what's wrong? nothing.

i actually had a friend pick up the phone and call me today. 'i was calling to see if you were sick, or dead to the world! it's been 4 days since you've posted on your blog!!!' i laughed hysterically. that's what it's come to now? 'i've been checking your blog twice a day! what's wrong?!'

nothing. nothing is wrong. it was all strategic.

i didn't want to post anything new so that every time you opened up the blog you would see that matt was taking the GRE today and you would remember to pray.

manipulative? maybe.
worth it? definitely.

matt did great on his test, and we're eating pizza and watching monday night football in celebration.

thanks for putting up with the delay. i promise to do my best not to keep you waiting another 4 whole days.

deadline #1

i've been thinking about moving a lot lately. i couldn't figure out why all of the sudden i was thinking about it so much. after all, we most likely won't be going anywhere until august. then it hit me...our first deadline in the PhD application process is close at hand.

until now it's all be out there -- someday. but on monday matt takes the GRE and in 'the plan' that has always been the first deadline to meet. then comes applications due, interviews, acceptance and moving.

the romanticism of moving for PhD work is quickly being sucked away. the realities of a new home, a new neighborhood, a new culture....it's all becoming much more real. for example, at the park a few days ago i met a woman who was new to vancouver...only 3 months in. i wondered if that would be me soon, trying to make friends at the park. i felt an extra measure of compassion for her and tried to ease the transition for this stranger.

but for now, i'll focus on monday and the test matt will take. it could determine a lot of where we will go. if you feel so inclined, i would covet your prayers.

Say What??! Wednesday

on saturday we went down to the pearl district to walk around. it was a beautiful sunny day. we walked for blocks and blocks. toward the end of our walk i wanted to occupy isaiah a bit. so not really thinking of the ramifications i said, 'step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back.' 'huh?' he said. in a slower cadence, 'step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back.'

isaiah stopped walking, frozen. he looked down at his feet and at all the squares that were crisscrossed before him. he looked up at me frantic and raised his hands and pleaded, 'carry me mommy!'


(i felt terrible! but after some explanation he was down holding my hand chanting the saying and hopping from square to square.)

had i known

we did it. isaiah and alaythia are sharing a room, the big room. matt and i have isaiah's old room, noah border and all.

was the work and stress worth it? yes.
was the task daunting? yes.
am i glad i did it? you have no idea.

here's just a few things, (after 24 hours), that i've come to love about it:

-i love that i can choose to read in bed if i want.
-i love that once i got in bed last night, matt and i talked for nearly 30
minutes...in a normal tone!
-i love that when i fold the laundry, there's an adult pile and a kid pile. no
mixing.
-i love that my room is all adult. no changing tables, no toys.
-i love that my room is smaller - therefore has the potential to be cleaner.
-i love that their room is big and has room for lots of playing.
-i love the way the kid's room feels at night with the night light on and all their things in there. feels like wendy, michael and john's room from peter pan.
-i love that the bedtime routine is all together now. and with matt and i both singing songs isaiah joins in. i rock alaythia, matt's tickling isaiah's back and we sing to our Messiah...all together. amazing.
-but most of all i LOVED hearing isaiah and alaythia go to sleep today for their nap.

(their heads are facing each other...i shut the door and immediately hear isaiah speak gibberish to alaythia. then her hysterical laugh. over and over and over it goes. do i go in, do i not. it's so cute to hear them in their room having fun on their own...making great memories. but it's time for bed. i open the door, only to find isaiah standing and jumping up and down as he speaks the words that make his sister laugh. i calmly say it's time for bed, then realize i was sorry i did it. and walked out, deciding to let them go as long as they wanted. i wasn't going to put a damper on it. they carried on for a few more minutes and then both went to sleep.)

i love everything about the change. had i known -- i would have done it months ago.

drummer boy...

this video was taken in august at some friend's wedding reception. isaiah was 2 and a half exactly.

first off, we need to give props to josh, peter and ben - amazing musicians that made this really what it is. they were gracious to let isaiah play and made him look good.

don't get me wrong, i am proud. and i'll be the very first to admit that isaiah has a gift. at the moment it was happening matt and i stared at each other in disbelief numerous times. surreal to say the very least. this video is the last few minutes of about a 20 minute set.

without further ado, our little drummer boy.

fabulous

matt and i got away for a date night last night. dinner and a movie. we went and saw 'dan in real life' on recommendation. i didn't seen '40-year-old virgin', and while i'm a huge fan of 'the office', i haven't seen one steve carrell movie. not interested. but 'dan in real life' is fantastic. really fantastic. and i think it's worth going to see.

Meeska Mooska.....

Mickey & Minnie Mouse!!!

if you want to see more pictures of our night you can click here.