Earlier today we watched “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as a family. We figured it was appropriate for the season. During the course of the movie though, Evelyn made a surprising announcement:

Evelyn: I don’t believe there is a Santa Claus

Me: (totally blindsided) What? Why not?

E: Well- first of all, people can’t really go down chimneys because most chimneys are too small for a human. Also, some people don’t even have chimneys. Besides this, a person can’t really live all year in the North Pole- it’s too cold. And a bunch of little people making toys that are delivered to the entire world in one night? Come on! It’s impossible. That many toys couldn’t even fit on a sled. Also, reindeer can’t really fly.

Me: (Mixed feelings of total pride in my daughter’s skepticism/supported arguments and sadness about a childhood illusion being lost) Wow- it seems like you have thought about this a lot. Those are some really good questions.

E: Yeah. Santa Claus can’t be real. I think that instead, he is just a nice person who flies around in an airplane and drops presents out the window for whoever happens to be on the ground.

Me: (Thinking about the negotiation phase of the Kubler-Ross model) Hmm. That could be true- It’s definitely an interesting idea.

E: Well I don’t think he’s real…but I do think it’s a really neat story.

Me: Evelyn, I sure love how you think about things. Let’s keep watching the movie.

Wow-that came out of nowhere! Luckily, our other kids were too engrossed in the film to pay any attention to our conversation. I hope.

This week, besides getting a small glimpse into Evelyn’s amazing mind, we also had a great time celebrating Autumn. Since I didn’t work all week, we had lots of time to do this (I’m in the middle of a big job transition that I’ll write more about next time). Anyway- we took the ample time that was on our hands to decorate for Halloween, enjoy the Autumn air, go on field trips to the pumpkin patch (for the older kids), and PICK APPLES.

For those who have been following this blog for a while, you will recognize apple picking as a distinct Hazard Family tradition. We have done this every year since Rachel was pregnant with Evelyn, and it is now hard to imagine the Fall season without at least one trip to an orchard.

This year did not disappoint. The place where we go always has a fair-like atmosphere, with good music, food booths, and vendors to vie for our attention. We got in line and took the tractor ride out to the orchard, gave a bag to each kid, and gave them instructions about how to pick the best apples. And then the fun began. This year was especially good because the workers only had to tell our kids to get out of the trees one time, and nobody threw any apples at anybody else during the entire time excursion. Our family is growing up!

After we paid for the apples, we went home and enjoyed apple dumplings and sparkling apple cider. Later that day, the kids and I made an Apple Crumble pie that we will eat later this evening for Dessert Night (another Hazard Family tradition that takes place each Sunday). Other apple things we have done are apple pancakes and applesauce. Of course, we also have lots and lots of apples for eating. I think that over the next few weeks we will definitely get our fill of apples.

There is something else I want to mention as well. At the church we go to, there are a few Deaf people who needed an interpreter. Rachel, of course, volunteered for the position. Now, with interpreting there are tons of laws and stuff that make it almost impossible to ever watch Rachel while she does her thing, so I was really excited about this as well. Let me just say- my wife is awesome! It is something special to watch a person who is extremely confident and skilled while they are “in their element.” It is even more special when that person is the love of your life. Church just became a whole lot more fun for me.

Also- I have to say that I am loving Idaho’s Common Core curriculum. Wow. Evelyn is doing math in 1^st grade that I wasn’t doing until I was in 4^th, and the English stuff is challenging her not only to read, and not only to comprehend, but to really think about things and develop “active reading” skills. I guess time will tell whether actual results will be any better or worse than what they were a generation ago, but I can’t help but think that the focus on critical thinking will empower her to apply herself more as she gets older. Anyway- that’s just my two cents about that.

This next week I am looking forward to finishing up with the merger our business is going through and re-establishing a routine. That will be nice. I haven’t gotten a lot of sleep lately. Like I said- I’ll write more about this next time.

Well- have a good week!

Rachel and I just had one of the best weekends of our lives. Before I get into that though, I’ll just say that things have been pretty crazy for us lately. In the midst of all this we happened to go out with some friends who, during the course of our dinner conversation, told us they would like to take our kids for a full weekend to give us some time to relax. Now, people have said things like this before, and it is customary for us to sort of laugh it off knowing that they actually have no idea what they would be getting themselves into. Wanting to keep our friends, we normally thank them for the offer and then move on as if nothing had been said.

This night was different though. Maybe it was because we really needed the time off. Maybe it was because these people were exceptionally good friends who we knew we could trust. Whatever it was, we agreed after a short conversation revolving around one central question- “how serious are you?” They were, and so we set the date for two weeks out. All I can say is that I am glad we did- it has been a harrowing couple of weeks since then, and the chance to ditch the kids and just forget about real life for a while couldn’t come soon enough.

So, what did we do? Everything! But mostly, we just talked. I just want to take this time to say that I LOVE talking with Rachel. On our first date we went dancing, and then we sat at a park and talked for six hours straight. This would pretty much foreshadow the rest of our relationship, and I love it. We do stuff with each other, and we talk with each other. We talk about everything- stuff that matters and stuff that doesn’t. Stuff that’s intellectually challenging, and stuff that just makes us crack up laughing so hard we can’t stop. Rachel once read a book and told me that according to it, talking is my “love language.” Well, I guess I’d have to say that she is right- talking openly about things that are deeply meaningful is just about the most intimate thing I think two people can do, and Rachel is easily the best conversationalist I have ever met.

Obviously, we did other stuff too though. We went out to nice meals each morning for breakfast, and talked. We saw a movie together that we both really liked, even though I can’t remember the name of it. One night we spent three hours in a quaint little café with appetizers and drinks and listened to a local acoustic band playing live music. We went on a hike by a river, and then ate Mexican food while the Seahawks lost a football game. We even took some time to clean the house a little- a surprisingly enjoyable and rewarding activity when you don’t have kids following you around to undo everything you just did. We did all of this together. Just us. It was blissful.

Besides this weekend we have been having fun in other ways as well. On Tuesday, Evelyn had her second x-country race. This time she beat 4 people. Last time she came in last…I don’t think running is her thing, but don’t tell her that I said that ;). More importantly, she had fun and was a great support to her friends who take the event a little more seriously.

Evelyn is in the yellow shirt in the very back

I think that Jackson took the competition the most seriously out of anyone. The whole time we were there, he just wanted to race people. Us, his friends, other random people who he was able to sucker into a competition- it didn't matter. He. Was. Superman.

Also, I just have to post this picture up because we have been infested with gnats! This happens for about 2-3 weeks every fall, and it is really, really gross. From what people have been saying, this year is one of the worst yet. When you go outside you have to close your eyes and shield your face, and then brush the little bugs out of your hair and clothes when you come in. The one silver lining is that with the bugs come lots of little quail-like birds to eat them, and it is fun to watch them hopping around the yard.

Well, I just heard Evelyn’s bus drive by, so I guess she’ll be coming in any minute. Tonight we are doing Family Night and then a movie- it should be fun.

I hope everybody has a good week!

Can I make a confession? I don’t really like winter. It’s not all bad, of course. I like sledding and skiing (when I can afford it), and for some reason, hot chocolate and scones and fireplaces and warm blankets and old movies and family board games all seem to be so much more meaningful during this cold and dark season. I like those parts. Overall though, despite these wonderful things, winter just isn’t my favorite time. Sometimes I think I could do without it.

But not really.

Because winter also means something else- despite my dislike toward the season, I have to admit that it plays an important role to me that I could not replace with anything else. Winter, to me, means change. It is a cycle that I love watching and being a part of each year- the hope and newness of spring, followed by the slow and lazy summer, leading into the brisk and hurried autumn, all to be washed out in the cold, sleepy darkness of winter. But because of winter- because of this darkness- there will always be a spring. And spring wouldn’t be spring without winter, and neither would summer, or fall. And this cycle just keeps repeating again, and again, and again.

For this reason, winter HAS to exist for me, or the cycle gets stuck. And when things get stuck, then something happens that is more dreadful and scarier than even the coldest, windiest, and bleakest of days. Without winter, life becomes dull. Because as much as I love summer, an endless summer would eventually seem…well…endless. It would get boring. No change means that I would never get to enjoy new beginnings, or look back with fond memories on good times past. And summer? Well, summer would just sort of lose meaning altogether, as one day would fade into the next with no purpose or significance whatsoever. Really, as good as it sounds at times, the joys of summer, without change, would quickly fade into a bright and warm and wonderful…nothingness. And that is scary.

And so I embrace winter. I try my best to find ways to enjoy it, and I have found that by doing this it can actually be pretty tolerable, and even fun at times. But more importantly, to me, winter gives vitality to life in all its seasons. Winter gives me a reason to hold out till spring, and to bask in the warmth of summer, and to breathe in the crisp smells of Autumn. Winter, not in spite of, but BECAUSE of its darkness and my own dislike for it, becomes a momentous occasion in its own right. And so as much as I hate winter, I love it. All of it.

Does that make sense? Probably not- and I totally recognize that there are people of a different ilk who think that I am crazy for these “chilling” thoughts (get it?). But not me. Maybe it turns out in the end that different people like different things. Crazy, I know. Just my own musings for the week.

Anyway- on to more interesting things. Our kids.

On Wednesday I got a call from Evelyn’s school. She had head lice and needed to go home. Since my office is just two blocks away, I quickly went and picked her up and then brought her back to work with me where she did homework and watched movies until Rachel could come get her. That day after I finished up with my last patient, I went to Wal-Mart and bought an arsenal of lice-killing paraphernalia and prepared to wage war at our home. 3 tubes of medicated shampoo, 5 cans of lice spray, endless hours of hair combing, mountains of laundry, and lots of tears and screams later we felt we had finally won. These lice didn’t stand a chance. That night, Rachel and I got a babysitter and went out on a double-date with friends. Inwardly, we congratulated ourselves on our quick and decisive victory. We are awesome.

The next day I took Evelyn to school (she wasn’t allowed to ride the bus until she was cleared by the school nurse) and waited anxiously as the person at the front office ran a pencil through Evelyn’s hair looking for signs of bugs, eggs, or nits. I’m not sure why I was nervous, but after a careful and thorough inspection she was finally pronounced “clean” and I cheerfully waved goodbye as she headed out to the playground. Yep. These bugs were “in the bag,” so to speak. I high-fived myself on the way out to my car (which must’ve looked pretty awkward to anyone who was watching) and went about my day with an air of a champion.

Two hours later, she was back in my office doing homework and watching movies. I think we celebrated too early. The battle continues. Bugs=1. Hazards=0.

As for me, things are going good. I think I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had joined a climbing group who goes out together a couple times each week. I’ve made a lot of friends and connections through this group, and I am excited to have met some really good climbers and cool people to do bigger trips with. This year, climbing has really entered back into my life to a degree that hasn’t been there since my high-school days. I have done more “hard” climbs (5.12 and up) this year than ever before, I am in better shape than ever before, and I am a more confident leader than ever before. It’s been a lot of fun. I have even started training specifically for the sport, and I am interested to see where my limits are as a “weekend-warrior” who has a lot of other hats to wear during the week as well.

The campus board I made for the shop

Even Lindsey helps me train!

Rachel has also had a good week. She has joined a group of women- all moms of young children- who go out regularly and do stuff with each other. A lot of times they do play-dates at the park, or at someone’s house. Other times they do retreats just for the moms (no kids allowed) where they socialize with one-another on a more adult level. This week I took the kids for a night while Rachel went out with some of these friends to play “artist” for the evening. The way I understand it, they all painted the same picture (maybe with a little instruction?) while at the same time indulging in the luxury of culinary bliss…or something like that. Anyway, they had fun, and Rachel did a pretty good job on her painting which hangs in our bathroom. Now, every time I step out of the shower, I can feel like rather than being in the privacy of my home, I am instead stepping out of a Japanese public bath surrounded by cherry-blossoms. I only think about this sometimes, but it’s strangely liberating when I do J

Besides her ladie's night, Rachel also had an interpreting conference. Originally she wasn't planning on going because it was a little too expensive and she didn't need any more CE for her license. At the last minute another interpreter had an emergency come up, and rather than forfeit her spot she gave her ticket to Rachel for the entire weekend! For those who know Rachel, you will know that she loves these conferences, and it was a nice surprise for her to be able to go. I think she had fun.

Last, but not least, I’ll post a few pictures of the fair. We have sort of started a tradition on Fridays that I take the kids and meet Rachel after work at some sort of fun or interesting place. Last week, this place was the Spokane Valley Fair, and the kids had a blast. I did too. I like fairs (see the last post), and I especially like live music. I think we’ll keep this tradition going for a long time.

Well- I feel like that was a really long blog post. If you made it all the way through, then congratulations! (Or maybe “I’m sorry” is more appropriate). Anyway, thanks for reading- have a good week!

Oh…one more thing (I almost forgot). Heartwood Family Dental had its two-year anniversary this week. It’s been a great two years. We all went out to celebrate, and I have to say that the people I work with are some of the best, hardest working, and funnest people to be around that I know. Thanks to my team for making these some of the best years of my life. It’s been a good run. I actually took a picture of this celebration lunch, but this picture was lost when I broke my phone jumping into the river to save Adalie's life (seriously). Oh well- obviously, Adalie is more important. Just know that it was a good picture though.

"A-six-year-old, five-year-old-twins, a-two-year-old, and-a-newborn" is enough to raise eyebrows pretty much anywhere I go around here. It's a lot of kids.

But then I stop, and think, and my own eyes open wide. Did I really just say "FIVE-YEAR-OLD twins?" Has it really been that long since we walked in the doors of the hospital to meet "noodle" and "twitch" for the first time? Wow.

Obviously, Adalie and Jackson had a great week.It was their birthday on Tuesday, and it got stretched out all week. We had a family party that night, where they got presents. They had parties the next couple of days in their pre-school where they got cupcakes. And then we had the big party on Saturday with 19 people over at our house celebrating these two very special kids. It's been an exciting time.

Rachel made this cake- I think it's pretty good.

Besides the birthdays, there have been a few other things going on around our house lately. Namely:

The great Autumn clean-up is continuing. More loads to the dumpster. More loads to Goodwill. More breathing space in our home. More smiles all around. Ahhhh- it feels good!

Addy and Jack and Evelyn gave me a stick for my birthday. Yes- a stick. They were very excited about it too. I made this with it, and for now it hangs in our living room. We'll see how long that lasts :).

This girl is on the elementary school x-country team/club. They don't really compete, but they do meet and socialize and practice and stuff. Evelyn said she really liked it- everything except for the part where she had to run. But she wants to stick with it because she also says it is fun- especially the running part. In either case, she is good at it. I think I understand where she is coming from because I have the same love/hate relationship with running that she is starting to develop. It's interesting what we do to ourselves, isn't it.

Rachel and I went on some dates. On Thursday we went and watched the BYU football game while enjoying a pizza together. It's been a while since I've watched BYU play, and the experience was somewhat nostalgic of our courtship where we used to go together to the home games and cheer our hearts out. Those were good times then. These are good times now. I guess there is nothing quite like watching a bunch of guys beat the crap out of each other over a funny-shaped leather ball to cement a marriage into place.

Here's one from the archives- 2004 at the BYU stadium. The ten years that came after this picture was taken have been the best years of my life.

We also went to the Spokane fair where we enjoyed the various shows, booths, displays, and competitions. I don't really consider myself to be very "country," but the atmosphere of a fair just does something to me. I don't know if it is the smell of fried food mixed with cow manure and diesel fuel, or the competing sounds of live music and people shouting and old rides running. Maybe it's the sights of people walking every which way, some vying for your attention and some not caring at all, or the vividness in which the entire scene is bathed in the dim twilight as the sun slowly sinks beyond the horizon and the brisk autumn air is filling your lungs. But whatever it is, it's a great feeling- especially when you are walking hand-in-hand with the girl who means more to you than the entire universe and all worries seem to slip away and things are just...perfect. For one brief instant that is gone if you blink, there seems to be nothing that matters except for that moment, and you just wish it could last forever. That, to me, is the fair. I love it.

Anyway- have a great week!

Crazy Lindsey Story

It all began when Nancy and I went together for Lindsey's first check-up.  Lindsey had been having trouble keeping her temperature warm enough and I brought up my concern with the doctor.  He took her temp and when it came out to 74 degrees he immediately ordered some testing and our visit turned into a three hour ordeal! A catheter was ordered for Lindsey and she managed to pee on the table right before the tube was inserted.  They tried anyway and needless to say they were not able to gather enough liquid for testing.  We then went into the lab to get blood work done.  After digging around multiple times in each arm it was determined that Lindsey needed a break (so did I!) and I fed her.  Another attempt was made without success and it was determined that the blood was going to be collected through a heel prick instead of a clean catch through her vein. We then headed down the hall to the doctor’s office again for a second attempt at a catheter.  Immediately as we opened her diaper she peed on the table again!  They were, however, able to collect barely enough urine for testing. All told she peed on the table three times during her visit and she pooped on the table twice.  I joked with the doctor that she was just showing off how healthy she was.

Fast forward to two days later at midnight.  I had just fed Lindsey and was getting dressed for bed when the phone rang. It was the doctor.  She told me that bacteria had been discovered in Lindsey's blood and that we had to get to the hospital right away!  Lovely.

I arrived at 12:30 groggy but anxious.  The nurses informed me that bacteria in the blood is very scary and it was wonderful that we caught it early.  The bad news was we would need to stay in the hospital for seven to ten days for Lindsey to receive the antibiotics intravenously. Wow.  I was so relieved that she would get the help she needed, and I was very grateful that Greg and Nancy were here to watch the other kids while I was at the hospital.  

The first order of business was to wake up our sweet girl and give her another catheter and begin an I.V. line.  The doctor arrived shortly after these were finished.  She proceeded to tell me that Lindsey would be receiving two antibiotics, one was completely safe, but the other one could cause irreversible hearing loss.  Ack!  At my surprise she huffed that the benefits definitely outweigh the risks of not treating the infection.  After speaking with three nurses it was confirmed that through their combined 42 years of experience there was only one case where this actually happened.  It was also confirmed that this combination of antibiotics is used very routinely (4 people in the pediatric ward were currently using it).  It was also confirmed that this doctor was sleep deprived and grumpy because she had to wake up to come and see us.  

Fast forward to the end of the story.  Three days after our arrival we were released. The new blood sample and urine sample both came up clean.  It was determined that the blood sample from the lab was contaminated because it was a heel prick and not a clean catch.

The moral of the story- I am extremely grateful for modern medicine and the prompt attention that was given to Lindsey.  If this had been an emergency situation it was handled very well by the medical personnel involved.  The second moral of the story is to have insurance!  And finally- I was secretly glad for those three days that I had uninterrupted time with my new little girl.

Lindsey's Arrival

Our Hazard family is now complete, and it is finally time to write about it. (This is a retrospective blog about Lindsey's birth- please scroll down for a blog about this week).

Lindsey Kaylin Hazard made her grand entrance into this world on July 3, 2014.  Nancy and Greg arrived the night before to take care of our other littles while Lindsey made her debut. On Thursday Logan and I drove to the hospital, checked in, and had a few minutes to ourselves before being taken in for the c-section.  

Lindsey's birth (from my vantage point) was the easiest and smoothest of the four.  I was completely relaxed, I knew what to expect, and I felt as ready as I was ever going to be.  The doctor made the initial incision and I heard an audible gasp from the doctor and the assisting nurses.  They all started talking at once and it soon became apparent that my uterus was in pretty bad shape.  I later found out that when the incision was opened little Lindsey's face was peeking out through my uterus.  Logan told me that it looked like she was surrounded by what appeared to be a plastic wrap coating.  Yes. That was my uterus.  The doctor expressed that he was very happy to hear we had planned on this being our final pregnancy.  I told him about my mom and how her uterus had been tissue paper thin when I was born (my brother and I are 10 1/2 months apart).  The doctor responded, "Yours was thinner."  Wow. I am grateful that both of us are safe and healthy!

She was born weighing 7 lbs. 4 oz. and was 20.75 inches long.  This was my first birth where I thought up a 'birth plan.'  I think it is pretty crazy to have extensive expectations, but I did have a few things I thought would be nice.  I think I was pretty easy going.  My plan was as follows:

1. Please hold Lindsey up for a second after she is born so that I can get a quick peek, but if she needs quick attention don't worry about it! Do what you need to do. I didn't get to see Evelyn because she was in distress (much later I found out she was very blue when she was born and needed immediate assistance), or Jack because he needed quick attention as well.

2. I would love to hold Lindsey, if possible, while the c-section was being finished up.

3. Please snap at least one picture.

I mentioned these at the beginning and we were able to do all three! My favorite part was cuddling with her while the c-section was completed.  This is generally my least favorite part of the experience, but I quite enjoyed it this time around.

I spent a few short days in the hospital recovering and spending sweet quiet moments with Lindsey.  I had a few things I wanted to do while at the hosptial (write this blog entry for one thing), but toward the end of my stay I realized that my brain was in a kind of mental fog and I wasn't completely there.  It was strange to come out of it and recognize that it had been there because I couldn't tell at the time. 

Here are some highlights of the week with Nancy and Greg, and the week with my mom.

• Really easy recovery.  I hardly even needed Ibuprophen after I left the hospital.
• I enjoyed a lot of quiet moments to myself, and sweet moments with Lindsey when family was here taking care of the kids and the house.
• One night I woke up and panicked because I could tell I felt refreshed, and I thought I had slept too long and something was wrong with Lindsey!  It made me realize that it had been a long time since I felt rejuvenated after sleep.
• Nancy and Greg came the day before Lindsey arrived and stayed for ten enjoyable days.
• My mom came the next Monday and stayed for seven fun days.
• Our family had seven days to ourselves to adjust before going to Rexburg for Allison and Clayson's wedding and staying there for 10 days.  
• We are now home and settling into our new normal.

I have many photos that will have to wait for a photo dump blog.  This blog just needs to get published.

Last week I wrote about how Evelyn had her first day of school, thus marking the end of Summer for us and the beginning of routine. I have to say, it is sort of nice to fall back into the easy flow of things- it seems that the presence of routine makes the spontaneity of Summer that much better, which in turn makes the routine itself more enjoyable and relaxing. I really feel like we have struck a good balance here.

As far as Evelyn goes, her first week of school was "the best week ever!" (Her words, not mine). She really likes her teacher, her friends, and the stuff they are learning. It is fun to listen to her recount her days to us in vivid detail and with so much excitement that we often have to ask her to slow down so that we can understand what she is saying. I sure love that girl and her enthusiasm for...everything.

Addy and Jack also had their first week of school this week. They are going to preschool at the Kroc Center (an awesome local community center) and seem very grown-up as they go off to class with their big kid backpacks (thanks, Grandma) and smiles on their faces. It is so amazing to me that our kids are old enough to be doing these things. I mean, in some ways it seems like soooo long ago that they were born. In fact, it sometimes seems like I can hardly remember when they weren't a part of our family. But then, at the same time, it seems like they have gotten so big so fast that it is hard for me to keep up. It's strange, I know, but I am betting that almost every parent can identify with what I am trying to say.

As for Maren- Rachel is hard at work organizing a pre-school coop with some of the women in her various social groups. It has been interesting to try and meet everyone's needs, but after a lot of discussion it seems that things are starting to come together. Rachel has been doing this since Evelyn was 2 years old, and by now she is a pro at the organization- but it is still a lot of work for her and I am so amazed that she has managed to keep it up with everything else going on in her life right now.

Speaking of things going on in Rach's life- she is back at work and loving it. She often talks about how fulfilling it is for her to be contributing her talents to the community, and I am glad that she has the opportunity to do this. Also, she is doing very well and people are noticing this, which may lead to further opportunities for her down the road.

On my part, I joined a group this past week called Spokane Mountaineers. It is a local climbing group that meets often for different reasons including social gatherings, instruction, conservation, trip planning, and weekly climbing trips to local destinations. I already knew some of the members, and I am looking forward to participating more in this organization as time goes on. I went out with them this past Thursday and had a lot of fun exploring some new (to me) routes around here.

So, that's an update on all of us.

Oh. Lindsey. She ate this week. And pooped. And spit, and cried, and slept. And SMILED.

And that's all.

As far as activities go, this week has been about cleaning! This is actually very exciting for us. We found that with being out so much over the Summer, certain parts of the house had become sort of neglected (which is okay, but it was nice to get organized again). Yesterday, the kids and I took a big load of garbage to the dumpster, and a big load of donations to the local Goodwill. The funny thing is that our house doesn't look a whole lot different after all this effort- but somehow it feels tremendously fresh and new again. It's almost like it is easier to breathe. Funny how that works, isn't it?

Yesterday, the kids and I went and met Rachel after work at a park near her office for a picnic dinner. I know that probably sounds a little mundane when you are just reading it, but it was actually a really fun night. I am really liking the stage that our family is in right now, and things seem to be going very smoothly for us. Sure, with 5 young kids it can get crazy sometimes, but like the relationship between routine and spontaneity, the juxtaposition between craziness and tranquility makes each one that much sweeter and blissful for what it is. I mean, maybe that's what really living life is all about after all- experiencing such a full gamut of emotions and events and happenstances that they can't help but mesh together into some sort of living tapestry that can only be described as beautiful precisely because of its unique and inherent stochasticity.

Stop! (That was me stopping myself from getting too philosophical on this blog. But you've got to admit, without opposition and divergence in life, things would get pretty boring.)

Anyway- now that I've brought us back from that tangential rut, I can mention one more thing before I sign off for the week. On Friday night Rachel and I went on a date to the fanciest restaurant either of us has ever been to so far. It started out as us just looking for a place to enjoy live music with our meal. There are a variety of places around here that host local bands, and we thought we'd just sort of stop in on one. Well, we got a babysitter, and then one thing led to another, and before we knew it we were sitting across from each other at a fine restaurant, ordering off a French menu, and listening to the light sounds dancing from a fingerpicked guitar. It was a great night out, and at the very least it went to prove one thing for us- that as far as we are concerned, a comfortable routine will never be enough to quelch the simple and elegant delights that come from occasional and impulsive spontaneity. And that is how it should be.

Have a good week!

The personification of "class." I love this woman.