Day 280.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

I really wanted to go see Children's Poet Laureate, Mary Ann Hoberman, tonight. She was reciting poetry in hyde park - an event especially for children - only about a mile from our house. It felt like a no-brainer and something I really wanted for my kids to be at.

I am grateful I listened to my daughter (by way of my husband).

Dylan has been playing really nicely at home lately. She gets into the grooves where she just plays and plays and is so happy and interested in what she is doing and even fun things we have to go do - are disruptive. So, when I announced that we were going to this, she was negative about it. Jason happened to be home for a moment before he headed out for grad school, and he offhandedly commented, "Dylan might just want to stay home." Something about that clicked for me in that moment, and I knew he was right. So, I immediately adjusted my own expectations and canceled our plans. I knew it was really me that wanted to go - not my kids. And that they would be just as pleased (more pleased) with staying home, playing together and taking a bath.

So, that's what we did. It was a nice evening, and instead of rushing around (like I was trying to avoid only a few weeks ago...amazing how quickly I can rev up our schedule again when given the opportunity!) - we stayed home and enjoyed each other. Who needs Mary Ann Hoberman in real life when her books will suffice.

Day 279.

Tuesday October 6, 2009.

We met dear friends today at a wonderful little children's indoor fun place in Indiana. It had been open only 2 weeks and so everything was brand spankin' new.

I am grateful for BellaBoo's.

They had thought everything through at this place. It seemed like the things you usually say "they should have done this..." at these types of places - they did. For example, they had hand sanitizer, kleenexes and little sinks (with automatic water and towel dispensers) everywhere. They had a cooking class area - where they have on the hour almost every hour a mini cooking class where they have the kids make something for a snack. It was healthy, cute and well thought out. The U-shaped counter around the sunken kitchen (so the kids at the adult's eye-level when they are cooking) had little tiny bar stools for the kids to sit on and "work." The dress up area was chocked full of costumes. The play kitchen area had very last cabinet full of something. There were comfy benches everywhere for parents to sit on and watch/talk.

My only complaint is we were told (since we did this) that you aren't supposed to bring in outside food. Well, with my gluten sensitivity, it's easy to get around those rules, but for the rest of our crew not so much. What do they expect you to do when you want to stay all day but don't want to buy the cafe food? Leave early then? Not come at all? So, I hope they revise that policy. But, overall, it was a really fun day! I had to tear the kids away from the fun and they both totally crashed on the way home - anything that wears Dylan out to the point of napping is quite awesome!

Day 278.

Monday, October 5, 2009.

Tonight was a potluck at Dylan's school. We got to meet many of the parents in her class, and getting to see everyone in a big room together, kids running around tables and parents chatting it up while they try to keep an eye on their running kids...it was homey.

I am grateful for community.

When I think of what close-knit community that I belong to, I think of my church community. They are the ones I share the most with on many levels. But now, we have this preschool community with whom we share this wonderful nursery school. No one at my church knows what KAM Isaiah Israel is. Nobody at church saw me crying the first day of drop-off and comforted me with stories of their own first born separation troubles. I don't see anyone at church as often as I see these 18 families who share pick-up and drop-off schedules three days a week. I'm not replacing my church community in any way here, but I am adding a really nice dimension to my circle. I feel more tied to my neighborhood because my daughter is in school here. Which also affects my thoughts about future schools/kindergarten options. So, I have a lot of thinking to do. But, in the meantime, I'm enjoying this new found community that was dropped right into my lap.

Day 277.

Sunday, October 4, 2009.

My church has been going through some conflict in the past year, regarding accepting same gender relationships into membership or not. It has been a really rough time on the church leadership team and while I am ready to move forward in our work together, I wasn't sure if much of the congregation was ready to trust each other again.

I am grateful to be able to look people in the face again.

I didn't realize it until today, when we had a day's worth of meetings with a faith-based conflict resolution team, that I often haven't been able to look people in the face in church and really be myself. I have avoided conversations that seemed to loaded, and while I myself felt trustworthy, I didn't know if the congregation saw me that way anymore. Today I realized I had been sort of metaphorically holding my breath...and I began to exhale today.

Thanks to the rest of the congregation who showed up for this work together. I know there are good things in store for us all. I continue to pray especially for the people who have left, including the couple for whom this whole issue was central - it was about them, even when we tried to make it not. I hope they are in a place of peace.

Day 276.

Saturday, October 3, 2009.

I do love Hyde Park. I know I go on these Hyde Park love binges every once in awhile on this blog, so I guess it's time for another. Just when I get annoyed with city living, I have a lovely day in the neighborhood and feel at home right where I am.

I am grateful for Salonica breakfast.

Salonica is our favorite breakfast spot in Hyde Park - at least it's the best breakfast spot with good service in Hyde Park. Actually - it's one of the best places for customer service in all of HP (which is not saying much since this is one of the neighborhood's biggest faults in my eyes). We had a wonderful morning enjoying eggs, hash browns and sausage (french toast and sausage for the kids) and then headed over to Nichols Park for Halloween in the Park by the Chicago Park District. The kids decorated pumpkins, had hot chocolate, went on a pony ride, and jumped in inflatables. We wrapped up the day at home, enjoying our house and grateful for a day together as a family.

Day 275.

This is the first weekend in forever where Saturday is wide open. It's not even Saturday yet, and I'm already excited about the lack of plans.

I am grateful for the end of the week.

Friday, I love you.

Day 274.

Thursday, October 1, 2009.

It was cold today - I guess Welcome to October. I do love the fall, so I'm not really going to complain about it. Sun with the cold would have been even better, but I'll take the closed-toe-shoes, vest and jean weather alone.

I am grateful for the fall farmers market.

Hyde Park's farmers market was still going strong today. The kids and I walked there this morning, a leisurely stroll that turned more into a nature walk on the way home - which then turned into a collecting twigs and leaves and making a home for bugs in plastic ziploc bags. But, back to the farmers market, we got a lot of great stuff. Big tomatoes, green beans, butternut squash, plums, honeycrisp apples, baby bella mushrooms, farm eggs, free range/grass fed chuck roast, chicken legs and ground beef, and grape tomatoes. Yum, yum, yum!

There is nothing like coming home and making a lunch out of your farmers market finds. Happy fall!