Skip to main content

Monday Update: 08/24/09

It’s hard to believe we’re coming up on September already – the summer is winding down, kids are heading back to school…crazy. We’ve had a busy couple of weeks, but full of lots of good times with family and friends.

We celebrated Lissa’s birthday back on the 15th with grilled steaks and all the fixin’s including homemade ice cream. It was a beautiful evening (in between showers) and the weather held off perfectly for us to get our grilling going and enjoy some time out on the deck.

This past week was the Iowa State Fair – an institution around these parts. I decided to take a day off of work and take Matt through the fair just the 2 of us. Normally we go during the afternoon/evening, so it was fun to go during the day and experience it in a different way. We wandered around checking out all the usual stopping points…the horse barn, the big bull, the freebies in the Varied Industries Building. We, of course, managed to sample some of our favorite yummy fair treats…and also tried some new ones. We had a great time just making our way around the fairgrounds – it was a beautiful day, only in the low 80’s…which is VERY unusual fair weather. By the end of the day, however, we were both pretty tuckered. I’m not sure anyone really gets how difficult it is to navigate a wheelchair in a large crowd like that. Kids darting here and there, people in a hurry, people not paying attention. Sometimes it’s hard for me to do anything except watch the path in front of us and cling, bare knuckled, to the handle bars. I have to be prepared at every moment to come to a screeching halt…which is hard, believe me. I think I must have really strong hands these days. They sure do get a workout on days like that!

Saturday I went back to the fair with my friend Gina to volunteer at the Iowa Egg Council Booth. My friend Holly works for the Council part time and asked for volunteers and I thought it’d be another fun way to experience the fair…and I’m so glad I did! We had a great time handing out the free hard boiled eggs on a stick! I had NO idea that so many people would be coming by to get their free eggs – there was a steady line rolling through the entire 3 hours we were there! Incredible!! The time flew by as we chatted with each other and the fair folks as they stopped to sample the eggs. I couldn’t believe it when the next group of volunteers showed up, signaling the end of our shift! Afterwards we spent the rest of the day doing more fair sight-seeing. We went up to look at things that I know Matt wouldn’t have been interested in, like the photography, and arts in the Cultural building. We even rode the giant ferris wheel together – much to Gina’s discomfort! It was another beautiful day at the fair and the place was PACKED – I was happy I wasn’t trying to push Matt around that day!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Glimpse Into Open Adoption

If you had been a customer of the Longhorn Steakhouse on Highway 19 in Palm Harbor, FL last Sunday night, you may have seen two couples walking through the restaurant, oogling a sweet baby boy on the way to their table. You may have commented on how cute he was. You may have thought he looked a lot like the woman carrying him. You may have wondered about the man in the wheelchair. But you likely would not have assumed you’d be witnessing this baby’s biological parents sit down to dine with his adoptive parents. It’s a scene I’ve been playing over and over in my mind as I recount the wonderful experiences of our trip to Florida. The magnitude of that moment, that evening, will never be lost on me. It was incredible to be a part of – and I’m so very grateful we had it. We had met up with Ethan’s birthmother, L, earlier in the day. She hadn’t seen him since he was a few hours old and was anxiously waiting for us outside a local mall. As soon as we saw each other the tears welled up in o...
3 comments
Read more

WE'RE ADOPTING!!

Bah! I said it…er wrote it…out loud. There it is, in black and white for the world to see. (Pause for a drink and a breath) Matt and I are in the very early stages of planning to adopt. We have had a few meetings with an adoption agency, we are gathering the necessary information, and we are making plans to get this ball officially rolling SOON. It has been a very long and winding road to get us to this point, and honestly I never thought we’d get here. Adoption isn’t what we started out hoping for. It isn’t where we thought we’d end up. But here we are – gearing up for what will surely be a life-changing experience for us with hearts full of hope and excitement. The topic of adoption has come up in the past, but we quickly dismissed it for one reason or another. Matt and I have had our fair share of insecurities about whether or not adoption would be a good option for us. Who would look at our family profile and pick us?? It was a burning question that we probably still have ...
5 comments
Read more

Carrie Anne - The Beginning of the Story

So, I’ve been trying to sort out how to start this story. It’s been difficult to articulate. Difficult to pick which details to share, and which to hold close. But it’s a story too good, too beautiful, not to share – so here goes! When Matt and I first became parents, we thought our family was complete. We envisioned raising Ethan surrounded by loving friends and family – just the two of us. Given all that we had gone through to finally become parents, we felt content with just the one child. The most adorable boy in the whole wide world. Our Ethan was the apple of our eyes – the most amazing gift. We marveled at all of his accomplishments, soaked up all his love and personality, and celebrated the joy of parenthood at every exhausting, wonderful turn. Along the way, we’ve built a strong and loving relationship with Ethan’s birthmother. We visit yearly, and stay in close contact with pictures, emails, and texts. I have attempted to describe my feelings for her many times over the...
1 comment
Read more