Isn't it Ironic??

You know those moments when you're driving in the car and a song comes on the radio that is totally applicable to your current life situation?? Well I had one of those moments today... but this one takes the cake!!

I'm driving to the pool to go swimming with some friends in the ward for one last time. I'm already a little emotional that it's my last weekend here in Durham. I rarely listen to the radio, but ABC's, I'm a little Teapot, and If you're Happy and you Know It are getting a little old...

The first song that comes on is: Jo Dee Messina "Heads Carolina"

"Heads, Carolina Tails, California. Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer. Up in the mountains, down by the ocean. Where? It don't matter, as long as we're goin' somewhere together. I've got a quarter. Heads, Carolina Tails, California."

I smiled at first thinking "HOW COOL! I am going from Carolina to California (after a quick year in AZ) and I'm so glad that is doesn't matter where I go as long as I have my wonderful hubby and kids with me!" But then, I started thinking about leaving this beautiful greenery/life in Carolina and I got teary eyed.

So, I changed the station and the song that was playing was: Chris Daughtry "Home"

"Well I'm going home, Back to the place where I belong... I don't regret this life I chose for me. But these places and these faces are getting old, So I'm going home."

This really brought me to tears because I AM going home. I don't feel like "these places and these faces [here in NC] are getting old", and I 100% don't regret at all the choice we made to come to Duke (despite all this debt) because we were lead/inspired to be here. But as life happens, it's inevitable that all good things must come to an end (so that the next good thing can start, right?) School has ended so, it IS time for a new place... and this place happens to be home. This chapter of my life is over, and I'm really grateful we have a transition year in AZ (before tails California).

So, the song ends and the tears are really streaming at this point. Then the next song comes on is: Lady Antebellum "Need you Now"

"It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now."

Just for the record, John and I have been apart A LOT this summer. In fact, by the time John and I are reunited on August 14th, John and I would have spent 50 days apart out of the past 80. With that being said, I have spent many nights awake listening to weird sounds in a house that isn't mine, in a bed that isn't mine (we're subletting for the summer), comforting sick, sad, tired children who just miss their dad, and knowing all too well that if John were asleep laying next to me I wouldn't be tossing and waking up with reoccurring strange dreams... all "a quarter after one"!

I miss him. A lot. I continue to cry. It is at this point Jack pipes up from the back seat and says "Mommy, you OK?" :-)

I wipe my tears and start to smile. I'm so grateful for my life. I am so blessed with such awesome, cute, adorable kids, a loving husband (although he might not be around much), to have wonderful job/school opportunities because of a husband who is so smart and works so hard, to have gracious family welcoming us back home... I'm sitting there thinking, what are the chances? "Isn't it ironic" that the past 3 songs have perfectly illustrated my life right now? And the clincher of it all...what song comes on next? Of course...

Alanis Morissette: "Ironic"

"And isn't it ironic...dontcha think"... well yes I do!!

God Bless America!!

Happy 4th of July!! We were planning on having a fun breakfast of Crepes with strawberries, blueberries, and cool whip (red, white, blue) but quickly remembered that it was fast Sunday! The Grovers didn't have church until 1pm so we got to go on a fabulous nature walk in the near by forest!

Carson and Jack

There was this cute little stream where the boys had a "leaf race" to see which one went down that mini waterfall first! Entertained them for a long time.

We before church I gave the boys a little devotional about our country them John marched around the living room singing patriotic songs.

The boys went crazy over these little flags.

Brotherly LOVE!! Perhaps my favorite picture of these boys so far!!

Jonah would NOT leave baby Tacey alone. He LOVED her and he really liked her bow!! Jack was wearing his white church shirt when Carson offered him a more patriotic shirt!! They felt so cool in their matching red striped shirts.

Church was so awesome. I LOVE having holidays on Sundays. It is just another opportunity to reminder of how much God has given to me. This nation truly was founded upon principles inspired by God. It was so uplifting to hear testimonies and remember the great men that built this great nation. I'm proud to be an American.

After church we had these amazing french dip, beef sandwiches. I still need that recipe Mallory. They were so yummy. We were planning on driving down to the mall, then after fireworks heading straight home (to Durham, NC). We knew traffic would be bad, but didn't know HOW bad, so we played it safe and last minute decided to stay one more night at the Grovers and just leave Monday morning. Since we weren't heading straight home, and the Grovers weren't going anywhere because of Kurt's kidney stones, they offered to keep Jonah and put him to bed for us. I wanted him to come so badly. I'm actually really sad we didn't bring him, but I just know that if he could talk, he would have wanted to stay home and just go to sleep. He doesn't care about fireworks, or Reba, or being on a hot sweaty mall with millions of people.

On the lawn of the Capitol there was a concert going on with Reba McEntire, David Archuleta, Gladys Knight, Lang Lang and more. We actually got there just as Reba got on stage. She sang a few songs then the fireworks started shortly after. We didn't leave Grovers until about 7pm and it took us at least an hour to get to the mall. It did feel a little rushed, but if just increased our desire to go there again some day.

So, Reba gets to the chorus of, "God Bless America" and the sky lights up in flames!! I turn my head and this is what I see. It was so breathtaking to have that song in the background with fireworks shooting over the Washington Monument. I have to say, I did get a little emotional... which is kind of unusual for me.

Our Nation's Capitol. I was missing Jonah so badly, but I know he was WAY happier asleep in his bed!!

The show was incredible to say the least!

We were going up the escalator and EVERYONE else was going down. We literally ran after the fireworks were over and beat most of the crowd. Plus, we drove in and found a sweet parking stop right next to the Rosslin Metro stop. It took us about an hour to get home and we were all asleep well before midnight. All I have to say after a day like today is:
"God Bless America"

The next morning on our way out of town we met my dear friend Katie Salmon for breakfast at IHOP. It was so fun to get caught up with her. I just love Katie and feel so inspired when I'm around her.

The drive home was pretty uneventful. John and I listened to "The Anatomy of Peace:Resolving the Heart of Conflict", it's a great book. We got home, John marched straight upstairs and said, "Jack, go help your mom unload the car... I have to study for the Bar!!" Let the studying begin...

July 3rd

Happy #3 Birthday Carson
We brought a few extra donuts from downtown DC because we knew it was Carson's birthday. What 3 year old wouldn't want a donut for his birthday breakfast? Carson was really sad that Jack wouldn't be here next week for his actual birthday party, so sweet Mallory set up a (pre) treasure hunt for the boys to do a run through. The party was pirate themed and so stinkin cute!!

Here they are putting the treasure map together. Seeking for the hidden treasure.

And they found it!!

Jonah in his pirate get up!

Jack-- Arrrrr Matey

Carson and Jack with their awesome pirate cups.

So, about 15 minutes after the boys got done with their treasure hunt, Kurt started complaining that his back was hurting. Mallory told him to take a few tylenol and wait it out! After 45 minutes he started looking a little pale and he said, "I think I need to go to Urgent Care". So Carson stayed with us at their house and they headed to see what was wrong. About an hour later we got a phone call that said he was passing kidney stones!! Poor Kurt! He was pretty much down and drugged the entire weekend. We missed hanging out with him, but hope it gets over soon.

Later that afternoon we went to a pool party/BBQ with some Duke friends who are here interning in DC. Thanks Stephanie and Bill for such a fun time!

This is the view from their apartment. Isn't that amazing. Washington monument on the left, Jefferson mid left, Capitol on the right!! And the airport is right there so they always get planes flying it. Wouldn't fireworks from this location be amazing?? I can only imagine.

I love how the airplane is flying into Jonah's ear and the Capitol is right in between me and Jack.

Jonah fell asleep on the way back to the Grovers and woke up looking like this!! LOVE that hair, love that smile. Considering the crazy day the Grovers had (with Kurt's kidney stone and Carson's birthday) we decided to give them a restful evening so we stopped at an Afgan Kabob house for dinner. It was delicious.

The top 3 "must have" cupcake recommendations for the DC area are Georgetown cupcakes, Baked and Wired, and Hello Cupcakes. We had already had the first 2 and since it was Carson's birthday we picked up a few to bring back home. After tasting all 3 I rank them:
1) Baked and Wired
(HANDS DOWN!! It's definitely up there with Sprinkles)
2) Hello Cupcakes
3) Georgetown Cupcakes

Dupont Circle

The boys and I walked John to work this morning and it was so fun to once again walk the streets of DC with my hunny. I stopped at a little cart and bought myself some sunglasses. (Jack broke mine during Family Home Evening talent show. He was doing a crazy dance and stepped on them. Why they were on the ground? I'm pretty sure Jonah got into my purse.) Darn!!

When John and I lived in DC summer of 2006 (when I was pregnant with Jack) I was a nanny. I took care of the cutest little boy named Calvin. He was 18 months old and they lived just a few blocks from Dupont Circle. I would often come here with Calvin and let him run around. It was so fun to come here now with my kids and let them do the same thing!!

Our hotel (The Palomar) is just just one block away.

After chasing a few birds, running around the fountain, and taking pictures, I got a few unfriendly stares from several homeless people, so we decided to head back to the hotel.

We went swimming at the hotel pool and Jack said "I'm totally bummed I forgot my sunglasses". It was rather bright.

After baths, naps and PB & J's for the boys, I checked out of the hotel and decided Daddy needed a little visit at work. We walked 12 blocks to John's office and I made 2 stops.
1st-- Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (remembering past times. When I nannied I would often stop at this KK and bring John home a Chocolate Iced Filled doughnut... his favorite).
2nd-- Potbelly Sandwich. I had never eaten there before and decided I had to try it. Despite the fact both of my boys were screaming, wanting out of the stroller and had just ran out of their doughnut, I decided to go in anyway. It was shortly after I walked in that I realized... having 2 screaming children isn't the worst thing in Potbelly's... we got 3 free chocolate oatmeal cookies out of the deal. BEST cookies I've had in a LONG time!!! I will visit you again soon Potbelly!!

Visiting Daddy at work is so much fun!!

We walked around the office and handed out a delicious afternoon snack. Who wouldn't want a donut from this little stud muffin? It was really fun to meet John's co-workers in a work setting.

We said goodbye to John and the boys and I headed to Herndon, VA to stay with the Grovers (our good friends we met that same summer of 2006 when we lived at the Barlow center and John interned with Senator Bob Bennett). John stayed downtown because he and Kurt (Grover) went again to the NATS game while Mallory and I put kids to bed and stayed up talking.

Reunited!!

Well, after 6 weeks of being apart, the boys and I are finally on our way to go pick up Daddy. Hooray!! We were lucky enough to see John every 2 weeks during that time and it make it not so bad. He started work May 24th and the boys and I went up the first weekend in June (that's the weekend we went to PA to see John's sister, Kyerin). Then John came home to Durham for Father's Day June 21st, now here we are picking him up July 4th. We're so excited.

With John being gone I actually welcomed the occasional nightly visits from Jack and didn't bother putting him back into his own bed. By the end of the 6 weeks, Jack has pretty much made himself comfortable... claimed his pillow right next to mine. This picture was taken the night before we went to pick up John.
July 1st, 2010
"Somebody's been sleeping in my bed!" --Goldilocks
The night before we headed up to DC and the end of 6 weeks without John!! I hope the transition into his own bed isn't too much of a shock :-) I'm sure he'll do fine.

July 2nd, 2010

We got to DC, checked into the hotel, dropped Jonah off at Lauri and Dan's, hopped in a taxi and went to the Washington Nationals baseball game with the summer associates John has been working with this summer in DC.

So, each ticket to the game came with $35 voucher that could be used anywhere in the baseball stadium. Food, drinks, team shop... We told Jack he could get WHATEVER he wanted for dinner and he chose popcorn!! You betcha.

This was the view from our seat... not bad if you ask me.

Jack thought this recycle bin can was "a very silly garbage wearing a HUGE hat."

John chose "Steak of the Union" for his dinner. Yummy cheese steak dripping with goodness.

Jack kept telling me the popcorn made him thirsty... he wasn't kidding, he drank that so fast!! Nothing like ball park lemonade.

And this was my extremely healthy dinner. Famous Ben's Chili Bowl in DC.

This is the "Bill Cosby's Original Chili Half-Smoked"

We of course topped of the night with a little dessert.

And John had dippin dots for the first time.

We still had just enough money left on our tickets to buy each of the boys a Nationals T-shirt and while we were in there, one of John's friends from the firm gave us their ticket that hadn't been used at all so John bought a hat. Over all, a FABULOUS night (except that if took FOREVER to get home) Felt so bad for our sweet babysitter. Thanks a million Lauri. I'm glad he slept for you most of the night.