seeing double

We've got a pretty nice view, and it changes with the seasons, and it changes with the light, and it never gets old.

Notice anything?

Cool, huh?

Matt's Aunt Bo sent us an original painting of our view! I LOVE IT!

I love how she painted in the grasses that grow up during the summer.

I had the perfect place for it, too. This house has zero lights in the living room, but in the dining room there are recessed lights above the table and track lights focused on the walls. I had been waiting for the right piece of art to be spotlighted.

It's very welcoming.

Thank you, Bo! We love it!

the stouts who are not.

Stout, that is. They are all small.

Allow me to explain.

I have these pals, Ty and Carla Stout, and they are dear, sweet, southern friends. My two years in Charlotte were richer because of them, and I enjoyed Bible study at their home every Wednesday and Moe's with them after church (almost) every Sunday. After a tearful goodbye when I left for Kenya, it was a joy to ask them if they'd allow their adorable children to be in our wedding. I thought they'd look good in the pictures.

I was right.

.dashing.

.beautiful.

.peanut.

.bare toes.

.twirling.

Gosh, looking at all these wedding pictures is fun!

Last weekend Ty and Carla were up here amongst the Yanks, in New York City. So I decided to test my survival skills and headed up to spent Saturday with them. Carla and I spent the afternoon exclaiming over the paper sculptures at the Museum of Art and Design. They were INCREDIBLE. Seriously. The paper, the detail, the size, the scope . . . you kind of had to be there.

It was such a treat to spend some time catching up.

.subway.

.lombardi's.

When I left Charlotte, I had no idea I'd be back in the US so soon, that I'd be able to connect with friends again like this. God is so good!

fighting for spring

Last week, it finally happened.

After three straight days of gloomy rain, the sun actually started to spread a little warmth around. The world started to wake up. All around our house, little blooms began to appear in unexpected places. In the middle of the yard. In the middle of a patch of ivy. On the edge of the woods. In the middle of the driveway.

Oh, hello! Who are you?

What a sweet little flower you are!

And so are you!

I wonder what you will grow up to be?

Within a few days, we had beautiful daffodils popping up all around us!

Just in time for the rain.

And the fog.

And the dreary, creepy mist.

With the prediction of a wintry mix and temperatures dropping to below freezing, I started to worry about our beautiful yellow daffodils. When the wind picked up and started rattling the windows and howling around in the chimney, I started to worry.

Matt wasn't home, so I turned to Moose for help.

We looked at each other with understanding and we both knew what needed to be done.

"SAVE THE DAFFODILS!" we yelled as we tore out the door.

Aww, no, I'm just kidding. I did the talking. "Moose, do you want to go OUTSIDE and save the daffodils?"

He was totally into it.

Don't worry, we'll bring you in out of the wind!

The lone daffodil, strong against the storm.

I shuddered to think of them being pelted by the rain.

MOOSE! Quit PEEING on them and give me a hand, here!

Men. Typical.

We made it back in before the raindrops, no thanks to you-know-who.

A little sunshine to remind us spring is almost here to stay!

family tour

One of the things I was most excited about while anticipating my family's visit was showing them around where we live. I had planned walking trips and road trips and bike trips and all sorts of Long Island exposure. As often happens, not everything that is planned can be accomplished in the span of four days, but we did give the grand tour of the Village of Old Field.

This way to the point!

Behold, the lighthouse, guiding the ships homeward, away from the foreign shores of Connecticut.

To the beach!

Mom, proud of her starfish find.

After dinner that night, we enjoyed some homemade ice cream.
Which went well with our March Madness.

We all enjoyed having them here, including Moose, who benefitted from the extra attention and a new favorite toy.

Everypuppy needs a squeaky hedgehog, right, pal?

explorers

On Day Two of the Andersons' trip to Setauket, the family rose and set out on a morning adventure. The parents opted to run around the neighborhood, the siblings decided to take the dog for a walk. We ended up at the neighborhood beach access.

I was amazed at the change in terrain down by the beach. There was more sand but the dunes had been flattened, and it was easy for Moose to walk.

Lead the way, Mooser!
We just kept walking . . .
We found a creature or two.Ryan enjoying the sun.

Beautiful peaceful ocean.

What do you wanna do? I dunno, what do you wanna do?

King of the Rock!

We walked out to the tip of Crane Neck and found an area of the beach where hundreds of star fish and shells had washed up on shore. I mean, hundreds. We were walking all over the star fish . . . it was a bit horrible, the carnage of echinoderms. There was a bucket nearby so we collected a few of the finer specimens.
I started to worry about Moose and the dead starfish and all the shells and rocks hurting his poor little pawsies. But at this point we were at the tip of the peninsula and figured it was faster to keep walking home on the beach than to walk all the way back to the road and then home.

So we kept walking.

We took breaks for little Moose to rest his feet.

He walked slower and slower, and he grew thirstier and thirstier.

We came upon a boat, and I considered paddling it home, but it had a large hole in it.

A lobster boat! Maybe they'll take us back!

But they passed us by.

I volunteered to carry him.

But that only lasted a second or two.

Well, soon enough we rounded the corner and found the path up to our house. And while Moose pretended to be exhausted the entire time, he perked right up when he got in the house and found his new favorite toy - a squeaky hedgehog my mom brought him.

And we had quite the haul drying on the porch!