to just hang out and enjoy a BREAK!

We're back now and refreshed and delighted to find that leaves and blossoms have appeared in our absence. April is going to be a full month on many levels; we have school deadlines and projects as well as decisions to make for the future. Wish us luck...

Anniversary!

Well done us! This past Thursday 4/1 marked our 4th anniversary married. Today, April 5, marked the 5th year since we were engaged and the 8th year since we started dating (formal dance at the New Jersey Aquarium!! Still the most romantic date EVER!). We marked the occasion by taking a day trip to D.C. before we went to Rochester over spring break.
At the Botanic Gardens:

Orchids are divas of the flower world... but deservedly so. And look! I had never seen a banana tree before. AWESOME.
Eww, Mummy and Papa are twitterpated...