Reunited

Believe it or not, it has been 10 years since I graduated college. I had not been back to my Eastern University, my alma mater's campus since probably 2005, but it seemed to me that 10 years out is a good time to make the trip.

The mountains of SWVA were misty and colorful and wise-looking. 

We made the trip to Annapolis on Friday, got caught in the usually beastly DC traffic, and spent the night with Jon's family. Saturday morning, it was up and at em and depart at 7am for Pennsylvania. 

He was thrilled to cross the Bay Bridge from Annapolis to the Eastern Shore.

The grey and gloom of the weather did not much diminish the beauty of the campus. It's got such a different style from Virginia Tech, and is, of course, orders of magnitude smaller, but I'm not sure it's less lovely. 

Walton Pond, a familar view.

We started the day with at tour at the Bradstreet Observatory, where the kids each got to try a hand at controlling the telescopes. Jon and I both took cosmology and astronomy, though I took both as lab credits. This meant that I had to got to spend hours of two of my semesters at Eastern taking photos of celestial objects and preparing a binder of images for a grade. It was awesome to be back and see Dr. Bradstreet and Steve, his assistant, again! The kids are thrilled (well, mostly Miles) because they got to meet a real astronomy and to see a real, state-of-the-art telescope! Sadly, the weather did not cooperate enough to make star-gazing possible. 

We followed the tour with a planetarium show at the Julia Fowler Planetarium. I can't... emotionally contain or describe how it felt to hear one of my favorite professors describe the wonders of the universe again. To have my kids with me and see their wonder ignite, too... defies expression. I was totally high on nostalgia, science, and God. 

Next: to the homecoming tents!

It's so bizarre to watch one's child walk to one's old college dorm. 

Good old water-wheel. Same as ever.

One important landmark, at a park next to campus, is the little pond and park where Jon asked me to marry him, nearly 10 years ago. 

This little walk around a little pond found 18 and 19 year old us strolling in all seasons. This is where we went to blow off steam during stressful times in the semester, where we told each other our stories, and shared our aspirations and hopes.

It's possible, were such things possible to pin-point, that we fell in love on this path.
It's also possible we fell in love in a letter, but that's even harder to determine.

It was just as lovely a walk in April, when Jon proposed in 2005.

Here's the approximate spot where the magic happened:

 Jon had hidden champagne in a bush. and his friends, as photographers, across the pond. We have a whole album in print of the occasion, but alas, no scanner!

Sometimes I resent that so much of my life was in the pre-digital-revolution. 

Below, Miles perfects his portrait-taking:

I only wish he were as good at posing for pictures as he is at being in them. And then there's Adele... <3 br="">

After enjoying some EU homecoming soccer, field hockey and ultimate frisbee, and after Adele learned to make friends with the mascot, we watched the step team (a group I remember fondly from my Eastern days!) perform: 

They're so much fun.

Next, we had some hot drinks at my old workplace, the coffee shop and espresso bar, The Jammin' Java. 

So many late nights here... so many performances, meetings, meals, long talks, and regular nights at work, steaming milk and cleaning the floors at closing. I felt like the Ghost of Christmas Past was taking me on a personalized tour.

The evening found us at a wine and hors d'oeuvres event for graduates of the Templeton Honors College, to which Jon and I both belonged. We got to catch up with old professors, meet more recent alumni (I was a part of the second ever cohort of the THC), and see our old friends- and some of their offspring!

Our friends Tim & Karin have a son, Ben, who's just a few months older than Miles. 

Miles & Ben share a love for bow ties. 

These two have a history. They've played together at Tim and Karin's when we've visited before, and they met up last spring at the Baltimore Aquarium. Here, they meet for the very first time, ages 3 weeks and 7 months, respectively:

I got to meet some babies and toddlers for the very first time, though, and we stayed much, much longer than we'd anticipated. Bless the THC for arranging for a coloring table. 

We're back in Blacksburg, though, as of about 9 last night. The car is having its very first post-warranty repair. Not bad for a 5.5 year old vehicle, though. 

The car troubles meant I got to take Miles to the bus stop this morning. 

Will he look more sophisticated when he's a college student? I can't see how.

Art and Science

Another glorious fall weekend found the whole family in the dance studio for parents' day! Basically, we watched both kids' lessons, including a little number they'd been rehearsing. 

And I almost died from cuteness overload. 

I recovered, though.

I love seeing both my kids in dancing shoes. 

She likes tap best. 

 Little Miss wasn't feeling her best this weekend. She started strong, having announced to us just before class started, "I'm going to dance very good for you!" She kept up through warm-ups and did at least as well as the other (and older) girls in her class on each step. Passes and bourees are really coming along! But by the end, she was worn out and mainly stood there, making her movements in a languid, half-hearted way. I was proud of her sticking it out, however, as I'm told a lot of first time performers in her age group often run off the stage or refuse to dance while their parents are watching.

Her whole class, with teachers. 

 Then it was big  brother's turn:

 It's so funny to watch Miles; he's so much like me. When he thinks he's performing, he's all animation and life. When he thinks it's "just" exercises, he tunes in and out, dreamily, sometimes right on and sometimes using the wrong foot, going on the wrong cue, etc. Poor dreamy MiniMe. Concentration is a hard skill to master.

During the choreographed number, though...

 He was right on.

 After lessons, we hurried to eat so as not to miss a minute of the Virginia Science Festival!

We barely skimmed the surface in our almost four hours there. 

Miles pretends to be a veterinarian. 

The go-kart had some kind of traffic sensing device; he's always happy to help with research like this!

I love the windows in the new-built Moss Center

 Outside: some living creatures to learn from, on that Saint Francis day.

 Adele's favorite animals remain: sheep.

They are a bit stinky, though. 

 The drillfield hosted a variety of tents.

That's the NASA tent, next to Burruss. 

Where Miles got his picture taken with a Real Astronaut,

 ...And I learned that a trip to Mars takes 9 months, one way, Also, with the technology we have today, any humans making the trip would arrive, if alive, riddled with cancer from the radiation. We'll have to be content with Curiosity & such until such time as our technology improves.
If the next generation have the vision, it seems only a matter of time.

Miles in front of the green screen, shooting a video in which he gives a thorough weather report for the local news station. 

Miles had the "class pet" this weekend. We had to document some activities we did with Ollie the Owl, and do a journal entry for Ollie's travel scrapbook.

Ollie got an education in astronaut aspiration. 

Hard at work, copying his sentences into the class journal.

I was so proud of his dedication, even when it got hard. We had a talk about how important it is, when doing a long task, to take breaks and give yourself treats. There may have been some donut-related bribery, at one point. But it got. done. at. last. 

I close with a selfie, as I am convinced that the author of this article is right: parents do need to stay in the picture. I got a trim this weekend in anticipation of my 10 year college reunion next weekend! At least no one will be able to see I got sloppy hair in the interval since college.

Sunday Smiles

 Once again, I am relieved to go back to work after a weekend I stuffed from end to end. I did it myself, so I have no one else to blame. Saturday was just a typical activities blast, from dance to library to chores. Jon took the kids to the playground in the afternoon after he had an astoundingly productive morning tuning up the Thesis.*

Church was our now-usual 3 hour affair, ending in choristers practice for Miles. After a quick lunch, he and I drove over to the middle school to watch Aaliyah's big brother play flag football.

This was important for Miles, as he's been having a bit of a hard time finding a kindred spirit in kindergarten. One of his recent prayers at bedtime was that he would find a new friend at school. This little girl, whom he befriended in daycare last year, just gets him.

They hardly did more than exchange greetings when the giggles began and it was chase-chase-chase time. All over the bleachers, for the duration of the football game, they chased each other and laughed endlessly. She had her grandma call me and put him on the other day, and after a short conversation, they just happily sat in silence on the phone, playing in their individual houses. That's how they roll. I know he misses her & I'm so glad to have her Grandma's phone number to hand. 

They were all lit up the whole afternoon. 

Sunday evening was Miles' first time singing in the choir for the congregation. It was also only the second Evensong we've attended at church. Remind us to go again. It was so gorgeous, from the chanting to the collect, from the lovely music to the post-event wine spread. 

Adele was proud to watch brother sing. She wore his old outfit for the occasion, perhaps to show support. 

Their first band photo?

 Once inside, we set up the nursery for the assembled tots and then I got a glimpse of Miles, in his choir robe for the first time.

Here he is with his best church friend. They sing in the Tiny Section together.

The video is of poor visual quality, but I couldn't help myself, taking it. It was my first baby's first performance, after all. They sang "Non Nobis Domine." He'd been practicing all week, but I was still pleasantly surprised that he actually sang, audibly, and opened his mouth wide. After the finished, he grinned at me and his sister and waved. So, we'll work on stage deportment.

News in the #ALIVE campaign: I'm struggling to incorporate exercise into this schedule. My most recent effort involves putting on a list of oldies and doing the Twist, the Watusi, the Pony, and the Mashed Potato with the kids in the living room. I cannot be unhappy while doing these dances. It's not possible. We must have done the twist alone for about 35 combined minutes this weekend, and the kids now think they're experts.

Cheers, everyone! Do what makes you live!

*I'm not sure if I mentioned this on the blog, but Jon defended his Master's thesis recently and is now making final revisions in anticipation of a December 2014 graduation. That makes his third master's degree. Whew! Wish him  us all luck as he goes on the job market.

Little moments

We live at the dance studio on Saturday mornings, in this Fall, 2014. 

She may be the smallest in the class, but she is more than keeping up with her classmates. 

 Adele dances first, and she's quite insistent that it is HER dance lesson, and Miles is only allowed to dance after her. We are playing along, because we sense it's important she be able to be first in something.

He still hugely enjoys his own lesson:

Here he is, learning to shuffle step:

What even is this pose, Miles?

We got such a delightful dinner invite just by happening to run into our friend at Kroger (running into people we know at Kroger having been a bit of a running gag this weekend; Miles says, "Isn't Blacksburg great? We always see people we know!"). The other great thing about small towns: proximity. We walked to our dinner party! And walked back under the stars! What good fortune.

Sunday morning was one of those mornings that makes me so grateful for my church.

First, we had an Adult Forum that preached when our high school pilgrims presented on the pilgrimage they planned and took in Alabama this summer. It was a Civil Rights themed trip, and it seemed profoundly transformative for those that went. I know it was transformative even for those of us who saw their presentation. Hardly a dry eye in the room. I'm so thankful for a church that lets young people lead and speak.

A little pre-church Mr. Rogers, so parents can get dressed. 

There was a baptism at church, too, so my eyes never got a chance to fully dry. They always bring the kids in to watch this entrance into the family. Adele loudly observed, "Oh, the baby is baptized!" at the crucial moment. It reminds me of a couple weeks ago when we passed the font an she said, "That's where I was born!" Kids recognize spiritual power when they see it.

Adele's improving her portrait skills. No finger in the lens this time!

Miles is in Godly Play, Children's Chapel and Choristers. It's amazing to me how many more activities he qualifies for between last year and this.

During Choristers, Adele & I did some free play in the Chapel room.

Mary & her toddler smiled down on us. 

She can't wait till she's big enough to process in to Children's Chapel.

That's still about another year away.

I grabbed this shot of a church member stepping up to read to the kids and keep them busy while Jon & I socialized. It's a representative moment for how our church shows us hospitality: when we're there, the kids always have many eyes and arms to attend to them besides ours.

It looks so much like Adele is about to pour tea on Miles. I almost hate to tell my readers it was only water, and she only drank it.  

At the evening social at church, we were the only one who brought kids, but we were no less welcomed. Miles' meltdown was lovingly ignored, and lots of hands helped our kids to eat and stay out of trouble. I hope to extend the hospitality I've received at church to other people in other places.

Hoorah for the end of Indian Summer! and may the brisk morning air of fall thrill you all as it does me.

September in the Park

The blog has gone mighty quiet recently, I know. This back-up camera just has me down. When I remember to bring it, it always seems to be out of batteries, which it seems to eat with the same enthusiasm and gusto with which Adele eats pizza. We have also been busier than average, lately. 

We ended with an unoccupied afternoon yesterday, so it seemed a good time to let the kids have a go at bike practice. 

This boy here is a very busy little individual. He's just had so much available to him now that he's in elementary school, and, as he told me, "I just want to do everything!" So, in addition to church on Sundays and Kindergarten 8:30-3:30 M-F, this is his schedule:
Mondays: After-School Running Club ("So I can be Miles the Miler!")
Tuesdays: After-School Chinese Club
Thursdays: Music/Piano lessons at the Blacksburg Music School
Saturdays: Dance Class
Sundays: Choristers (Children's Choir)

He's pretty much me in high school.

*So Miles took a free open-house class (meets just after Adele's "Tutus" class gets out) a couple of weeks ago, and when he came out from it, beaming, they took me aside and said, "Have we told you about the special discount we have for brothers?"

I chewed on the offer for a little while, but before I left the director said to me, "Just bring him back. Don't worry about enrolling him. I'll loan him shoes. We need boys, and none of our classes are full this semester."

So now he's in dance. His sister isn't thrilled, but I'm finding free classes hard to turn down. And so was he! He loves it.

I did try to take pictures of my two dancers this Saturday but, guess what, the camera batteries were dead.

Fall has finally taken a firm hold around here. Miles went from his second dance lesson to his first Hokies game last week (Adele and I were not up for this; Adele needed to nap, and I needed to not be at a football game). He apparently loved it, and reported excitedly upon doing the wave and the performance of the marching band. Bonus: he slept really really well. 

Anyway, back to Sunday in the Duck Pond. The smooth water and familiar gray skies are so soothing. I speak grey skies fluently; it's the upstate New York upbringing. 

There was a turtle. Geese took off dramatically every now and then from no apparent cause. Dogs trotted by gaily to delight the kids. It's always a good scene. 

This girl took her first few pedals on her tricycle by herself. Once she'd accomplished this, she beamed with pride, ordered Papa to watch her, did it again, and then was done riding for the rest of the day. I did a lot of carrying and pushing of the tricycle yesterday.

This guy was all over the place. Like in other aspects of life. 

I made Adele a deal: she could take a picture of me if I got to take a picture of her tricycling. 

This was her best shot.

...And this was mine. Oh, Miles, budging into her video. He's such a firstborn.

He gets a video of his own, above.

I am... under a cloud. I just still can't adjust to getting up at 6:30 (which is still later than I ought to get up), somehow. I fought through a really evil flu thing last week and this week... the cloud still hasn't lifted. I do hope for some energy and wellness to seize me soon. Alive is a tall order this week.

I find Indian Summer very tiring. The colors of fall are beginning to show, however, which is always a welcome sign. I can almost hear the Great Pumpkin Waltz in the air. Come, Fall, do not delay!