Grandpa and Grandma in Atlanta

Grandma and Grandpa decided to come see us in Atlanta last weekend. Before they arrived, Jack decided to draw a map of the house to take on their tour. The blue squiggles are Jack's bed, of course. It was pretty funny watching Jack give the tour while Grandpa used his guide map. 

We had a lot of fun doing some Atlanta shopping. We started at the Dekalb International Farmers Market, which is quite amazing. The boys enjoyed seeing the live fish and fruits I'd never heard of including a Jack Fruit. We also went to Grandma's favorite Atlanta bakery. On Saturday night, we went to a pizza place in Vinings that is right on the railroad tracks. Jack and Luke have been there before while Megan and Leslie were here, so they were quite eager to see a train go by. Unfortunately, the dinner hour didn't yield a single train. Fortunately, as we were walking back to the car a train finally came by.

When we were driving home from Lenox Mall on Sunday afternoon, I looked back and saw both boys asleep, exhausted from the excitement of showing Grandma and Grandpa our new home in Atlanta.

Little Hands

When we are at Watercolor, I view Luke's early mornings as a blessing. After he wakes, the two of us quickly dress and head out the door for one of our morning walks before we wake anyone else. 

This bridge is one of my absolute favorite places at Watercolor. I'm especially fond of it at night when I can watch the sun set and these glass flower lights glow and the frogs croak, but Luke isn't much for the night life. I have to take what I can get.

John took the boys with him one afternoon and left me to do what I wanted to do. Jane and I rode the bikes to Seaside to walk through the little shops. When I saw a glass shop, I wanted to go in to see if they had a nightlight or some small memento made out of these flowers that I like so much at Watercolor. 

The glass flowers were there, but sold as larger pieces of art that I could not afford. I started looking for something small that would remind me of my early morning walks with Luke. I spotted this small vase. Its color drew me first. Then I read this verse that was lying beside it to seal the deal:

Little Hand Vases

Some of the most beautiful flowers we may ever receive do not arrive in glossy white boxes from the florist, but instead are offered to us by small hands grubby from play. The stems may be short, the blossoms may be drooping, the flower themselves what some might call weeds- but when given with love from a little hand is more precious than that of a delivery service with red roses. 

A little vase for "special flowers"

Knowing Jack's penchant for picking flowers for me, I decided this was the perfect gift to give myself. Since arriving home, this vase is full more often than it is empty. No dandelions grow in this yard, but beautiful gardenia bushes offer the perfect flowers for my little vase. Sometimes it's Jack who suggests we cut some. Other times John brings me a handful. I can't think of another item in my house that in years to come will remind me of this time of my life more. I'd like to remember my morning walks with Luke and Jack's gifts of flowers for a lifetime. 

Airplane Watching

When we went to the airport to pick up Megan and Leslie last week, we had to wait in the cell phone waiting area. The boys loved it because we sat for 30 minutes and watched airplane after airplane line up to take off. I won't say that Jack was excited about the trip to the airport today. He cried when we told him that it was time to take the girls back to the airport. He wanted "to do something else". But, once he realized that we had to take the girls back, he decided to make the most of it by asking if we could go watch the airplanes again after we dropped them off. We sat for another 30 minutes until finally I told him that one plane was Megan's, and once they left we had to go too. 

When we got home, Jack asked for his Duplo airplane. He and Luke have been playing airport ever since. We may make a trip to the airport a common practice around here!

Goodbyes Are Never Easy

Florida 2012

A couple of days after the movers brought our stuff to Georgia, we headed to Watercolor, FL for the Seaton family vacation. Watercolor is breathtakingly beautiful. The boys loved time in the sun, sand, and swimming pool. Luke and I enjoyed early morning walks by the fountains, over the bridge, and down the docks. John and I took the boys on a dolphin cruise this year since it is the last year that both boys will be able to go for free. It was fun to be on the boat and see dolphins, but the highlight of the cruise was when the Navy's Blue Angels treated us to a free air show. With the stress of moving and John being separated from us for six weeks while he started working in Atlanta, this vacation was a welcome respite from life. Thanks for treating us, Grandpa and Grandma.