adorable.... from the east coast to the west

Sitting in Fresno CA with julie in bob's car, with the temperature hovering around 102 degrees I could see the heat rising from the road. As Julie and I chat, I look down and there is an adorable picture of Julie on Bob's dashboard. It almost made me cry - it was so sweet and made me think of my Nate in WV that had once had my picture on his dashboard. We were just getting back together when I went to California, so just the idea that I had a fella that wanted to always be able to see me, made me smile and blush.
Yepper - we are back and the dashboard picture is back!

my three favorite fellas

oh my broken A's

I have had the name Allenger since 1994. I love that name. Its mine and Elizabeth's - I don't know why I am so attached. I just am. So, when I started collecting the letter 'A', it felt like an identity issue. Well.... now that three "E's" live in this house, its time for the "A's" to go. But I have been reluctant - until the cats helped me out with that step of letting go. Two of my favorite A's were broken into pieces by falling from the mantle onto the hardwood floors. It almost feels cathartic, to let go of that past feeling of attachment. Instead, I am now attached to the love of my life and the life that we have together.

my valentine

I absolutely love that Nate and I choose many years ago to not feel any pressure to celebrate any holidays that required prescribed gifts or tokens of affection. Surely we are more romantic on a daily basis than a requirement of a card and chocolates on Feb. 14. Now, if we weren't genuinely romantic frequently, perhaps we would have the desire for such displays.

Romance....

receiving tulips on a Tuesday

love notes in the bathroom cabinet

hearts drawn on the dust of my car

a beautifully folded basket of laundry

brewing coffee in the morning, just for me

a foot rub while The Office plays

hugging a child that is not our own by birth

kisses even with morning breath

dandlelions and ivy from the yard in a crystal vase

I have romance.

Oh my....

Elizabeth and I arrived home around 7:30 last night to greet Nate and the boys playing here in the living room. From there on - the feeling was "oh my!" Chance could not have been more loving and sweet than he was last night. Oh my, he stroked my hair as we played the computer game together. Oh my, he sat on my lap to eat his snack last night. Oh my, he layed with Nate and watch a little tv. Oh my, he put my arm around him while all of us sat on the couch.

The "oh my" is overwheming, but just this week I had worked it up in my head to give him some space. I know (thought at best) that the upcoming marriage, the stress of his 2nd grade, trouble at home, anything .... actually I didn't know anything. I could only see Chance seemingly wanting to pull away from me and to hurt my feelings to do so. I have gone through it with Elizabeth before, "Just give them time and unconditional love and it will all work out." Well, once again I was wrong and love was right. Thank God. Because he wanted me more last night think he ever has. He even said, "I can't wait till we go camping this summer." which is a huge, ALL family, ALL weekend kind of thing (aka, no phones and no video games).

Oh my, I have Chance back!

"Kids are for napping with," purrs Indra

Picnic at the Capital, Anyone? Anyone?

Couldn't be a crazier place to have a picnic... yet we LOVE it there.

Butts to solid marble, voices echoing in the halls.

Ahhhh, a perfect winter picnic place