My visit with Rosie was a blast. It takes about a million years to get there- okay, not really. I'm a traveling pansy. It was about a twelve hour one way because we took a couple of side trips beach-ways. (I had said that it was twelve hours round-trip earlier...I would really be quite a weak traveler if six hours was too much for me to handle. Doesn't 12 hours one way sound tiring? We stopped halfway to stay the night both up and down, but still.)

Once we got there, our days were filled with so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We went swimming in the river. Bowden saw a "water-snake" that turned out to be a lovely yellow and brown rattlesnake. We didn't go swimming anywhere near there, though.

Miles and Seaside played together.

Naps were taken, but not by me.

This boy made these faces, just to melt his aunt's heart.

We ate many meals.

Selah smiled for me.

Nanny demanded poses.

We danced some...

...at our lemonade stand.

Rosie was very welcoming.

So was Isai.

We love those P-Ws!

This is what we did every day while I was in Chico. I ent skeered. And I have no shame.

Jack's birthday was June 8th. Bowden's birthday was on June 10th. Miles celebrated his second birthday on the fourteenth of July. Lucy, my only girl, had her birthday yesterday. She turned six, and of all of the things that happened yesterday, I took a picture of our time getting a pedicure. This is something that Lucy asks for constantly. Nails painted, MAKE-UP (What? I wear make-up like once a month. And when I mean make-up, I mean mascara and maybe a little eye-liner. Not even lipstick. Not even LIP PLUMP. What is this?) the frilliest dresses, the most outrageously bright and flowered prints.
When I try to introduce the browns and greys and blacks in small amounts, they are discarded. I should say, they are ignored. Initially, any clothes are welcomed with thanks and hugs. Hugs for the giver and for the clothes. But then they sit in the drawers, lonely in their wrongness. Later my little girl will tell me, I don't really like that..."
Still, she's a runner and a climber and a fighter. She's not afraid of getting dirty and not disturbed by the creepy-crawlies, although her discovery of the rattlesnake blocking the way home made her cry a little.
Yesterday she woke up in her OWN room- I'll take a picture of it soon-with a mouse cage, a new little doll house, and lots of pretty things hanging around. It was so fun to put together, and her reaction was validating. We went down the hill to get our pedicures with the Campbells and Sarah Peck- who incidentally is the fifth of eight children just like my mom. We got our pedicures- with flowers- and then went to the pet store and picked out three mice for her new cage. The white one is named Bella, the little brown one is Cutie, and the black one with a white "belt" is Scarlett.
For all this, for all of the things and experiences we are able to give to our daughter, I am thankful. For all of her differences and distinctions and difficulties, I am thankful. I am shocked that six years have passed since I first held Lucy Gates in my arms, but I am glad for every moment that we have been given.
Happy birthday, Lucy!!!

Immediately after school ended, we went on our annual camping trip with the Whites, Bayers, and Campbells. I didn't take any pictures except of our trip to the creek.

I think that Lucy looks just like my mom. I think that my mom doesn't look as much like my mom, she's so fit and trim. I took this at our tea party back in May.

Jack celebrated his fourth birthday five days early at his preschool. He loved it. I made cupcakes, and his teacher made his birthday crown. There's Teacher Kathy! This happened in June! we're catching up!

Uncle Job stopped by for part of a day while he was learning about dangerous things near Death Valley. His visit coincided with the Irving's visit...awesome all around.