Fall 2011

So, here I am sitting at home on a Thursday night in early November 2011, and all I want to do is write on my blog. It's been too long since I have written and I feel there's so much to say. The days go by and I don't write and more and more information accumulates that I want to share and remember. It's been such a lovely fall here -- perfect weather-wise and color-wise. Halle has improved since her rough weeks in September, though she's not back where she was this summer due to the meds making her sleepy. We hope the winter ahead is not long and full of tough times for her. Illness looms, and all we can do is take it one day, one hour at a time, even though living that way isn't for sissies! She's such a precious, sweet person and we believe hyperbaric oxygen continues to help her with her energy, her appetite, and her interest in the world. Anders is fabulous, wonderful three. He's also emotional and throws plenty of "let me show my autonomy/establish my independence" fits, but three is such a charming, perfect age in so many ways. I say this all the time, but I want to keep him here forever. Every day, it's something. He exclaims, " Baby's getting hair, and I'm getting so tall!" He had something in his eye, and he said "Mom! I have a crumb in my eye." Upon seeing Catherine's red plaid shirt, he gasped and said "That's a silly shirt!" with such joy and determination. At Furman football games, he continues to just adore the band, and he told Harriette the flute was his favorite instrument, though he often says the drums. We even got to take him to see the U.S. Marine Corps Band at Furman with the Ching family. He actually made it through six long songs to intermission, and he was riveted mostly. The other night he asked for chocolate milk or orange juice, and I said, let's go take a bath and I'll think about it. During his bath, I asked him what he was doing, and he said "thinking about chocolate milk and orange juice.

He doesn't like to get in trouble, but sometimes he has to go to time out for back-talk and misbehavior (thinking he the boss, whining about M&Ms, "Swording" the cat, as he likes to say, or being in anti-sharing mode(sharing to him means someone else giving him what he wants - "they need to share with me")).... The other day when he was in trouble, he started crying and (how can you punish this?) looked at me with big tears on his cheeks and said "But... I'm your best buddy." Collective awww. I am sure I said that to him at some point and love that he remembered.

He loves to read books with his Dad at night, and watch his Dad mow the grass and pretty much help him with any outdoor task that there is including brooming, mulching, spreading, digging..." Lots of action verbs. He also adores his sister, and the other day he got to take a bath with her and helped wash her hair. He feeds her baby food, and then he takes her hands and makes them touch the ipad, teaching her how to reach.

Halloween was pure joy. The traipsing up to doors, screaming trick or treat, and running back to find a parent for the walk to the next house. It really could not have been more fun. Anders loved it all. Especially eating candy as he walked along. Oh, and I loved it to. I appreciate his love for candy. Here's our little shark, practicing his shark growl:

Anders the shark and Lucy the princess (her dress lit up)!

Dads and cats. Halle was a sweet little leopard, and Lena was a kitty too.

Furman football games are a highlight of the fall. Here are Tess, Davey and Anders tailgating.

This fall has also brought a number of trips to the Furman lake for biking. Anders has gotten really speedy on his bike and can fly around at a pace where I have to run to keep up! Here he is with Ana Sofia saying a very close hello to a swan.

Smash is so loved and so tortured.. he is a sweet, lovey moment

Fall also brought roller blading from Furman to downtown (Beth and Cat) and a picnic by the Reedy River at sunset. Fun.

More Furman lake

Baby Halle rockin' her stander and her ipad. This was a great day!

Fall brings Fall for Greenville and Anders' first carousel ride! A success.... here he is on his white horse. Wes was there too, and that encouraged Anders for sure.

More fun -- Bo and Marilyn's Savannah wedding. Here's the beautiful couple before they jetted off to Maine for their honeymoon. The wedding - in Marilyn's family's backyard on the marsh, under gorgeous live oaks - was just perfect.

Brunch the morning after the wedding-- twins!

Prepping for Halloween

Two sweet girls - Mikel Anna and Halle Cathryn Mikel

Fall also brought Erik's birthday and fishing gear and celebrations with family! Happy husband.

The train near Furman on the Swamp Rabbit. All Aboard!

We got to take a quick beach trip after the Savannah wedding to Hilton Head and saw an amazing Clydesdale Horse - HUGE. And so friendly.

Soccer at the post-wedding brunch

Great form!

Playing with Dad

Skillz

Getting the groom involved

I just loved this whole series of photos from Jayne

Jammin on the guitar. "You know dat song?" he asks

Halle Cathryn and Catherine working out together

Stylin Fellow!

Sweet fellow in TN with a popsicle! We went up to TN in September for Doug's wedding...

Loving her time with Pops. She loves when he holds her hands

Wow, this fall has been FULL. We also had the incredible, overwhelming Bumblebee 5K for Halle. It was such a success and over 30 people came out, plus over 100 donated. We still cannot say thanks enough for all that people did for us. It was such a beautiful, magical day for our family.

Family shot in the Super Halle t-shirts, designed by Tobi.

The celebutante

More snuggle time

The angel princessa at the walk. Thank you friends and family!

On the way to Doug's wedding

Cool Dude

Two cool dudes

And - WOW - the whole group. We are so lucky!

So here I am, on the cusp of turning 33, celebrating the fact that I don't have skin cancer after another close call.... Ugh, the celebrations seem to have changed over the years... a day without seizures, no skin cancer, the chance to sit down and talk to my spouse for 10 minutes, a walk under the trees at Furman... a dinner out with friends. I hope that one day life once again includes jetting off to places like El Salvador and Africa, but for now those chapters are in the past and only perhaps in the future. I was lucky to get to go as much as I did.... and now the joys are just closer to home, and there are joys, many of them... every day.