someday...

...I will learn french.
Just before Maya was born, two years ago, Ryan and I took a conversational French class at the Community College. To say that I was an (obnoxiously) eager student would be a gross understatement. I wrote down everything the teacher said, asking for clarifications constantly. Each week, I had my homework done…and more. Just for fun (and extra study) I made laminated flash cards of all the french words and phrases in our textbook with pictures I had cut-out and collected from catalogs and magazines. Whenever we went to the gym, I’d bring one of my rings of cards and study my French while I worked out on the elliptical. Which brings me to another possible entry about something I want to do… exercise.
and my french? Je regrette….C’est pathetique.

See more progress on: learn french

a fun google search

So I googled my friend Heidi Kok's name to see what shows she's been acting in lately. And I came accross this old page of pictures I made in college. It was at the top of the google list for Heidi's name. Sorry Heidi. She has some far more sophisticated and beautiful pictures on the web now.

Me: "are you my cuddle bear?"

Maya: "mm, hm....hold chee [hold me]" (snuggling her face into my shoulder, squeezing me tighter, occasionally offering gentle pats on my back)



This picture is a few months old, but it captures one of my very favorite feelings.
Ryan and I have been covered in kisses and requests for hugs and kisses this week.
Can I somehow make this part last forever?

saturday date night

After we left Maya with Nana and Papa, we aimlessly wandered the aisles of the deceptively not-that-great-closeout-sale at Elder Beerman hoping to find a really incredible something we've always needed...for next to nothing. We didn't find it.
We did see lots of parents with loud 2-ish year old children in strollers. As we passed them, we felt a vague sense of familiarity and empathy with their expressions of urgency, exhaustion, distractedness...

With an hour still to fill, we drove through a few parking lots to Barnes & Noble where we conducted a thorough but unsuccessful search for a Moleskin 2008 calendar for Ryan. Happily, we did find one frappuccino and one hot tea.

Then...we saw Juno. (With every middle-school student in town?) And it was beautiful, funny, satisfying. I sat there shaking with sobs of happiness and just so much feeling...even while the noisy student section giggled and whispered.

i really should have blogged sooner...

... so many thoughts have been accumulating. Too many to post now...or maybe ever.

There are so many things that I want to record about Maya's fun personality right now, lots of great pictures & memories from Christmas, thoughts about Sophia's quickly approaching arrival (only a few more months!), going back to work after a very long Christmas break...tomorrow (ugh).
A lot of other things are on my mind.
I wish I were more motivated to communicate reflectively right now. Or even communicate at all.

Hopefully soon.

Usually I try to make up for my poor emailing/phone calling/ letter-writing/friend habits by at least posting updates here. Lately I've even been a delinquent blogger. I'm so sorry. Things will be better soon. I promise.