The Happiest Place on Earth

Last week my family came out to visit: Dad, BK, Skye, Brandon, Sarah, and Issy. Together we attempted the crazy; Disneyland. One Day. Six Adults. Four Kids. Here's some pictures to tide you over until our old, tired computer rests up enough for imovie to work.

Self-portrait on the way out. Selah and Josiah both passed out in stroller by this point.

Sweet Thing got to dance with Princess Tiana (her favorite Disney princess) in New Orleans town!

Skye, Issy, and Josiah chilling in Storybook Land.

My dad with Josiah.

Dad, BK, and Skye about to get their innards loosened on the Matterhorn!

Brandon and Sarah entering It's A Small World. Last time she was on it, the ride broke down and got stuck for 30 minutes. We're all thankful that didn't happen again!

Disneyland post part B to come with video as soon as our computer cooperates.

Numbered Conversations

Nate and I keep having the same conversations. Whether the byproduct of being best friends for almost ten years or the hazard of falling into the same cycles, I don't know. Last week we decided to just save each other's time and frustration by giving these common interactions numbers. The following conversations always start the same way, usually have the same middle, and rarely find a new ending.

# 1a: Where are my keys?
# 1b: Where are my sunglasses?
#6: Please change lanes out from behind this ridiculous driver.
# 12: Please pull the sheets taught.
#4: What do you want to do tonight? Play a game? Make out? Watch a movie?

We've been trying this out for a week now and it's working very well for us! This system is at least making otherwise irksome times lighthearted and buffers the annoyance of these very familiar, necessary, but banal conversations in a partnership.

A Good Pair of Shoes is a Relationship

This is the shoe I thought I wanted.

In the end, this is the shoe that was always mine.

Shoes aren't just shoes. They're a relationship. Finding the right pair of shoes is like finding your partner. It takes an open mind and some dedication.

This week for my birthday Nate bought me (and a kid in Argentina) a pair of Toms. I thought I knew what I wanted. I had the style and model all picked out ahead of time. I did all the appropriate research and created a list of justifications for why this pair was the perfect pair for me. In an amalgamation of anxious/nervous/eager anticipation I entered the store ready to meet my new shoes. I slid into them and....the etherealness of the shoes I had built up in my head were not what were pinching my feet. This pair of Toms were cute, but canvas material and abrasive to my achilles. These clearly were not the ones. Okay. Next pair. Black with little stripes and an inspirational, chic phrase, "Love is the new black." After a test walk around the store the left foot was flapping like an awkward swim flipper. Since the establishment wasn't interested in selling me two different sizes (6.5 for my right and 6 for me left) to make a complete set, we moved on to another shoe. Many styles and many size trials later, we found each other. Shoe relationship bliss.

The best relationships are reciprocal. You don't just choose a shoe. A shoe chooses you.

Thedoro What? Thedoro Wot!

We travelled to Africa this week, but it didn't take a grueling two day trek to get there. Ten minutes was all it took to park our car at 50th and El Cajon Blvd and pass through the steel screen door that acts as a space and time continuum into the southern hemisphere. Awash Ethiopian. What a lovely secret of the City Heights community!

Nate and I felt like we had teleported to Africa. The air in there is thick. "How does it smell like Africa?" I exclaimed to Nate as we settled into our chairs. It smelled like cooking flour and woven baskets and hot. Yes, there is a smell to hot. Even though our cokes came directly from the refrigerator, they were slightly warm and flat, gloriously tasting like every coke we had while living in Africa.

Service was indifferent to timeliness. Food was amazing. Our fingers smelled like thedoro wot many washes later. Nate and I felt like we had discovered a secret in this place and also had re-entered a secret in our marriage that only we can share and know. Our lives in Africa seem so far away some days. It's good to know that we can bring it to the forefront and sweat in the thickness of it with just a short drive and a long roll of injera.

Bars on the windows made us feel right at home.

Giraffe wood carving curio? Yes, please.

Mmmmm....looks awful. Tastes SO good!

Little girl. Big plate of food! Josiah's sleeping in his sling under the protection of the napkin from my spicy, spice.