Believe

With help from NORAD, we tracked Santa......the magic of Christmas and the magic of technology came together to keep the spirit of the season in their hearts.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Peaks and valleys

In the textbook of emotional physics, there is balance to be found among the ups and downs even though sometimes the downs seem absolutely untenable and heartbreaking.

To love a pet deeply requires pragmatism and an open heart, because we invariably outlast them and we have to accept that there will be pain and sadness at some point. But there will also be opportunities to love that deeply again in a lifetime, and I just can't imagine missing the peaks in order to avoid the valleys.

When the climb to a peak comes so effortlessly, and seems like it was meant to be, I sure can't question the why or the how.

Samantha, I don't doubt that you were nudged our way by a very special power in the universe. I'm grateful that our paths have crossed, and promise to always love you deeply.

Too soon a memory

There's a saying that when a loved one becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.

Sydney, you will be a treasure in our hearts forever and your sweet spirit will always be at our side as we make our way through life without you.

We're finding comfort knowing you're in good company on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge, and that you've also got a special someone there who will throw the frisbee to your heart's content.

RIP, sweet pup.

It's only hair...

October 9 was the big day...the day I donated my hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. To me it was a tangled mane of extra work...hair that WILL grow back...but to a woman who has lost her own hair to cancer treatments it's pretty darn special.

Two ponytails. The blessing of thick, fast-growing hair.

A special reason to make this donation...in her honor...

...wishing I had even half of her courage.

An old friend

We introduced ourselves to you on our first trip together as a couple, just 6 weeks into our relationship. You were a lovely host...providing sunrises and sunsets that took our breath away.

We enjoyed our first trip so much, we joined you again for our honeymoon a year later.

A few years later, we met up with The Best Man and his family within the confines of your lovely village, and found out that their three would soon be four.

And we last visited over five years ago...which is silly because we used to make at least an annual trip to see you.

We're excited to see you again, old friend.

Oh my cabernet.

...or, Living in a Cul de Sac: Neighbors are Overrated.

We're a circle of seven homes, trapped by channeled through a single entrance. Two homeowners are originals...been here for over 11 years, and knew the area when it was a big pile of dirt surrounded by cornfields. Another one moved in about two years before us. The other three have moved in since we got here, which is almost five years now.

There are kids who would really just love to play together and sort things out on the playground like it's been done for decades. But alas, they are being raised by graduates of The Helicopter School of Parenting...who also have a raging case of Not MY Kid.

Other parents were good friends of ours...before they started behaving like petulant 4th graders whose desk is no longer in what they think is The Best location in the classroom.

And one parent, who is struggling to find her way in a brand new world outside polygamy, wants to understand why helicopters and overgrown 4th graders are playing such an invasive role in her life right now.

We, for our part, want to be far less disgusted with the behavior of some of our neighbors than we currently are.

Personally? I'm partial to a Cabernet-Shiraz blend.

No, actually I'm *not* borrowing my teenage son's car

I drive one of these:

And am married to this sense of humor:

And he buys parts to fix these:

So he gets free stickers like this:

And this:

And...*sigh*...this:

I never know when a new one will show up in prime viewing location on one of my windows, although it's usually after a weekend of this:

Because these two:

Just can't be trusted.

Oh, yes. It's a laugh a minute here in Schaererville.