Visit from the Past

Adam brought home two new external hard drives a few weeks ago, so now we have four altogether. Does that seem excessive? Maybe not, in this digital age. One is a whole terabyte and we're going to use it for our pictures. Backing pictures up feels fantastic. 

Speaking of pictures. I was looking through old pictures on our old external hard drive. Pictures that I took with my tiny camera which didn't take high quality pictures so most are discolored and blurry. But it's still fun to look at the images and try to remember what in the heck was going on. I saw some people that I didn't remember anymore--and that was strange. 

Anyway, I spent the afternoon pouring over 'old' pictures and letting the memories wash over me until they were just trickling down in tiny droplets. I forget easily. Six years does not sound like a long time ago to me. But my life six years ago was infinitely different. If you told me six years ago that I would be living in China, married, a stay at home mom, and blogging up a storm---I would have slapped you in the face and told you to stop talking crazy-talk. On another dramatic note, when I thought I could possibly be diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, one of the comforts I found was in knowing how much I've gotten to do in such a short amount of time. I don't think many people my age can say they went to college to pursue a major they enjoyed, studied abroad, got married, traveled the world, loved their profession, became a parent and loved that even more. Despite my small scale 'suffering', I've had a great life so far. Not to boast or anything, I'm just so thankful for each blessing. I've been drowning in blessings. 

Here's a few pictures. I might include some more later, just for fun. 

Chelsey and David McNeil's Wedding in 2008. 

I thought this was a unique moment. I think they were Mennonites---since they arrived in a car and ate at McDonalds. Adam thought I was very inappropriate for taking this picture.

Back in the day, when my hair was colored.

Adam is a natural athlete. He liked to play on the intramural teams at college and was always picked to play on the all-star team at the end of the year for the big end-of-season flag football game. It was called the North South Bowl. He was speedy and strong.

Posing for pictures afterwards.

My 20th birthday in 2007

I traveled to New Mexico for Lynsey's wedding (freshman roommate)

Some videos from the North South Bowl.

First video is of the final play in the game, when Adam's team won.
Second clip is from the beginning of the event when they were announcing the players.

Hooligan

As of today, this little hooligan has sandals to wear at the play ground. Now comes the skill of 'walking in shoes'. Sorry to make you do it, Willow. 

Dancing through Life

A little video of Willow and Maddy dancing together while we  were out together last week. We sure will miss Maddy and her great family!

 POST FROM SUNDAY

because i forgot to hit 'publish' 

Yesterday was very full. Adam took care of Willow in the morning so that I could sleep in a little. Then he went grocery shopping and returned with diapers and a bladeless fan. It's pretty cool looking--I'm probably the last person to have seen a bladeless fan! It's for Willow's room, since it's starting to get very stuffy. And now I don't have to worry about her getting her fingers cut off in the fan! After that, Adam went out to play basketball with some of the high school guys and alumni of the school. When he returned, we at lasagna with a friend and talked about next school year. After that, is was around 8pm, but Adam had to pack for Beijing. He packed his suitcase, I made him some cookies, and then he went to say goodbye to his friend Nathan. We were in bed by midnight, but it felt like a long day! Adam had to be up by 5:30 in the morning so that he could catch the train to Beijing. There are several other people from our school taking the same classes as Adam, but they were all flying and then getting picked up at the airport. Adam was the only one attending from our school having to take the train. Once he arrives in Beijing, he will have to walk, subway, and taxi before he can get to the location where his classes will be held. He's hoping to be there by dinner time. Don't ask me whether it's 'fair' or not. I have to remind myself that fairness is not everyone getting the same thing. But still...if I'm confused about it, it doesn't help.

I might as well get on a little rant right now. I hate inconsistency. This is not to say that I am perfect in this area. Far from it, I know I sometimes place unfair expectations on others and maintain impossible double standards. Perhaps it falls under that, "I hate being told what to do" category, but it really irks me something awful when situations are inconsistent. I suppose it's part of this fallen world, and I will always be frustrated, disappointed, and confused by inconsistencies. There's really not a better way to say it---inconsistencies suck.

Willow and I sojourned to fellowship without Adam today. She's taking a snooze now and I'm enjoying a break from the toils of an eleven month old. She is walking a lot today too. Goodness gracious. I am making a prediction that by the time Adam returns she will no longer be crawling because she will prefer getting around on her own two feet. Just in time for air travel...yes.

Evidence

See for yourself!
Willow at 10.5 months. 

This was a little while ago. But as of tonight, Willow can walk a lot more. I counted more than 20 steps in a row without falling over. She also learned how to stand up on her own, without using anything to pull herself up with. So incredible! What a fun stage to observe--she learns new things every day. 

Baby Love

You might almost be able to forget you were in China---if not for the several million people on the other side of the fence.