Thirsty

Vincent has been in the garage for at least an hour.  Bending over paper, paint and markers in hand at our new garage craft center.  His glasses slide down his nose so he peers over them like an old man, his hair sticking up in the back, paint smeared on his shirt and pants.  I check on him between loads of laundry and unloading of the dishwasher and the refilling of Luisa's straw cup.  Eventually, the back door slams.  He steps in the kitchen, creation in hand.  "Momma for you!"  He peers at me over his glasses with a big, proud smile.

I am struck dumb for a moment then exclaim, "I LOVE IT!" 

I stare at the painting and the lesson hits deep to my heart.  You must grow weary with me, God.  Always having to be so obvious.  Having to send a child to bring home the point You've laid on my heart over the last few months. 

In Vincent's artwork I see streams running down from the cross.  Surely he was not thinking of streams of Living Water as he painted his cross creation?

"Vincent, what is this a picture of?"  

"Momma you know that place we go where we dress up?"

"Church?"

"Yes.  This is church," Vincent declares.

 I see the dome now and yet I ask him about the blue.

"That's where we walk up."  

He sees the blue going up, a sidewalk of sorts and I see the blue flowing down.  I wonder if the brown paint ran out and blue was the next best thing?And I know what God is trying to say.  Living Water.  Living Water.  Living Water.

This reminder now on repeat.   I get it.  I get it.  

If I believe my body is made up of two dimensions - the physical and the spiritual, why do I take care of one so carefully while neglecting the other?  I minimize fried food and I haven't eaten a McDonalds french fry or burger in I can't tell you how long.  I overload on snacks but for the most part, I stick with fresh food and smaller portions.  When I cut my finger preparing dinner, I wash the injury thoroughly.  Apply a bandaid if needed.  I take care to sleep at night.  I am careful to wear a jacket.

But my spiritual?

I've been substituting.  Neglecting to spiritually nourish for whole days of the week, then binging on the weekend hoping it will last.  Oddly, I always find myself hungry again the next day.  

I drink spiritual Soda (the substitute of people, numbing TV, the winding down of that glass of wine) and expect it to satisfy Monday through Friday.  Like lukewarm soda these things taste sweet as they hit the tongue but grow saccharine and empty when swallowed down.  I am weary.  Perhaps I need to exercise.  Perhaps eat better?  Maybe take a nap?  

All the while my other half - my spirit.  My spirit is thirsty, starving really.  

So on Saturday and Sunday I gulp of Water, eat of Bread hoping it will be enough to sustain all week.  But come the end of the day Monday?  It is not enough. 

How often, how frequent does God need to show me the error of my ways?  How explicit is He?  When you leave Egypt, consume the Lamb completely so that you might be nourished on your journey (Exodus 12).  Why do I hesitate to consume my Lamb on my knees EVERYDAY, quietly in my closet so that I might be sustained spiritually for this tough journey?  Eating of the small wafer during the Lord's Supper on Sunday?  Sarah, feast on the Bread of Life, not just on Sunday but each day.  Or else you will grow faint.  Exhausted.  We must eat everyday for our bodies to thrive.  We must drink daily from the cup of His word for our spirits to thrive. 
 

 

Right there in the kitchen, a five year old's art in hand I am reminded of the Living Water offered to a woman at the well.  She was most thirsty.  Substituting and feeding her spirit with the love she could find from other people, men.  And it was nothing more than junk food, a few drops of lukewarm soda.  She was thirsty.  And Jesus wanted more for her.  He saw straight to the soul, the soul with it's ribs sticking out and its dry, cracked lips.  He knew about her substitute love.  He knows about our substitutes of earthly praise and accolades and success and He says, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."  John 4:13-14.

And in despair I bowed my head

                              “There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail

With peace on earth, good will to men.” (I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day)

Work, work, work all week and refuse to eat the Bread of my soul.  The Bread of Life  "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.  On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."  John 6:27.

Passover Lamb.  Living Water.  Bread of Life.

I hang Vincent's picture in my place of prayer.  And I breath in "Be Still."  And exhale, "For I am The Lord Your God."  In prayer, in Word, in just being still in His presence, I drink of Living Water.  And before I rise from my prayer, I see His gentle reminder right there - an orange cross and blue water.

This will be a journey.  This living as a wife.  This parenting of beautiful children.  This serving of my fellow split beings, physical and spiritual.  This caring for, this stewarding of one who is quite broken physically, her legs walking so well but her hands starting to tremor.  This will be a journey.  I must eat of The Passover Lamb completely.  I must drink of His Living Water.  I must partake of The Bread of Life. I must not face life's challenges with a malnourished spirit.

{Courtesy A. Bryan Photo}

 

O ye beneath life's crushing load,

                                  Whose forms are bending low,

Who toil along the climbing way

With painful steps and slow;

Look now, for glad and golden hours

Come swiftly on the wing;

Oh rest beside the weary road

And hear the angels sing. (It Came Upon the Midnight Clear)

 

This Christmas I wonder if we will gather around the tree our soul lips as dry as the pine needles starting to fall?  I wonder if there will be an emptiness in our chest, a hollowness of soul?  After the toys are opened and the gift cards are gathered, I wonder if boredom will set back in?  I wonder if despite our best efforts we are just weary?  May we sing the carols with tears in our eyes because their truths quench our hearts, leaving us trembling and grateful.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining. 

                        Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. 

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, 

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. 

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! 

O night divine, the night when Christ was born; 

O night, O holy night, O night divine! 

O night, O holy night, O night divine! (O Holy Night)

I imagine His birth that night.  God arrived in the flesh, His physical body born as ours was born - water and blood and the miracle of gasping breath.  He chose to arrive this way, raw and messy, so that our souls might take a deep breath.  Gasp air.  

I will drink these truths, with an orange cross and blue streams to remind me.  I will.

Find Life.  Find Water.  Find Bread.  Find my Lamb in Christ Alone.

A Romantic Getaway....

And How to Make the Most of a Night Away with Your Hubby.....


Go to a favorite family spot without the kiddos:

Walk slowly. Quietly.  With your arm around your hubby.  Wipe no noses.  Settle no sibling squabbles....



 Drink a beverage of your choice (iced coffee) and listen to live music.  Sit for as long as you want....

 Have an adventure.  Drive somewhere off the beaten path....



Eat delicious food:



Share dessert.

And eat EVERY bite...

Arrive at your hotel.  Buy the romantic package and upgrade to a nicer room (because you are only there one night....)

Take eachother in...



Enjoy local culture and history.  Visit popular attractions....

{via here, Recognition by Constant Mayer}



{via here.  The Noon Recess, Winslow Homer}

Get dressed up and go out to eat.  Talk, talk, talk uninterrupted....

Sleep until your body wakes you up.  Remember why you fell in love...

Our Little Rembrandts

As of late, Sophia's favorite activity is painting.  Brother likes to get in on the action for a short amount of time before running off to play in the sand.  By the way, paint makes sand stick to the body.  Other knowledge gained during our "art exploration:" 

Painting with toddlers is best done when they have little to no clothing on

Washable paint is indeed washable only if you pre-treat with stain remover (my fav? - OxyClean)

Skin is washable and therefore painting on one another is allowed

As long as you are outside

Really, painting is only allowed outside and at a great distance from the home itself

Bath water will turn a shade of green, or blue, or brown, depending on the day's body art

Giving a title to the artwork is the best part of all....



{This is the beginning of the piece.} 

{Little heads bowed in concentration} 

 {Time for a cookie break}

{Little artist's hands} 

{Every artist needs a wide selection of color}

{Working hard to fill in every white space}



{Putting on the final touches almost an hour after beginning.  When finished, she titled it "America"}

Good News on this Good Friday

{The Deposition, Caravaggio, The Vatican}

He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3

Today I will not hide my face from Christ. Today I will speak of Him with joy and a grateful heart for all He has done on my behalf and on the behalf of all mankind.

We live in a sin sick world, this Earth. So much beauty to behold. The sweetness of a newborn’s breath, her infant mouth stretched in a yawn. Creation drips with paint from the Creator’s hands. Glorious colors, intricate details, biological wonders.

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,

or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?

Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?” Isaiah 40:12

But amongst all this beauty, something has gone awry. And that something is humankind. It all started with Adam and Eve hiding in the bushes, brushing away the fruit crumbs, knowing their disobedience. Since then, The Garden has deteriorated with pollution, sickness, and death. Man now lives longing for intimacy with his Creator. We attempt to fill the God shaped hole in our hearts with many a distraction; looking to others, possessions, and other gods to fill the vacuum in our souls. In our state of sinfulness we cannot have fellowship with our Holy God and we are left longing. I see it in myself, the temper that lashes out, the self centered thoughts, the pride. It’s sin and my Holy God can have nothing to do with it. Despises it. Seeks its retribution. I try. I keep the Ten Commandments until I lust after my neighbor’s perfect family and then make myself an idol, trusting my own ability to control things rather than His. And because you are God you see it all.

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. Psalm 139:1-4, 8

So we stand before you God. Fully exposed. Imperfect. And rebellious. You are righteous and cannot be in the presence of sin. Yet all along, since the fall of Adam and Eve, You had a plan. A radical plan that rested on You alone. For in your extravagant love you allowed us to be the scapegoats and for your Son, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, to be the final sacrifice.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,

Yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for out iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  Isaiah 53:4-6

Yes Jesus, I believe You took human form and lived fully human and fully God. That You lived a perfect life and died a convict’s death, taking the punishment that should be rightly mine, on Your shoulders. And You did all this in love for the people You created, the people standing before You, mocking You, and turning away. I believe that on that 3rd day, You rose from the grave. You ascended into heaven and now sit at the right hand of God. So I sing this scripture and I shout it from the rooftops because it is Good News. It is the news of Your love, Your plan, and Your redemption.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

I live today under His grace, knowing I belong to Him. I am His child and He has given me a delightful inheritance, promises in scripture, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and eternal life in heaven. So today, to those that read this blog, I echo Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. I pray:

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

May have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:17-19

What will you do with Christ? For I believe all eternity rests on this answer.

5 Minute Friday - Women

{via here}

Mary Cassatt, After the Bath

"What comes to mind in five minutes of typing about, 'The Women.'" from Gypsy Mama.

Start:

Women, how glad I am to be part of this sisterhood.  For all the things we’ve struggled with, equal rights to vote, suppression in the workplace, cultural inequality, we are granted the right to bear life, to be mothers, to come along side one another in the sisterhood.  We are relational to the core, tempted to determine our value by the health of our relationships.  We strive, strive, strive to care for others, at times neglecting our own selves.  We are loved, loved, loved by God.  Hagar in the desert – you are the “God who sees me.”  Mary, chosen as a vessel for the Savior, visited by an angel of God in a culture where women were ignored, if not persecuted.  Leah, judged much like women today, on her outward beauty, found to not measure up to her beautiful sister, but uniquely blessed by God as a mother in the lineage of Christ.  Yes, women. 

Stop

This entry is me, truly sticking by the rules, and writing for just 5 minutes.

The Frist, Nashville TN

A few weekends back - when the temperature barely reached 20, when Tony was off for the whole weekend (a very rare occasion), and when the forecast predicted an ice storm and snow fall, we decided to pack up the kids, invite Jean Jean, and head to Nashville TN.

Knitting in the backseat.  Soph is Jean Jean's little helper.

Picnic stop inside the truck due to the chilly weather.

For months there was a newspaper clipping on our refrigerator announcing the exhibition, Birth of Impressionism - Masterpieces from the Musee D'Orsay to be held at The Frist in Nashville.  Back when things were a little less complicated (a.k.a. - pre-kids era), my mom and I traveled to art museums across the country (Washington D.C., San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, Ft. Worth) and even Paris for the Louvre and Orsay.  With two very active kiddos on my hands, my mom and I have found little opportunity to visit a museum together.  But this exhibit in Nashville seemed too great to miss so we decided to brave it, kiddos and all.  The best part was that Tony was able to join us and help out with the munchkins. 

Here are a few of my favorite pieces at the exhibit:

{via here}

Haymaking, Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1877

{via here}

Floor Scrapers, Gustave Caillebotte, 1875

{via here}

Woman with a White Jabot, Pierre Auguste Renoir

I found this book at the library the day before we left and read it to Sophia to teach her "museum etiquette." Once in the museum, Sophia was amazingly attentive to the art and exhibited perfect "etiquette."  When viewing a few of the nude portraits she would exclaim loudly, "I think they forgot to put their clothes on!" (a direct quote from the above mentioned book but so funny!)


Here are the two pieces Sophia talked about the most:

{via here}

Family Reunion, Frederic Bazille (1868)

"Mommy look at the twins." (Sophia in reference to the two girls on the right)

{via here}

Pedicure, Edgar Degas, 1873

"Mommy, I think that girl has a boo boo."

While the girls were in the gallery Daddy and Vincent played upstairs.  The top floor of The Frist holds a really neat children's area where the kids can view and make their own art. 

In planning our trip I ran across several favorable reviews of  "The Loveless Cafe."  Since it was bitterly cold outside (remember it was 19 degrees and we're from South Texas) this seemed like just the place to warm up with a few homemade biscuits and their famous fried chicken.

Mom and Tony visited The Hermitage the next day while I drove the kiddos around.  Tony and I previously visited this estate when we looked at Vanderbilt for residency.  It's an absolutely beautiful home, rich in history but not so appealing to small ones.  Being the history buff that she is, my mom loved this stop.

With the clouds growing darker by the minute, Tony and Jean Jean hopped in the car with the hope we would make it home before the ice storm began.  Thankfully, we arrived about an hour before the ice and snow began to fall!

Chicago ~ A Purposeful Vacation

How many times have I sat down to blog in the last month?  Too many times to count!  I have a huge list of posts to write and publish but have yet to carve out the time.  It's a mixture of all the fall activities starting back up, including Bible Study Fellowship where I now have the awesome privilege of serving as a Children's Leader, Mother's Day Out, dance class (more to come on that), and Kindermusik; along with the never ending laundry, reclaiming my childhood with the kiddos, the dishwasher that might catch fire at any moment due to overuse, doctor's appointments, meal preparations (I'm experimenting with this cookbook lately - it's helping me get some use out of this device even though we no longer have baby food eaters), trying to keep the house at least "sanitary," all while juggling the dreaded "general surgery internship year."  No different than the challenges many of you face but enough to keep me from sitting down to blog.  Excuses, excuses...

Well I'm back with lots of pictures and thoughts from our recent trip to Chicago for the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) Annual Meeting.  Normally residents in their general surgery intern year would not attend this meeting but we made a special effort to be there, without the kiddos in tow, for several purposes.  The first was to attend the Oncology and Reconstructive Surgery pre-conference where Tony heard world renown speakers on the subject and met several directors of Oncology fellowship programs.  This was an important opportunity for Tony as he has developed an interest in this particular area of his specialty.  The second purpose behind our trip was to pull away from distractions and "life" in order to discuss and pray about the next step after Tony finishes his training here in Birmingham.  And finally we traveled to Chicago to eat with one hand while holding babies, try to get both kids asleep while sharing the same hotel room, visit only kid-friendly attractions have fun and reconnect as a couple during this incredibly busy year. 

Even though we can not say for certain where God wants us to be in two years, we definitely met all 3 goals of our vacation.  And here are the pictures to prove it:

Day 1 - Millennium Park, Architectural Tour, Navy Pier

{After arriving at our hotel we immediately headed down the street to The Gage restaurant where we devoured a delicious lunch - those Southwest peanuts left us ravenous.  After leaving the restaurant we picked up a few lattes and headed across the street to Millennium Park.  A great introduction to the ambiance of Chicago, Millennium Park was abuzz with tourists and locals.  This picture was taken in front of "Cloud Gate," an outdoor stainless steel sculpture that wows you with its reflections of the city skyline and interesting perspectives.  I love how you can see Tony taking the picture along with the back and front of the subject.}

{Beautiful skyline and one of the few pics of both of us together.}

 {Touring the Millennium Park garden which was dormant for the season.}

{Millennium Park's Crown Fountain}

 {From Millennium Park we attempted to walk to Navy Pier.  We walked and walked and walked.  Not too sure where we were going but enjoying the time together we came to the top of a hill, Navy Pier in sight.  Unfortunately, a busy commuter bridge blocked our way so we flagged down a cab.  We hit the pier as the sun was starting to go down.  A perfect time for the architectural tour some friends recommended.}

{The tour was by boat through the heart of downtown with a hilarious guide who gave interesting facts about the city's architecture and history.  This would be just the beginning of our architectural education in Chicago.}

{Back on land and completely freezing.  The weather was amazing the whole week but we were completely unprepared for how frigid it would be on the water at dusk.  Navy Pier was exciting but with a carousel, Ferris wheel, and knitted baby hats for sale we were missing the kiddos.}

{Still feeding off the energy that comes with being in a new city we headed back to our hotel to get all "shpancy" for dinner out at Rhapsody.  We stayed at one of the recommended convention hotels, The Palmer House Hilton, allowing us free shuttle service to the conference and strained neck muscles from gawking at the ornate ceilings - as evidenced in the above picture.}

{Dinner at Rhapsody.  The food we ordered was mediocre but the romantic ambiance was perfect.  Tony received a belated but special 30th birthday gift ~ a book full of letters of encouragement and wisdom from influential men in his life.}

Day 2 - Tony at Conference ~ Sarah at The Art Institute

{Tony and I parted ways on the 2nd day.  He attended lectures at the conference and networked with other colleagues.  I walked two blocks over and entered the most fabulous of fabulous places:  The Art Institute of Chicago.  My mom and I previously visited The Art Institute in December of 1998 for a Mary Cassatt exhibit.  As a result, this was the most anticipated attraction on my "to do" list.  Here is a sampling of the famous pieces you will find in their permanent collection:}

 

 

 

 

{Renoir, Picasso, van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec, Chagall - one of my personal favorites - all the beauty and walking made me famished.  It was a perfect night for Chicago style pizza at Giordano's!  We liked Giordano's because it was packed with locals and the pizza was unbelievable.  Unfortunately we left the camera in the hotel.}

 Day 3 - The Art Institute and The Magnificent Mile

{After Tony scrolled through the camera and discovered all the famous images from The Art Institute he decided it was an attraction he could not miss.  And since he had no conference obligations we headed back to the Art Institute on Day 3.  A huge highlight was sitting outside on the patio for lunch.  We both laid our heads back and sunned like cats, the sound of the water sculpture almost lulling us to sleep.  After The Art Institute we walked to The Magnificent Mile.  In case we weren't missing the kids enough we decided to check out The American Girl store which left us daydreaming about Sophia in a few years.  And of course, we thought of Vincent when we saw children's overalls in the store windows.  I love my little boy in overalls.  The above picture was taken at The Tavern where we ate a late dinner.  This was a very popular restaurant on a corner lot.  The food was great!  While Tony perused the menu, I had a little fun with the camera.  I love the picture below because you can see the blur of horse feet pulling a carriage behind Tony.}

Day 4 - The Conference, Oak Park, and The Million Dollar Quartet

{On the morning of the last day we headed to the conference where the giant Exhibition Hall was bustling with vendors and demonstrations of all the latest and greatest surgery tools.  I enjoyed walking around the exhibition with Tony because I learned so much about the process and skills behind his daily work.  We checked out poster presentations, cut raw meat with cautery tools, and compared the prices and quality of different tools.  I met several of Tony's colleagues and left with a new sense of respect and pride for the work he does.  After the exhibition we caught the "El train" to Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago famous for Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture and home.}

{In case you haven't noticed a theme, we once again found a restaurant with 'al fresco' dining and sat down for a leisurely meal at the Pasta Shoppe in downtown Oak Park.  I highly recommend this place if you are ever in Chicago.  The food is fresh, local, and delicioso!  The ambiance is very European.}

{Grilled vegetable and mozzarella panini and a prosciutto sandwich - Anthony loves prosciutto!}

{Tiramusu - oh my goodness - the best I've EVER tasted!  And of course a vanilla latte for me and a cappuccino for Tony.}

{This is the home that Frank Lloyd Wright designed and built for his family of eight. Walking down the narrow hallway into the vaulted, curved children's playroom is a memory I will never forget.  That playroom, according to our tour guide, was the magnum opus of the house.  It was amazing!!!}   

{After the guided tour of his home we walked around the neighborhood to find a few other houses he designed.  My favorite one is below.}

{We stumbled upon Peterson's Ice Cream and couldn't resist a few scoops.  We're Morlandts and we enjoy dessert once, twice, sometimes three times a day.}

{After a beautiful afternoon in Oak Park we caught the train back to the city where we quickly changed and headed to The Apollo Theatre to attend "The Million Dollar Quartet."  This musical presents the story and music behind the famous Million Dollar Quartet picture capturing Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins gathered around a piano in Sun Studios in Memphis, TN.  A little background on how we acquired the tickets:  our dear family friends Terry and Paige from San Antonio know of Tony's love for all things Johnny Cash.  When they heard of our Chicago plans they sent us tickets in the mail.  They saw the musical on one of their recent trips to Chicago and even the non-Elvis fans in the family enjoyed it immensely.  We were surprised to receive the tickets and excited to hear the music we both love so much.}

{This picture was taken after the show.  Do you see the excitement in our faces?  This is the closest I've ever come to jumping out of my chair to dance and clap.  True to my Baptist roots, I'm not the dancing or clapping type but wow, the music and the performers were amazing!!!!  Seriously talented.  I'm sure Tony would not admit to it but I think I saw him tear up during one of the Cash songs.  WE LOVED IT!  Thank you so much Kyles!}

{picture via here}

{After the show we decided to grab a late dinner right next to the theatre.  As we sat and debated whether or not the performers actually played all the music (it was that good - and yes, they did) in walked "Carl Perkins," "Jerry Lee Lewis," and "Elvis."  We were completely star struck.  With the exception of "Jerry Lee" they were all smiles, jumpy and jubilant with the adrenaline that comes after a performance.  "Elvis" joined his parents or some other relatives that were at the show, while "Carl Perkins" joined some friends at the bar right next to us.  "Jerry Lee" appeared as troubled in real life as the character he played in the musical.  He was somber and dashed in only to get his food to go.  Tony said he was tired.  In my imagination I pictured him the troubled piano prodigy.  How I love to make up stories in my head.  I digress.  Because "Carl Perkins" was at the bar only two feet from our table I began to hound Tony to introduce us, maybe get a picture or two.  Tony was hesitant which made me laugh because I had witnessed him confidently introduce himself to numerous colleagues all morning, jutting his hand out to shake each fellowship director's hand, easily starting and maintaining a conversation.  But here? We were too nervous to introduce ourselves to an actor 10 years our junior!  After devising numerous silly plans, which included setting my hair on fire, we decided just to step forward and let him know what an awesome performance he gave.  Tony approached him as a fellow thespian, relating the story of how we first starting dating in our high school's One Act Play, Arsenic and Old Lace (Tony was Mortimer and I was Elaine).  It was an enjoyable conversation and we were able to catch the above picture.  What a great end to our most memorable day in Chicago!}

So, if you are still reading and you visit Chicago anytime soon you will know our recommendations for things to do and places to eat.  I hope we can make it back sometime in the near future with the kiddos.  Next time I would like to rent bikes and ride along Navy Pier, head up the Sears (now named Willis) tower, and eat a little more pizza. 

To conclude this extra long post I will share with you Sophia and Vincent's reactions when we climbed in the truck at the airport.  My mom pulled the truck to the curb and when I opened the door Sophia was sound asleep in her car seat, drool leaking out the side of her mouth.  Her hair was up in crazy pigtails and she looked as precious as any little girl could possibly be.  I gently called out her name a few times.  When she awoke her reaction was truthful as if she had just woken from anesthesia.  She looked at me and opened her eyes wide with excitement, then quickly furrowed her eyebrows, and stated sternly, "Momma, you get in this truck right now!" She held both our hands the whole way home.  Vincent?  He laughed and laughed and smiled; holding his hand out for his daddy to give him five over and over again.  It was wonderful to be back home.  We worried little during the time we were gone because Sophia and Vincent were in the capable, loving hands of their Jean Jean and our sweet friend Lavelle Bush pictured below with Sophia.  Keeping the kiddos for four days was not an easy task, just ask them about the rabid possum in the trash can, but it was truly a gift we will never forget.