I’ve been letting the girls go up front to church for the “Children’s Sermon” for quiet some time now.  Usually they sit there quietly and look out at the sea of faces looking back at them and they seem to listen, somewhat, to Chad or Jeff…

But this Sunday, in response to Jeff’s question: “What do you plant in your garden?” Nora exclaimed “FLOWERS!”

I think Jeff was as shocked as we were.  I was so proud.  What a participant.

And…it’s true…

We were so lucky to have Granny Cozine stay with Grammy Gwen during the summer while she transitioned to Minnesota.  The girls loved to go over to Grammy’s house to see Granny Cozine.  We kept trying to get the girls to say, “Granny Cozine”, but they just kept calling her “Cozine!”

Then the questions would start:

Tess: “Where Cozine go?”

Me: “She’s right there baby.”

Nora: “Cozine eating.”  Stating the obvious.

Me: “Yeah, baby, we’re all eating lunch now.”

Tessa: “Cozine done?”  Mid-lunch.

Me: “No, baby, we’re all still eating lunch.”

Grammy pulls out some pie and ice cream for dessert and the girls randomly break into a rendition of “Happy BIR-DAY, CO-Zineeeeee! Happy BIR-DAY to Uuuuuu!”

We miss Cozine, although we’re happy that she’s finding a new home in Minnesota.  The other night, out of nowhere, Nora asked, “Cozine go?”  We can’t wait for our first visit.

Four generations:

With all the frills upon it… 

Congratulations Layne and Greg!

This past weekend we were honored to attend the wedding our cousin Layne, and her very strapping husband, Greg Potter. 

This weekend was a “first” of many things for us.  Our first airplane ride, our first night away from home, our first three-day-pass to pacifier heaven…

We got to play with so many of our family members.  And, I have to say, the girls were marvelous. 

We got to see our great Granny again and we made quick work of all her magazines and breakables.  She was so gracious to allow us to spend some time with her in her cozy home.

We got to eat cookies, cookies, cookies!  Tess:

Nora:

Tessa wanting a bite of Nora’s cookie:

The wedding was beautiful for so many reasons.  It was beautiful in its own right–as two people share their love for each other with their community of family and friends–and it was beautiful in the thoughtful details and the labor of love that it took to piece each part of it together.  Layne and Callie, Joyce and Mike, were all so gracious to us and so patient with us.  And we appreciate it and give thanks to them.  It seemed like such a whirlwind of a trip to us.

But I did take one moment to look over at Layne and Callie at the reception.  And in the midst of all of the excitment, I caught a glimpse of the future.  As the two of them leaned into each other to tell a story, to make a comment, to whisper a secret—I saw my girls. 

There is a unique bond between twins that is so incredible I cannot find the words to describe it.  But I can see it. 

And, as we raised our sippy-cups to Layne and Greg in celebration of the wonderful life that they will live together…

I was also reminded of the life that my girls will share with each other and allow us to be a part of.  We should be so lucky and blessed to have such beautiful, wonderful girls as Callie and Layne…And for that, I raise my glass.

One year ago, this week, I went back to work after the girls were born. Oddly, I remember that week quiet vividly.

In particular, I remember writing my dear friend– and fellow-mother-of-twins–Amanda an email message about the shock of being back at work. I searched for that email message this morning and re-read it. Here’s how it started:

November 15, 2006:

I tried to write you Monday but I started to get teary so I stopped.

Yesterday I was swamped (welcome back!)

This morning I thought of you, too. Here’s what I was thinking…

Have you ever seen that McDonald’s commercial where the lady in the minivan goes through the drive through window and orders some breakfast sandwich and a cup of coffee. She looks over at the passenger seat and there is her 12-year-old kid and two more in the back. The tag line is something like, “It wasn’t until Pam took her first sip of McDonald’s delicious coffee that she realized that she had three kids and was late for soccer practice.” I guess the coffee is so good that it shakes you out of the mind-numbing stupor that is your life to make you realize that your really a mother of three with motherly duties. That’s me. Except I haven’t had the coffee yet.

On Saturday night, unlike the “Saturday-nights-before-Nora-and-Tessa”, I went to to grocery store after the girls went to bed because it was going to be the only time that weekend that I could get the grocery shopping done and Chad stayed home to listen for the girls and worked on his sermon for Sunday morning. As I turned down the coffee aisle at the store, I was reminded of the terrible batch of coffee sitting in my pantry, and so I opted for something new–a Seattle’s Best something-er-another…I don’t know what it was. Over-priced, for sure, but it was coffee, it was already ground and we needed some. Badly.

So, today, this morning, I’m driving to work in the morning dark with my regular large mug of coffee. And I get to about halfway to work and it hit me.

I am so thankful for this life.

I am so thankful for Nora and Tessa and for our families who have been able to share with us the greatest joys of our lives.

I am so thankful for the laughter and the squeals and the tickle-times and the songs and the singing and the games of tag and the ring-around-the-rosy and the meals and the milk and the books and the air and the parks and the wagon-rides and the words and the hugs and the kisses and the endless endless endless love.

One year later and finally I feel like I’ve had my coffee–that I am awake to the life and the love around me. And so I give thanks.

Here’s to another year of thanks…and to good coffee.

Happy Happy Happy Birthday.

To Aunt Mergana and Mommy.

 

Sharing a birthday is great.  Just hang out and enjoy it!

As recent (ok, maybe two years isn’t so recent anymore) transplants from Chicago we loved the Brookfield Zoo, which is really the mother of all zoos.  But we decided to give little ol’ KC’s zoo a shot.  Let me begin by saying—there is nothing little about this zoo.  We went on a relatively cool day last week with the girls and we thanked our lucky stars that it wasn’t hot out because the “Africa” exhibit is literally IN AFRICA.  It is so far between each exhibit that I feel like I got my exercise quota filled for the week.

We had a great time.  Here’s us gearing up in the parking lot.  Woo hoo!

You can already see Tessa eyeballing Nora’s toy.  Get ready for grabfest Kansas City-zoo-style.

The elephants were awesome.  We got so close.  They were “painting” pictures by spraying paint with their trunks on paper held by the zookeeper.  Cool.

Birds.  Lots of birds.

There was this cute little shelter with a big wooden rocking chair overlooking the lake.  Who needs to travel to Lake Tahoe for a vacation if you have the KC Zoo!?!

Sooooo fun.

We got some snacks.  Yum, keys at the zoo are delicious.

Those were some FAT hippos.  Likely they had too many snacks, too.

The zebras, giraffes and a rhino were all in one, relatively large area.  The giraffes kept charging the zebras who were just trying to get to the lake.  It was fun to watch the animals RUNNING around but it seemed a little stressful for the zebras.  I don’t think Zookeeper Bob got the memo on African rivalries because at one point the giraffes had the zebras cornered and we weren’t sure they were going to get to have a drink that day.  Yikes.

More fun—paci-style.

Check out that kitty cat.  Meow.  This was the ultimate stare-down.  Tessa blinked first.

By the end of the day we all fell asleep.  I highly recommend the KC Zoo to anyone who enjoys walking.  The zoo was beautiful and we got to see a lot of animals but a hot day would probably be tough on the parents and the kids.