Virginia

We roadtripped to Virginia last weekend for SVU Homecoming (and it really does feel like coming home) and to handle some stuff for our rental home there. We were giddy all week with the thought of being back where we met. We didn't quite get around to revisiting too many of those memories. It turns out when all that cute stuff was going on we didn't have two kids. Next year I think I'll get a babysitter. But we did have some great moments that made it worth hearing Little Einsteins for hours on end in the car. Like hearing the chamber choir sing "Shenandoah". And smelling the green hallway. And spending the weekend in our own house that is full of some of our sweetest memories. I walked around campus by myself for awhile and I really was full of emotion as I recalled my personal journey that involved that school and town for those four years. I went there looking to spend a year and then transfer after having a brief east coast fling, but left there with a degree, a husband, a baby, and a deep love for Virginia. As we drove out of town we were scheming a way we could move back there and make all our dreams come true. After driving four hours going 65 and making terrible time because of my determination not to revisit a Virginia jail cell- I got pulled over. And he gave me three tickets- all of which are ridiculous. I drew a line thru the signature line on all the tickets instead of signing my name. That's when he threatened me with a felony for forgery. It was at this point when my affections for Virginia began to dwindle. Curses on Virginia cops. Curses, curses, curses. Before I burst with bitterness....the pictures:


Anabelle with "my friend Dad". She also says, " my Braden's name is Dad".


Climbing Indian Rocks in the Blue Ridge mountains

This kid a real keeper. What a low maintanance bucket of joy.

Heavy sigh. I love Virginia.

She's got a steady lipstick application for a two year old, I will say that.

The bench outside Braden's dorm where I first told him I loved him. And then he didn't say anything for like a million minutes. I sat on the bench and re-lived the akwardness.

Hanging out on our old porch in true Buener style.

Kirk hooked her up with a block of shredded cheese for dinner. A dream indeed for the cheese monster we call Anabelle. But was this enough? No, what you can't see in this picture is that she has sprinkled her cheese with cheese. There were many furious and violent shakes of the parmesan cheese shaker before she was satisfied that her daily cheese intake would be fulfilled. Kirk also gave her a package of oyster crackers which she really appreciated for some reason. She took them with her to the bathroom. Braden said she was sitting on the toilet and began pushing when she stopped suddenly, handed him the crackers and said, "I don't want to poop on my crackers", then resumed pushing. And then collected her crackers.

Just before she folded in half over Jared's arm her face was saying, " Do the right thing Mom. Put me in bed".

Braden cradles his "Nate Special". And oh how special it is. And yes, he ate all of it.

We met our dear old friends Jared and Jackie at Salerno's. It was pretty much the equivolent of meeting Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski at The Max. A highlight of the trip.

Cousin Tay and Abelle at the alumni soccer game where their dads wheeze and pant for breath behind them. Braden was only struggeling because he ran the 5K that morning, then played in the racquetball tournament, then played a soccer game. Then he struggled to move to pack the car the next day and definately could not ride his bike to work on Monday.

Beldon swinging Abelle around in circles atop a boulder...was this a good idea (I ask two weeks later)?

Cousin Goose and Abelle crackin each other up

Indian Rocks-It was fun to tromp around with our family in the exact place we used to hang out while dating. Different experience entirely. It never used to be so much about various bodily functions and happenings. I guess that's why the romance was flourishing.