For Man Looketh on the Outward Appearance, [but a Child...]

Gerret remains unphased by his condition. This is still Ironman and he still saves the day.

The View Out My Front Door

Sent from my iPad

Date Night

We've heard about the practice for a long time. Read about it a few times. Tried planning for it a couple times. Implemented it once.
The idea of date night is to allow your children one on one time with one of their parents. To remove them from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day family life, and allow them some intimate time with mom or dad. At it's ideal it helps to forge a more personal bond with the child and parent, giving both the opportunity to open up and talk about different things and become close friends. I think it reinforces to the child that they are an individual and we, as parents, recognize that. It's a message the world is going to be relentless in proclaiming to them and so as parents we want them to know we've always seen them as such and value their individual interests and personalities.
This is the ideal. For a four and three year old, however, I think it's more just about allowing them to feel special because they are getting individual attention, and we allow them to choose any activity their heart desires and to have full participation from mom or dad.
Our boys love it.
So Tuesday night Lindsay took Nolan out to do their thing and I stayed home with Gerret to do his thing. Gerret's thing, it turns out, is building and playing with train trax. It was awesome. We used every building he had and most of the track to construct the largest, most complex train world we could. We had four different trains running at different spots on the track at it's greatest. We also took a break to voraciously tear into some gummy hotdogs and hamburgers for our special treat (do I know the way to his heart or what?).
I love this kid. He's wild and crazy and yet he can be so very perceptive and insightful. He's bursting with energy and eager to be everywhere and once. We had a perfect time and I'm glad we got to spend it together. I think he's glad too.
Pictured here you'll find some photos I took of our date above, and below I've posted Gerret's photo journal of our date.

A Frolic in an Open Wood

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,

And what I assume you shall assume,

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

I loafe and invite my soul,

I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass. 

My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air, 

Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,

I, now [twenty-seven] years old in perfect health begin, 
Hoping to cease not till death. 

From W. Whitman's "Song of Myself"

Going With Me

A sabbath day. Cool and still.
At last clouds swept through the sky.

Our restless hearts crave the cool air.
To brave the outdoors yet again.
We pack our gear. We know the essentials.

To Seneca lake. Pure and deep.
(literally, it's the deepest of the finger lakes and pretty clean)
What sides of her shall we know for the first time.

Brother to brother. Friend to friend.
We work our way along the banks of a giant.

Pausing. Watching. Drinking deep
(the moment, not the water, cause it's clean, but not so much)

The sun begins to set on fair Geneva.
Our paths will kiss, but not cross tonight.

The sun sets on her train yards.
Golden promise at the end of the day.
Hurry home to bed. Good night.
I'll see you tomorrow.

The Trees of Life

There's This Girl

I love to be alone with my wife. Not necessarily alone alone. Just alone as to anyone else to whom we may have duty or obligation. Time with her when all that's pressing is nothing and our minds are free to run the gamut of conversation and possibility together.
After satisfying my eight month need to see this final Harry Potter film we had time together at the park. The bathrooms there looked like something out of a horror movie, but the lake front was nice (at least so long as one looked out beyond the shore...there was kind of a lot of seaweed and filth built up at the shore). It's a beautiful place we live and it's a beautiful thing to share a beautiful place with a beautiful person. Makes for a beautiful memory.
We talked. Swung on the bench swing on the shore. Admired the fact that we can call this area home. Narrowly avoided geese scat. Were yelled at by a lonely man that we were driving the wrong way out of the park (and we were, but let's be honest, if the lane is 20 feet wide, the one-way sign is just a suggestion). And most importantly, we enjoyed seeing our little boys again when all was said and done.
Thanks be to Olivia for a successful first run as our babysitter.