dakota moments

There are simply too many wonderful, funny, and/or memorable moments from our vacation. If I keep trying to edit them down, I'll never get them posted. So without too much more delay, here are some favorite captions to highlight our recent Dakota adventure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Would you like to meet the pilot?"

Our first flight was far too early in the morning to be doing anything. Mr. Kenobi & I were barely keeping our eyes open enough to finish our coffee. Fortunately, we were greeted by a peppy flight attendant who smiled and said, "Would you boys like to meet the pilot?" Of course they would.

We filed into the plane and toward the cockpit, where a tall, handsome man stooped down to introduce himself and invite the boys to look into the pilots' area. Before I knew what was happening, he had scooped each boy up and into his seat. The co-pilot greeted them and Mr. Pilot turned to me to say, "Mom, do you have a camera?" Of course I did.

Click, click. By this time we were all awake and thoroughly impressed with Delta Airlines. Mr. Pilot set his pilot's cap on Obi-2's head, and encouraged the boys to pull the steering thingy and push buttons. No kidding. People boarded in behind us, peering in at these kids and their parents at the front of the plane.

Just before takeoff, a voice came on the overhead speakers,

"Good morning, folks, and thank you for flying with us today. I especially want to thank Obi-1 and Obi-2, who helped me check out all of the systems and prepare the plane. Everything looks good, so sit back and enjoy your flight."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's all downhill.

It was not, as we were corrected sternly, all downhill on the first day of the Mickelson Trail Trek. My mom, aunt and uncle participated in a 3-day bike ride through the Black Hills, while we hung out with dad at "The Cabin." While the overall elevation decreased nearly 2500 feet on the first day, there were many ups and downs to the ride.

Fortunately, we had great evening dinners together. A bit of electrolyte juice and some hors d'ovuers later, and everyone enjoyed the relaxing beauty of our retreat. Of course, it didn't hurt that we got to make s'mores at night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good trade.

Nani & Papa (my parents) took the boys back home, leaving Mr. Kenobi at the cabin with their zippy little red convertible. We spent a couple days touring the winding and scenic highways of the Black Hills, visited the Presidents, and marveled in the Badlands. It was the first real "weekend away" we've had since starting our family, and wonderful. We even had time to see Wall Drug...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Help me watch for the exit."

There is a sign for Wall Drug nearly every 1/2 mile in the Dakotas. As I told Mr. Kenobi, if you miss the exit(s) to this tourist trap, you don't deserve the free donut and 5-cent coffee they serve up there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's the sherbet today?"

I admit it. I'm a bit cautious about my children's eating habits. Oh, fine. I'm very strict - at least compared to most parents - about avoiding sugar. It's not that I don't allow it at all, but you can probably imagine my reaction when I heard the boys were making their own ice cream cones (and eating them) every day at 11 am!!!

Of course, as soon as we pulled into town, we had to head to the local Zesto, too. Among the dozens (maybe hundreds) of ice cream treats they offer is sherbet. Creamy, fruity, and "less sugar than ice cream" I was promised by the owner. Yeah, right. It is delicious, of course, and we enjoyed every bite!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

still young enough

After ordering an adult beverage at dinner last night, our waitress glanced up at me and said,

"I'll need to see your ID, please."

I handed it over and smiled ever-so-smugly at Mr. Kenobi, who had not been carded moments earlier. That's his reward for (jokingly?) reminding me all week that he married an older woman. :)

older (more)

Mr. Kenobi is now the same age as me. He claims that he's still younger, but he's not. Thirty is thirty.

Happy Birthday, honey!!! I am so happy we get to grow old together.

older

Today I am one day older than I was yesterday.

What, you too? How about that. Congratulations.

In related news, my mom & dad have now been parents for 30 years. Yikes, they're old!!

Oh, and Mr. Kenobi wanted me to mention this: I am officially older than my husband. He's still only 29.

:)

thou shall not covet

I am just back from a wonderful vacation to see my parents. It was relaxing, plenty of time, and yet altogether too short. Don't worry - it also provided a lot of material to share. (Heard daily amidst much laughter: "You've just been blogged!") While on vacation, Mr. Kenobi and I continued a fun tradition of daydreaming together. We ask hypothetical questions, like...

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Why?

Our answers have changed over time, though thankfully they include our present home. Since having children, we both have wanted to live near(er) our parents. Mr. Kenobi's clan is mostly on the west coast, while mine are back in the midwest, so it's impossible to be next door to everyone. With wonderful work out here, we've ended up closer to the Kenobis. While I love them dearly and appreciate my children growing up near them, I long for the similar closeness to my own parents & siblings.

Sometimes I think it would be good enough if we were within a day's drive of my family - near enough for the long weekend or holiday, close by for a quick trip back and forth, not so far that we'd need airplane tickets and layovers.

In our little dreamy conversations, one constant remains: Bozeman, Montana. Bozeman is a beautiful, accessible, and perfectly sized town (in my opinion) with everything we'd need. Except work. There aren't a lot of jobs for either of us - especially Mr. Kenobi - back in Montana. So, I daydream about the mountains and the town where I met my husband, and perhaps I romanticize it too much, but it remains a place I hope I'll return someday. At my worst moments of dissatisfaction and ungratefulness, I think that everything would be alright if I just could move to Bozeman.

It's not true. Geographic therapy rarely works.

Yesterday, I spoke to a friend whose son received great news: he has been accepted to MSU-Bozeman. We had talked to him about the school, encouraged him to consider it, and we join his parents in excitement for this achievement.

Today, another friend called. She is moving soon. Yep, she's also headed to Bozeman, MT. Her husband got a job with a great company, and they are madly packing for their new adventure. I am thrilled for her. Both of their families are in Montana, so their children will finally be an easy jaunt to Grandma's. This job and move is an answer to many years of prayer and waiting.

And in other news... this afternoon, our local weather forecaster (with glee?) commented that, "we should now be seeing the real start to our rainy season, after this little break of sunshine moves through..."

So you know what I'm thinking, right? I'm happy for my friends. Of course, they should be warned: they are headed to a place where several feet of snow may pile onto their walkways. At least I don't have to shovel rain, right?

Right. I probably wouldn't mind the snow, either. Even amidst the drifts of Montana snow, the sun shines nearly all winter long! I do admit I'm prone to envy them. This is where I needed to write and share the news with you.

God lovingly and firmly instructs us not to covet the homes, possessions, relationships, or opportunities He has given to others. I believe it's because envy gets in the way of us trusting His wisdom. If we covet what others have, we can't gratefully recognize our own gifts. May I remember and believe this in my heart, and may I have many more trips East in my future! :)

flag to remind

Is your flag flying today?

Six years ago, when tragedy jolted us all, many tried to figure out what we could do. Some gave blood - do you remember the lines of donors? Many of us prayed. Most of us tried to do something to remind us of who we are, where we are, and what we have. Those moments continue to impact our nation today.

In the weeks after the Sept. 11th attacks, nearly every home in our Seattle neighborhood had a flag on display. As time passed, people started putting their flags away, not because they didn't love their country or flag, but they were just moving on from the season of remembrance. We were one of those families, not of malicious or political intent, but we just sort of moved back into "special day" flag flying.

My brother, who is part of the US military, told me I should fly that flag at all times. He says it reminds us of who we are, where we are, and what we have - every time we see it waving in the breeze we can remember to live as if we are grateful. He says it reminds us of those who have served, still serve, and will serve our country. I didn't disagree with him, but (as lame as it might sound), I didn't have a light on our flag, and didn't want to forget it out in the dark, so I just put it out on holidays.

I have friends here temporarily, stationed on a project with the Australian Air Force. In each of their homes hangs an Australian flag. They also have a flag sticker on their vehicle windows. Even if you didn't know them, you would immediately see those flags. Quite possibly, you'd ask them questions. I loved that they were comfotable in drawing out those questions, even engaging in conversations with people, to claim their own citizenship with a beautiful mix of pride and humility.

Over time, I started thinking that I don't know many Americans with flags in their foyers, tailgate windows, etc. Perhaps it's because most of us live where flags fly in public places everywhere. Perhaps it's because we fear tension with neighbors over a perceived (intentional or not) political statement. Perhaps, as cynics suggest, we tend to use a flag as a representation of our emotion - celebrating with gusto, but forgetting quickly.

My brother left yesterday. His wife and children, my parents and brother, our family, and all of his friends will not see him for quite a while. He has left for military duty in Iraq.

When I spoke with him this weekend, I was reminded of how I am much more interested in my own comfort and stability than he seems to be. Honestly, I don't understand his strong desire to go and serve in a dangerous and difficult place, especially while I know how deeply he cares for those here, and how much they need him. He is certain that this deployment is where he is meant to be at this time. His wife, similarly, wants him to go and do the work ahead. (This from a happily married couple who absolutely want to be with each other!) Certainly, she wants him safely home, but she is excited and convinced that he is headed into purposeful work.

I asked him if he was nervous about going over there; I wondered if he worried about his safety or purpose. My brother, without missing a beat, answered, "Yeah. I am nervous. I hate flying over water, and that Atlantic Ocean is going to be a hard flight."

Um, I meant, are you nervous about being in a war zone? Again? On your second trip?!?!

His answer was just as quick, but absolutely sincere: "No. I will be safe, and I want to go. It's a phenomenal experience to do this. It's amazing to go, to get to contribute and experience it for yourself, instead of just taking what people tell you. " And then this: "I volunteered to go. This is what I want to do."

Wow. I want to have his strength and courage, but I don't. I told him I'll be nervous for him, and I'll be eager to see him safely back home with his wife and kids. In the meantime, I'll be praying. I'll also be flying my flag. It will remind me and everyone who passes or enters my home of my brother - and others like him. It will us of the many people who have fallen while living and defending what we have. Its wave will remind me to pray, both with gratitude and hope. It will remind me that many men and women have gone, are gone, and will go far away from the cities, homes, and country where the US flags fly freely.

I don't know the answer to why our flag went into "sometimes" use, but I do know I want to see it every day and remember.