Grateful (again)

Last night I was the sickest I think I have ever been in my life. It is 3pm and I can barely sit up to write this. I have been in bed all day and still feel like I was run over by a truck.

But I am grateful. Because unlike a lot of other illnesses, stomach viruses pass (quickly).

Thankful

These pilots put a smile on even the weariest travelers' faces.

Come fly with me.....!

C looking like maybe she just snuck a shot of milk at the airport bar.

At the zoo with cousins

Lately, I have been trying really, really hard to live in the moment. As part of that, lately I seem to think a lot about 'the moment'--the moment in some peoples' lives when everything afterward is irrevocably different. If you are a kid, you will forever divide your childhood by that moment. For me it was (obviously) the day I found out my father had cancer. I remember it clearly. I was in my driveway. I had had eighth grade pictures that day. I am sure for others the moment comes when their parents divorce, someone gets hurt, or they learn something that makes them see their family in a different light. Some people, if they are really lucky, never have that moment, they just get to slowly grow up and one day they realize they are no longer kids.

As an adult, I keep wondering if it will happen again. Maybe because, despite being exhausting, my life is definitely more full of love than it has ever been. I don't dwell on it to be morbid. Rather, I want to remind myself. I want to savor every day so that if a moment ever does arrive I won't think I wasted all the time before it. Because life might be really hard sometimes, but it is also incredibly rich. And so I am very very thankful, for all of it.

To celebrate Thanksgiving, we went to Houston. We had, as always, a fantastic time. Lots of family and cousins, mostly great weather. C and D loved 'helping' Gram by writing the place cards and even putting arrows around the house to direct people to dinner. One of the highlights for me was watching D teach herself to stop and start herself on a bike without training wheels. I love her determination because it isn't about being the best, it is about achieving personal goals. (C and D both learned to ride two wheel bikes in the last month, and I guess I was impressed because I swear I was 6 or 7 when I learned to ride a bike without training wheels). And LBD officially made her position clear: She's in the MIX for good.

All in it was a great time and it is wonderful to see how much C, D, and hopefully soon Lila view Houston as an extension of themselves. I think they are really lucky to consider so many different places a part of their lives.

Father Daughter Dance

LBD makes sure to get her version of "cheese" in the mix (C far left)

Little girls want "shoe horns" just like their Daddy

C and D went with Andrew to the father daughter dance again this year. They were so proud of themselves for staying up until "almost 9:30" and this year they ran into several friends from school. They even got to go up on stage and "sing" a Katy Perry they had never heard but felt so grown up singing with the older girls. All in a magical night for 4 year old girls.

The next day they told their grandmother that "Daddy isn't a great dancer, but he sure is handsome."

Quotes

(Fall in SF is beautiful---but weird. Snow hats one day, swimsuits the next).

Andrew was sitting with C in the bathroom while she waxed poetic.

C: "Daddy, I think you are so beautiful. Some people might not think you are beautiful, but I think you're beautiful. Well, in the morning when it looks like the rabbits played in your hair then you really aren't beautiful at all. But I still think you are..."

And later in the evening with D, also waxing poetic in the bathroom....

D: "Daddy when are you going to retire?"

A: "Not for a long long time."

D: "Next year?"

A: "No, you'll probably be out of college by the time I retire."

D smiles sweetly and sympathetically, reaches out, and pats Andrew's arm.

D: "Oh Daddy, you'll be dead by the time I get out of college."

And not to be left out...

LBD and DRD are in the playroom. Lila writes all over D's drawing.

D: "Bad Lila!"

LBD (this is only funny because I had no idea she knew how to say this): "NO. BAD DY-YAN!"

Civic Pride

We went to the Giants parade.

We met Andrew down at his office and headed to the parade. It was a nice spot to pick because most of the people just went back to their offices afterward so it wasn't completely crazy. C and D were thrilled when the parade started with the Cal Band. Right after that came the broadcasters. One of our friend's is a Giants radio broadcaster, so the second float had twins they knew on it. Everything after that seemed downhill until the players cable cars arrived. The girls were bummed that Buster Posey was facing the other way, but they got a decent hit of Lincecum and a great hit of their favorite player, "Fear the Beard."

I made the effort to go not because we are the worlds biggest Giants Fans (we fully admit to being 'bandwagoners'). But we really enjoyed the Torture Tour and the girls did too. And it just didn't seem like something they should miss in their hometown. I knew it was a good call when Andrew (a die hard Astros fan) said "That was really fun. I'm glad you motivated us." That and the fact that C and D have been playing "World Series Champions Parade" ever since.

I DID promise the girls that if the Astros ever won the world series we would go to their parade too. Fortunately/unfortunately, I don't think I will have to fulfill that promise anytime soon.

The Cal Band

Being a good fan is tiring
Lincecum
Brian Wilson

LBD missed the parade, but she still got into the spirit...

The Marrying Kind

C: "Mom, if someone wants to marry someone but the other person doesn't, do they have to get married?"

Me: "Why do you ask?"

C: (In the most innocent tone that will, sadly, probably be gone when speaking of boys in a year or two) "Because this boy in Gymnastics class says he is going to marry me. But I really don't want to marry him."

Me: "No sweetheart, people only get married if both people want to get married."

C: "Why did you marry Daddy?"

Me: "Because he's fun, and funny, and kind, and smart, and good."

C: "And you knew he would be a great Daddy."

Me: "Yes, that too."

(From the back of the car) D: "I am not going to get married until I'm done with 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th....um, I'm not going to get married until I am done with college."

"And I am going to marry a GIRL."

You go girl.