Looking Back Before Looking Ahead ...

So, the summer of 2007 is about to come to an end. The days are obviously shorter, and lately the weather has been just the kind of weather I love--cooler, crisper nights, bright sunny days with the bluest of blue skies. Autumn is on its way!

Mid-May had our trip to South Carolina, which seemed like the perfect time of year to travel to that part of the country. What a lovely, relaxing trip that turned out to be, and perfectly timed considering how the rest of my summer turned out. The more I travel around this country the more I'm amazed at how different the states, the regions of the country are from one another. I used to think we were all the same kind of people, just living in different types of land which shaped the history and livelihoods and cultures of the people living there, but more and more I'm realizing the characteristics of the people are so different, too. Characteristics which may or may not be retained as we all move about.

June had a few gatherings and events, but seemed mostly like a resting-up for the busy month of July, in which we had the visits from Edwin's parents and niece and our own trip to Chicago with Anna mid-month. I've gone to many garage sales, more than I have in years. I've found clothes for Anna to grow into and a few books, Anna found toys and new babies, often naked babies needing some love and attention. In June Anna met a few of her aunts and uncles (Linda, JoAnn, and Peter) and cousins (Andrea and Ashley) for the first time.

Ma, Pa, and Marije enjoyed their trip to the US, spending time in New York City and San Francisco in addition to the time spent with us. We had some nice conversations over dinners at home, and Edwin planned a couple outings as well. I found out that Edwin's dad is a big fan of the Sopranos, and Marije loves the Gilmore Girls shows from television. They all adored Anna and after a short period of getting used to them Anna adored them right back. Unfortunately, during the second part of their trip here was when Anna was sick with her week-long fevers and roseola, so wasn't her usual self. A couple weeks later Anna was sick again--not eating, drinking little, throwing up over the course of a few days and worrying us with her lack of appetite. She's not a big girl, so I hate to think she's losing even more of her weight by being sick. We had several nights of her waking up in the middle of the night, vomiting. Uggh. Poor girl. Another blur of time.

This month has just been more of the same ... work, going to the park, walking around Lake Harriet, riding the trolley with Anna, garage sales, trying to keep up with everything at home. I have correspondence to catch up on, organizing to do, and plans to make to perk up the house a bit. We coincidentally got a flier on our step from painters who specialize in ceiling repair and painting, which we just so happen to need on practically the entire first floor of our house. Hmm.

Here are some new pictures of Louisiana ...

Reading her scary sounds Halloween book. Look at that hair! I still haven't had it cut, yet.














Here she is in her new anywhere chair, which she loves. I got it for her birthday, but then realized it was kind of silly to make her wait to get it. It's the perfect place for her to watch Annie, her latest obsession. Along with shoes. We have the more recent Disney version of Annie with Kathy Bates, Victor Garber, etc., which was directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago). Anna LOVES to watch Annie--she'll point to the television and yell "Annie! Annie" whenever Annie comes on the screen. She'll also try to sing along with some of the songs (especially the one where she sings that her parents will call her baby, maybe), and there's one line "Watch out for Molly!" that Anna likes to say after Annie says it. Funny girl.











All for now!

A Weekend Just For Me!

As soon as I leave work (oops!) starts a weekend just for me! I can't believe it is here, and that I won't be bringing any work home. I may appear calm on the outside, but in the inside I'm jumping up and down with joy.

Edwin is taking both Saskia and Anna camping today, for the weekend. I'll post again to let you all (you know, all ones of you!) what I ended up doing.

The days and weeks of the summer have all blurred together, and now it is September. This is the time, the traditional back-to-school time, that I reflect on where I am in my life, what goals I might have for the future, how and what I want to change.

More later ... I can leave now! ;)

Random Updates

I'm now able to see the end of this extremely busy time at work. Everything's slowly coming under control, I think. I wonder how the big meeting will be, if I will go away happy or frustrated. I guess we'll see.

I'm back to reading Mists of Avalon, and disheartened to see I'm only about 1/3 of the way through. Oh well. When one goes to bed at 11, it's hard to stay up very late to read.

Anna seems to say at least one new word every day. Wow! Lately she's added the words broken, stroller, squirrel, and blankie to her vocabulary. Of course they're not perfectly spoken, but close enough that I can tell what she's trying to say.

Finally the last of the bridge collapse victims has been recovered--the man who was part of the construction crew working on the bridge at the time. I'm also relieved that there appears to be a consensus on the design of the new bridge, especially the idea of making it light-rail friendly. After all, if bridges are built to last 30-40 years, doesn't it make sense to keep open the possibility of light rail? Who knows what might happen in the next decade or so, it's certainly foreseeable that there would be some type of light rail line to the north. I'm proud that Mayor Ryback held his ground on this issue.

I am so looking forward to Labor Day weekend. I've sent several pictures to Linhoff Photo to be printed, I just need to pick them up. I have more to send, I only got as far as where I left off last time (our trip to Holland last summer) to Anna's first birthday, so I still have almost a years' worth of pictures left to go. I have a list of things in mind that I'd like to do around the house, too, I feel so behind on housework and projects. Always so hopeful, I am.

In the background now is a show on CNN with Christiane Amanpour called "God's Warriors", attempting to cover the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian conflicts around the world. Very, very interesting. I wish I could watch the show more closely, it's over three nights and last night and tonight I have it on while I'm doing some work.

This is all I can think of for now ... I have a lot on my mind but not a lot of words at the moment, I guess.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

While at the airport, waiting for our flight to Chicago, I realized that I'd forgotten to pack the book I was reading at the time so I decided to splurge and buy myself a hardcover book for the trip--A Thousand Splendid Suns. A Thousand Splendid Suns was written by Khalid Hosseini, who wrote The Kite Runner a few years ago. Both books are moving, memorable page-turners. Sad, tragic, yet uplifting in regard to the human spirit and how the characters persevered despite difficult, violent lives.

I've come to the conclusion that I like A Thousand Splended Suns better of the two books--the main characters were without fault, doing whatever they could do to survive in a time of war and unrelenting hardship. Whereas the main character in The Kite Runner, as an adult in the book had to grapple with the guilt he felt for the selfish, arrogant actions of his younger self. He knew the things he'd done in his life had horrible consequences, and although he was able to redeem himself to an extent, he would never be able to completely make things right. Those of you who've read the books know exactly what I'm talking about.

So now I'll be back to Mists of Avalon when I start reading again. I hope I can find someone to discuss it with when I finish the book. At the least I can find some reviews on Amazon and see if I agree.

Horrible, Horrible

I am sure you know what I am talking about--the 35W bridge collapse. I feel so horrible for the victims and their families. I can't imagine the shock, the clinging to hope, the loss. To think that peoples' loved ones still haven't been recovered is just tragic. One of the missing is a young, pregnant mom and her daughter, who happens to be Anna's age. So very, very sad.

It was a weird fluke but I happened to catch the earliest reports of it on television. I had hoped to catch a few headlines on the local news, so happened to turn it on the television that evening. Unbelievable.

And, very, very infuriorating. As Amy Klobuchar said, bridges in this country should not just fall down. But that's another post.

The victims and their families are in my thoughts and prayers. We haven't been anywhere near the site since the collapse happened, I have a feeling that years from now, with a new bridge built, I'll still think about this tragedy whenever I cross it.