Minnesota is Heaven, But Virginia is Home

Dear Josiah, Nine years ago at 5:42 in the morning, you came into my life.  I will never forget the feeling of your warm, squashy little body the first time the doctor laid you on my chest and my first sight of your face, squinting in the sudden bright light.  I only got to hold you for a moment and then they whisked you off for testing and poking and prodding and baths and diapering and various other indignities.  I don't recall if you were outraged or calm during these things...I was a little busy recovering from this momentous event. You are my first and will always hold a very special place in my heart.  Annika is my only baby girl.  William is my baby.  You are the first.  Everything I learned, I learned through you and you have made it all so easy.  You were such an easy baby, an easy toddler, an easy preschooler.  You totally tricked me into thinking I could have another baby before your second birthday...so next time Annika is ...

Mom, Dad and I stopped at Elmwood Cemetery this past Sunday.  The lighting was just right for moody cemetery pictures.  Are we a little macabre?  Maybe...but it was fascinating going around and reading the various stones and admiring the beautiful statuary and crypts.  The oldest stones in there dated from the 1700s (late in the century, I believe).  There were many Confederate soldiers buried there.  We only walked a small portion of the cemetery--I think we'll be going back again if Mom and Dad make it out this direction.  It was very interesting and nice to get away from the stress and mess of unpacking the house.  Here are some pictures...it was nearly impossible to take a bad one, the overcast skies and scenery just leant themselves to beautiful shots:  This was by far the biggest crypt at the cemetery...all done in an Egyptian motif.  Inside the door (pictured below) was a large sarcophagus containing th...

We are in the phase of "one or two boxes" in each room, which is the phase just before "hanging pictures and arranging décor", after which comes "fine tune organization". I am in shock at the amount of work that we were able to accomplish this week, it hasn't even BEEN a week.  I couldn't have done this on my own.  I give 100% of the credit to my parents, who (as usual) have been amazing and have worked their fingers to the bone to help me get organized and unpacked.  They just don't stop...I begged them to a couple of times, to take a minute and relax and they just didn't listen.  Thank you, you two.  I love you and I'm really, really going to miss having your helping hands here... Just a couple of pictures, exterior only because the interior is still not 100%. Joycey-Baby brought us the brass anchor door knocker as a housewarming gift.  Dad hung the flagpole, the knocker and the new mailbox on Friday.  Mom and I put sola...