welcome, little man

*photo credit- tommy coppers
caleb patrick- here's a belated welcome to the world to you, little one. how is it that you are more than we ever hoped and dreamed? you already have a distinct, graceful, steady presence in this world. i can't wait to see where it takes you. and to my dear friend rebekah, what a natural you are. this little guy is luckier than he will ever know. you are just right for him.

you two are one of my nicest thoughts. i love you, rebekah and caleb.

birthdays and visitors

(disclaimer- yes, i do realize im writing 2 posts right in a row, but....they just had such different feels to them, i had to differentiate.)(breakfast in bed on march 30th....)

22. hmm. i kinda like that number. i think i can handle that for the next year or so. i'm really not one of those people who is already freaking out about their birthdays, and getting old, etc...22 isn't old, nope. it's just right for me. and what made it even more right were the people i had with me to celebrate the day.

(molly and i in sierra madre)

(molly and marta outside of my apt door)

now, molly and marta were indeed the honored guests, but many other beautiful people were a part of making that day special, too....including all of the card givers, present senders, phone callers, and text messagers... all i can say is thank you, thank you, thank you....please know that i cherish those words. we spent the morning/afternoon walking around a cute little town called sierra madre, and then went to pasadena where i got FREE frozen yogurt from 21 choices. we went out to dinner with a group of friends at a restaurant in pasadena, and followed a delicious dinner with a little campfire on the back patio of a friend's house....where we made s'mores, of course. all in all- a lovely day. however, i'm realizing its just too much to write about the adventures of M.A.M. (molly-anna-martha) right now, but at another day and another time, those adventures will be chronicled, don't you worry......
time to focus on some homework now, as another dear visitor is coming in tonight...and who can focus on homework when kaitlin is around?! not me, that's for sure.

open hands

in almost one month, i will be graduating from college. let me tell you, it is nothing short of terrifying. nope. honestly, i thought i was immune to this- if you were to ask me at the beginning of this school year if i would be scared to graduate, i would not have hesitated to say "no!" well, now i am eating my words. don't get me wrong- if you were to tell me that i had to stay in school another year, or even another semester, i'm pretty sure i would cry....it's just...it's a pretty indescribable sort of experience. i have been in school ever since i can remember. but terrifying does not mean bad. as the wise brett dennen writes in one of my favorite songs of his "don't be afraid should things happen to change; 'cause change can be a beautiful thing; should things fall apart, be patient like a rainbow; life is loving and letting go" so, i guess that's what i'm about to do- let go of something i have become very accustomed to. something that has been a major influence in how i see the world now. but that means i will have open hands....and open hands are a good thing. open hands are ready for whatever comes at them. open hands are searching, but not grabbing. open hands can feel the cool breeze blow across them. and one day, those open hands will find something new to grasp.
it is infinitely comforting, too, in the beginning of what i am anticipating to be a somewhat lengthy transition time, to know that i have family and friends like i do who are just the support i need. they don't push me and they don't hold me back. their arms are open for me when i need them, but they let me go when i am ready for that, too. their words and their actions affirm me. i am so very lucky.
and this is a good reminder, too, from "big strong girl" by the weepies:
"hold out for the moon
don't expect connection anytime soon
feel the light caress your fingertips
you have just begun
the word has only left your lips
maybe in time, you will find
your arms are wrapped around the sun"