We're Matt and Sally - and these are our little ones: Francis, George, Samuel and Scout (the dog, not pictured.)
We bought this domain name for our wedding 10 years ago and it evolved into a family blog when our oldest was only 3 months old. There have been lapses of writing here and there along the way, but we're back and hope to do better.
Matt is an attorney by day and woodworker by night. Sally is a momma, photography enthusiast, and Grammy Award winning freelance graphic designer. She designs album packaging for the Nashville music industry - having designed albums for Merle Haggard, Brooks and Dunn, Amy Grant, Blake Shelton, and Kenny Rogers to name a few. ;)
Our goal is just to live life creatively. The blog is simply a family journal. Our hope is to record as much as we can for our kids to enjoy someday. Because unfortunately, we bought the baby books, but never filled them out. Here's to hoping this makes up for that.
For some reason, while I was watching this today, I found myself wondering who this reminded me of… who was it…(scratching head)…hmm. I continued watching, giggling and smiling. I know! It’s my best friend’s daughter… Rosa Jane! Why, who knows? I think it must be because it makes she makes me smile and giggle.
**Here’s hoping that only a best friend can handle her BFF comparing her daughter to a snail shell with shoes. 😉 Enjoy KBR… I love you two more than life itself. Can’t wait to see you at Squam!
Kristen -that was hilarious!! i love it and i can totally see why that would remind you of RJ! i think i love the snail shell who can't really pick up anything. i can't believe it's taken me so long to realize you *really* are blogging again. I love it! i love your writing and your perspective. it's so refreshing and I think you're the best!!
It’s hard to say I’m lonely when I’m surrounded by my favorite people all day, but here I am, in a new place, looking for a kindred spirit. Making new friends as an adult with small children can be such a hilariously awkward and painful experience. You have so little time between naps, snacks and pickup times. And assuming you do find that precious few minutes, you’ll be lucky not to be interrupted by a polite little request to help wipe your sweet little one’s booty. It’s a wonderful thing, really, when they poop in the actual pot, but wiping the booty, well… oh, who I am kidding? I’ll miss wiping their little butts when they’re all grown up.
It’s just one of those grass is always greener things, I think. While their young, you wish you had more time and when they grow up and you do have more time, you miss them. So, maybe the lesson is just to live in the now and not worry about the friends part. They will come… like in Field of Dreams, I’ll build my happy little Fort Worth version of home and the pals will come. Right?
And in the meantime, being alone isn’t so bad. There’s more time for introspection and catching up on laundry.
Susan Carns -I LOVE this video. The girls and I watched it and…L couldn't pull her eyes off of it, sweet stuff.
September 4, 2010 - 2:23 pm
Seeker -I agree making new friends in a new place is hard!! That's why I'm so glad I got so lucky that you moved in around the corner! 🙂
September 8, 2010 - 10:24 pm
Steve and Amy Lou -love you, sal. Wish you were my OP neighbor again. Those days were the best! (and I hear you about making new friends…its been two years and I've yet to find a TRUE kindred spirit.
Tonight, after reading a bedtime story, I tucked Francis in her bed and laid down next to her to discuss the last couple of days of school. She mentioned again that there was a girl in her class that didn’t speak English. So I asked Francis, “Would you like me to teach you how to say,’My name is Francis’ so you can talk to her?” She excitedly said “yes” and we began practicing “Me llamo es Francis. Me llamo es Francis. Me llamo es Francis.” When she’d said it about ten times without trouble, she looked at me and said, “Mommy, how do you say ‘Do you want to be my friend?’.”
Have I mentioned this week how much I love this girl? Big sigh, I do.
BTW: I had to look it up. It’s “¿Quieres ser mi amigo?”
Update: I have been reminded by my pal M.Anderson that it’s actually “Me llamo Francis.” Whoops. It’s been a few years. I may have to enroll in a class with Francis. 😉 Thanks M!
She hopped in our minivan with a big grin on her face, and when I asked how her very first day of Kindergarten went, she replied with a gleeful and confident, “Great!” She looked so grown up in that moment. Maybe it was her hair, pulled up instead of the normal two piggies, maybe it was her uniform, but she just seemed a little older and I found myself with a lump in my throat.
I started to ask her for more details, but before I could gather myself and form the question, she was a million words a minute:
“Mommy, did you know there is a girl in my class that doesn’t speak any English and if you want to tell her something you have to tell another girl who speaks English AND Spanish and she tells the girl who doesn’t speak English? Also, I share a locker with Kate. Oh, and I didn’t eat all my carrots at lunch. I don’t really like them without ranch.”
We went in as a family. My husband Matt, George, myself and baby Sam, all escorted sweet Francis to her very first day in Mrs. Bradshaw’s Kindergarten class. She was quiet and a little nervous. She wanted to stay by my side, so I walked her in, greeted her teacher and found her seat. It was time for goodbyes and I don’t think either of us were excited about it. I gave her the biggest hug I could, a kiss for good measure, told her I loved her, told her to have a super fun day and whispered “I’ll see you before you know it!” As I started to stand up to turn towards the door, she said “Wait, I have to give Daddy a hug and a kiss!” and as quick as cricket she was running to the door. I grabbed my camera and captured the sweetest hug I’ve ever seen. Man, those two… breakin’ my heart. Just when I thought I’d get out of there without crying…
by Sally
Kristen - that was hilarious!! i love it and i can totally see why that would remind you of RJ! i think i love the snail shell who can't really pick up anything. i can't believe it's taken me so long to realize you *really* are blogging again. I love it! i love your writing and your perspective. it's so refreshing and I think you're the best!!