tHe "NeW" jeHLemoBILE

this is our 'investment in the family' as we like to call it.
it's a 1969 airstream land yacht.
we've used it every weekend since we got it.
we named it clifford.

if you can get there, get there (part 1)

we love where we live. we know this is where we are supposed to be.
but, as those of you know who don't live near family/old friends,
there is always a bit of heartache that comes with the decision to
live any great distance from those you love.
virginia was a great expereince, but also pretty rattling time for us, fellowship-wise.
and we feel at home here in big sky country, and are making friends,
but very much look forward to not just knowing people, but truly being known,
and truly knowing those we are friends with. it all takes time.
i am so thankful for the friends and family that make the trek to montana, and so happy my folks bought a summer home here. these visits are such a gift.

all that so say, although it seems more often than not plans don't work out,
if the opportunity to see people we are close to pops up, if we can get there, we get there.
we had that chance yesterday with a longtime friend of alex's, chris creighton.
he coaches the iowa drake bulldogs, and is an all-around cool person.
you can hear an interview he did recently on npr here.
his team played montana state yesterday, so we drove to bozeman friday,
camped, and had the honor to support and watch a good friend, who we do not see...ever, really.

and let me tell you this: i was blown away. i know so few people who truly love and believe in every aspect of their job, and this guy does. and to get to sit on the front row and watch someone in their element really is inspiring. the integrity with which he coaches, the encouragement he gives to his players, he was born to be a college football coach, alex and i both left pumped up, ready to take on any challenge. and hutch woke up this a.m. asking to play football. and elsa just asked for fruit snacks the whole time. can't disagree, they are tasty.

40

my handsome birthday boy.

i love him.

for alex's big 40 weekend, we took these jokers:

to this place: glacier national park.

there is no place like it, pure magic.

we saw lots of stunning scenery like this:

and a lot of wild animals like this one, who was kind

enough to allow me to get a close up.

and the kids were most excited about this:

a pica mouse at our campsite. hutch named him 'horsepower'

and elsa tried to give him a million rocks and sticks to eat.

buggy is two!

elsa, ladybug, buggy, bugs, bugga...
you turned two almost two weeks ago.
and i can't believe it. i also can't wrap my brain
around all of the things i want to say to you.

you are buttermilk pie doused in hot sauce,
sweet to the core with a very liberal dose of spice.
you make us laugh, give us love, confuse us,
and we marvel at the girl God made just for our family. you are a perfect fit with your many, many personality traits. we love them all.


bugs, i love your tough, feisty exterior.
you play it lauren bacall-cool with others, studying them,
offering little more than a mona lisa smile at their efforts to win you over
until you really, really know them.
and even then you still play hard to get.
but when you open up, you are a chatterbox, grinning, giggling girl.

you don't walk, you strut. in your red cowgirl boots, because
what else would you possibly want to wear?
my elsa, you love babies, animals, books, singing, and dancing, dancing, dancing.

i love seeing you with your brother, you absolutely love him.
you call him 'my hutchy,' or 'my bubba,'
and shower him with hugs and pats, kiss his boo-boo's
and are absolutely agitated if you
wake up first and have to wait for hutch to come downstairs.

bugga, we are so thankful for you.
you are so unique, yet i see so much great-grandmommy in you.
i remember reading that much of one's personality is developed
by age two. if that is the case, we need to buckle up,
because you are going to be one wild ride. and we can't wait to see the
beautiful person you will continue to become.