Category Archives: Family matters

In which we discuss matters of the family.

Family matters

Why I Live Where I Live

Our original plan was to go to Chapel Hill, where Rockford would go to graduate school and I’d … well, I’d do something. But, as usual, things didn’t go according to my plans.

The people at Missouri were so much more friendly than the people at Chapel Hill, and the fellowship offer was better at MU. So we headed West.

And I was miserable.

I was thousands of miles from my home, my family and my friends. I didn’t have a job, so I spent my days sitting in our apartment eating cookies and watching reruns of “Newhart” (OK, so that part wasn’t so bad).

Then things started to change. I found a job. I made some friends. I stopped eating so many cookies. I never would have imagined that I’d shed anything but tears of joy when Missouri was in my rearview mirror, but here we are, two months away from moving again, and my heart is aching.

Family matters

Adventures in babysitting

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Poppy’s friend James came over to play for a few hours this morning. I think the experience might have convinced Rockford that Poppy doesn’t need a sibling anytime in the near future! I’ll let him share the tale with you himself once his brain re-jells. It’s a little melty after a day with a non-napping 15-month-old and a congested, cookie-tossing 8-month-old.

Family matters

"When We Were Wee" Redux

I got an email from my mom this morning in response to “When We Were Wee.” She seems to think that I don’t remember spending any time with her growing up, as everything in that post was related to summer vacations at my dad’s. So in the interest of equality, here is my mostly unedited When We Were Wee, NC-Style, response to her complaint:

You know that I cherish our chicken strips and mashed potatoes moments. Along with trying to build a dam/fish trap in the creek and wandering around in the pastures looking for Indian artifacts and riding bikes around JL’s circle with Justin and seafood nachos and those magical little hot fudge cakes we used to make (did I tell you I made some of those last winter? scrumptious!) and the no-bake chocolate cookies (which I’ve been meaning to ask: What’re in those things?) and walking up to Rickman’s for ice cream. And playing in the carpet rolls at Tastinger’s. And being mystified over Granny’s garden. And eating sausage and biscuits and gravy until I nearly popped. And when you guys were fixing up the old house and I had the bedroom in the back, it was a warm, early spring day, and I opened the windows and laid down on the bed, and between the creek and the birds and the breeze, that was the best nap I’ve ever had.