Old Guard

There was a fingerprint on the camera lens, which created a smudgey blur across my pictures. Boo hiss. It was so nice to see high school friends after such an unbelievably long time. Of course I see Kristin and Erin with some regularity, but it has been at least two years or more since I have seen Jackie, Sarah, and Alison. It was amazing to see how everyone has grown and changed. The shower was a blast, and I can't wait for the wedding. This was the kickoff to what promises to be a very eventful summer for friends and family. Weddings, birthday parties, reunions, family, and new beginnings in a new city.

Click on the pictures for larger views

Recent reads

My wonderful husband is letting me borrow the fortieth anniversary edition of Rolling Stone magazine from the library. I have enjoyed reading it, and the only problem is that I'm now tempted to buy it. There's some really good stuff in here. There is such personality in the interviews with people like Bob Dylan, Jimmy Carter, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, and Neil Young (plus scores of other people I don't know so well). I love the little things that make my day.

"I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all." -Ringo Starr

Word.

Hey, this whole bath thing isn't so bad...

Okay, the fun's over. Mommy, I'm cold!

Trying to hold her head up. ...Something about that little onion head reminds me of pictures of me.

P.S. Emily finally has a website. I don't currently have any video uploaded, but that will be coming very soon. David's has been slightly updated as well.

Let the creativity begin

I'm decidedly disgusted with my lack of passion in regards to writing. The written word has always been my expression...my comfort. I have been backing up two year's worth of journaling, and I'm surprised when I run across words like "prosaic." To think that I actually used such a word in meaningful context! Lately, I feel as though I'm doing well to form complete sentences. This must be remedied soon. I don't want to lose one of the few touches I was actually proud of.

I recently discovered that Emily will contentedly watch the flashy colors on Window's Media. I captured her happily listening to soundtracks and watching the pretty lights last week.



But perhaps it was a mistake to introduce her to technology at such a young age. After all...my laptop is generally attached to my hip no matter what region of the state I find myself in. When I left her to check on David, she was stretched on the bed...



When I returned, I found...

The deadliest shooting in United States history took place yesterday on a college campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. Apparently, the Virginia Tech campus had received two bomb threats in the past two weeks and were planning a 9:00am meeting to discuss ways to better alert students during an emergency. The meeting was canceled when a shooting occurred around 7:15 in one of the dorms. Two people were killed and the building was evacuated, but the shooter probably filed out along with everyone else. There is a great deal of controversy now because the first email about the incident was not sent out until 9:26. The email did not tell students to remain in their dorms because officials assumed the gunman had probably fled the area. At 9:45, however, the gunman entered a building across campus and randomly opened fire on classrooms. Thirty-two were killed and at least twenty were injured. Many feel that more definite action and better alerts could have prevented such devastation.

If administrators believed the gunman was gone, they were probably simply trying to avoid creating unneccessary panic. They were taking a big risk, however, in not being 100% certain. A large number of students would not have received a warning email, even if it had been sent immediately following. Personally, I was always too far behind in the mornings to even think about checking my email. Since the first shooting occurred in a dormitory, it's hard to say that students would have been safer in residence rather than on campus. I feel that perhaps an alert should have been sent out sooner, and the campus should have been locked down to secure safety. With no idea who the gunman was, even if classrooms had locked down at 8:00, the "all clear" could have been given way before the second attack. It still could have (and probably would have) happened. Even if the gunman had been apprehended on his way across campus, administrators would have assumed he was just another student walking to class. He might have been prevented from killing in that particular building, but would more than likely have unleashed his angst somewhere else. It's hard to say what should have been done because hindsight is always twenty-twenty. An intercom system would have been nice. I think the situation could have been handled better, but I stop short of saying further killings could have been prevented. No one ever anticipates having to deal with something like that, and I'm sure officials will be asking themselves "what if" for the rest of their lives. The gunman has still not been identified, but is believed to be among the dead.

It's incredibly sad whenever anything like this happens, and I'm beginning to wonder what it is about the month of April that sends people over the edge. The Branch Davidians, Columbine, and Virginia Tech...all within three days of each other. When looking at the deadliest shootings in U.S. history, they all take place between April and October. More than one took place in August, so perhaps it's the heat. Something about the change in weather triggers...madness? It was very hard to process when I drove by GC&SU yesterday. I glanced at the beautiful, springy campus and couldn't imagine gunfire ripping through the serenity. It's hard to believe that something so terrible can happen on such a beautiful day.

Weekend

Nothing beats a little bit of cuddle time

David playing with some of the cutest girls ever while visiting the Pierce's

"Hey, look what I can do!"

Emily with Suzanne

Emily with Art

Going to check out the fire trucks with Granpere

Sitting on the edge of a 1937 fire engine

"Ding ding!"

Trying it on for size

David decided to scream "No!" when he realized I was taking his picture, but it's still pretty cute

Driving the fire truck!

Bouncing in the...uh...bouncy...thing...moonwalk!

Teehee

Picture time with Granpere

Showing off her pretty pink dress

Visiting with Granny and Grandpapa

It's time for your closeup!

That's better. Beautiful baby girl.

The high cost of living

I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the fact that healthy food costs twice as much as "regular" items. Why should my lean ground beef be double the price of regular ground beef? If I wanted to die of a heart attack by the age of thirty, my grocery bills could be drastically reduced. Actually, cheap and unhealthy have become linked in my mind. The cheapest frozen dinners are the ones with the highest percentage of saturated fat. The same generally goes for crackers and chips. Light chips taste the same as regular chips, but they come in smaller, higher-priced bags. If I want to avoid hydrogenated oils by purchasing organic wheat thins, the box is smaller and higher-priced. I have always been irritated by this due to my own health food...er...obsessions, but now that I have a son who only eats cereal, chicken, hot dogs, peanut butter, raisins, chips, and cookies, I'm always looking for the healthiest alternatives.

I suppose that for the most part, most individuals just aren't as concerned with being healthy until they have to be (i.e. illness or losing weight). Perhaps producers are simply trying to make up the cost due to having fewer consumers. But somehow I don't think that's it. And I seriously doubt that processing is THAT much higher for these items. As long as individuals are willing to pay the price, nothing will change. Even I will continue paying the price because I refuse to sacrifice well-being in order to make a point. Annoying.

Easter!

The easiest way to get work done around the house.

Cuddles with Aunt Meghan.

Angry baby!

Making faces at Grandpa

Easter morning - pre-church picture with Mommy...sweetest face ever (notice the "bracelet" that is actually functioning as an arm band)

Mehhhrrrgg

David posing with Daddy after church

David posing with Mommy after church

The whole family

Okay. Enough pictures. I'd rather just play.

Yawn.

::dramatic flourish::