The Wedding! Part 2

The bridal par-tay! 

Then it was wedding time! We took so. many. pictures. before the ceremony. (Note to all brides, please take your pictures ahead of time. You can have a romantic "first look" and all that, but for the love of your bridal party, guests, and anyone under the age of six, get those pictures out of the way!) Virginia asked all her bridesmaid to choose a black dress that made them feel beautiful to wear in the wedding, and the boys all wore silly socks under those austere suits of theirs. The pictures will be beautiful but man, was it chilly! The temperature dropped 20 degrees overnight, into the low 50s. We would huddle in our hoodies, then throw everything off to smile for the cameras. Matt surprised me with a cup of coffee when we all reunited at the photo site - it's true love, people. We finally wrapped things up and boarded the trolley back to the church for more pictures, followed by a very special blessing from both fathers, before the guests finally arrived and it was showtime!

My beautiful mother and I, waiting backstage.

Funny story. In the room where we were waiting for go time, we had thoughtfully been provided with a basket of snacks. Annie picked a bag of popcorn and wandered around the room, munching. At this point it was about quarter to five on a no-nap day where she had spent the majority of her time being told to alternately get in the picture and smile or get out of the way. The other flower girl had a total meltdown and I was worried it would set my girls off but neither of them seemed to notice. Annie just kept munching that popcorn. Well, it was finally time to line up for the processional, and still Annie has that darned bag of popcorn! I tried taking it from her, only to have my fingers nearly bitten off. I tried getting her to eat faster. I tried asking if I could eat some for her. Even Virginia tried her best, to no avail. Well, the music started and as I took my turn to march into the church, I had to leave it all in Grandma's hands.

I reached the front of the sanctuary and turned just as the maid and matron of honor are also taking their places. The previously crying flower girl made her way with no tears in sight. Now all that was left was my girls, carrying their signs that read "Uncle Lukas..." and "here comes your bride!" From the foyer I hear a loud and insistent "No! MY popcorn!" I see Lee Anne throw her hands up and send them on their way, Annie clutching her sign in one hand and that bag of popcorn in the other! (Hey, at least the black and white bag color-coordinated!)

The ceremony proceeded without a hitch until there was just one last thing to do. After the pronouncement of husband and wife, the girls were supposed to flip around their signs to now read "Mr. Fortunato" and "Mrs. Fortunato" and follow the bride and groom out of the church. As the final blessing is being given, I glance to the pew where they have been parked with Grandma and Grandpa and Matt's dad points at Annie... totally and completely asleep, Minnie Mouse underwear flashing the world, practically snoring in her exhaustion! But not to fear, Grandpa also motions to Violet, who grins and holds up both signs, one in each hand. Perfectly on cue, she hopped into the aisle just when she was supposed to. We walked out of the church, straight onto the trolley, and hightailed it to the reception. (I did have Matt text his parents to confirm that they would bring Sleeping Beauty to the reception since she missed her trolley ride!) Then we just partied the night away!

Look who I bumped into in the lighthouse!

What a great place for a party!

The view from the top (and the spot of the proposal).

She finally woke up!

Wedding selfie!

You know it's a party when the Chick-fil-a cow shows up!

Halloween!

Ah, Halloween! Not my favorite holiday of the year, but I'll go along with it. This year we headed back to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens (thanks to the annual pass Matt got for his birthday) to celebrate at Goblins in the Garden. It was a rough start - the parking deck was full, leaving us to look for street parking in the neighborhoods across the street and then endure a half-mile trek just to get to the entrance... and again, the heat. Stupid fall. But we persevered (and perspired) and eventually gained entrance. It was super crowded but we had fun decorating pumpkins, building in the Home Depot kids workshop area, and just generally running around.

Decorating pumpkins at Goblins in the Garden

Not-so-scary black cat

And can you say yay to the easiest Halloween costumes ever?! The girls decided early on to be black cats, and surprisingly never wavered from their decision. A trip to Party City for ears and tails, then another stop at Target for black shirts, pants, and skirts, and boom. The least stressful Halloween costumes were complete. And they can actually wear these things again.

I love how Annie always checks to see what her big sister is doing when it comes to posing for pictures.

Halloween was on Monday this year (oh the horror). I hosted our usual neighborhood meal share, everyone jumped into their costumes, we gathered the rest of the troops, and set off to get our loot. Usually the boys opt for gross, creepy costumes, but this year was fairly tame (baseball player, pink unicorn, etc). I don't think the fake blood even made an appearance! Matt surprised us all by participating in his work costume party and nailed his look as Men in Black/Secret Service agent. I wore my token witch hat and called it a day.

Our Halloween crew!

Happy Halloween!

Wondering how this Halloween compares?
Halloween 2015
Halloween 2014
Halloween 2013
Halloween 2012
Halloween 2011
Halloween 2010

The Maine Event

Airport fun! Thanks Southwest for a patriotic send-off!

Every summer we try to get together with Matt's family. For years we would gather at the ancestral home in Peachtree City, which was terribly convenient for our little branch. But over time, we've become more bold. We've met up in Ohio to visit extended relatives, taken in Boston, gathered in Williamsburg, and this year we decided to venture even further afield, all the way to Maine. The last time Annie flew was before she could crawl, so this would be a big experience for both girls. We booked flights on July 4th, being the patriots that we are, and it was exciting to see all the families decked out in their red, white and blue. (Matt scoffed at my request that we all wear one of those colors but did allow me to pick out a blue shirt for him to put on. I thought we looked lovely!)

Hooray for the red, white and blue!

Annie had been asking every morning if we were going to Maine today, so it was a relief to finally be able to say yes! And thanks to Southwest, we all had snacks at the airport and wifi on the plane, so the girls did great on the plane. We had a brief connection in Baltimore, finally landed in New Hampshire, hopped in our rental car and drove through scenery that Violet insisted looked just like Georgia, until we finally pulled into Ogunquit. Just stepping out of the car, you could smell the salty air. It was still warm, but the temperature would fluctuate wildly over the week were were there. You could change your outfit three times a day and still not be dressed appropriately the next hour.

Finally taking a nap.

We landed, settled into our rental house, had dinner and headed to the beach, just a short walk down the street, to watch fireworks over the ocean. Ah, the perfect distance from the noise to finally cure my kids of their fear of fireworks! The girls were dying to get their feet wet in the freezing surf, then it was to bed with everyone.

Princess in the garden.

The next day was determined to be a beach day. The girls stayed busy in the morning, running around the lush garden yard that came with our house. The grass was so thick and green, the flowers so beautiful. I did some outdoor yoga on the porch before we headed out - my first time doing yoga outside. It felt wonderful, although my balance was so off without a fixed point to look at... the clouds would drift by overhead and my body would slowly drift with them, ha!

Looks pretty, doesn't it? It was so. cold.

We suited up and walked to the beach. Oh, the wind was so cold. The water was ice. Even in the sun, it was hardly bearable without a clothes or a blanket. We braved it for a couple hours and the kids didn't seem to notice, but it was a relief to head home. Of course, once a couple blocks out of the sea breeze, the sun made things nice enough to run in the sprinklers, a perfect compromise.

Not quite the beach, but no complaints.

After a rest, we headed out to the nearby town of York to see the Cape Neddick Lighthouse. The surrounding area is all giant rocks that the kids had fun clambering over (while I tried not to freak out too much). It was a beautiful Maine view, all white and red roofed and blue skied. At the visitors center, there was an adorable little old man who painted pictures of the lighthouse, and you could buy prints where he would write your name on the little sailboat in the foreground. Such a sweet little souvenir!

The Nubble Light

Greg and Lauren and the view.

You would think all that excitement - outdoor yoga, beach day, sprinklers, the lighthouse, rock walk - would be enough. But this family wanted more. We stopped for dinner on the harbor at Barnacle Billy's, landing a prime table on the outdoor patio with a perfect view of the boats, the bridge that opened and closed for passing sailboats, and one uninvited guest. A rather bold seagull took one look at our table and decided we were the suckers who were going to leave him dinner. The girls thought it was hilarious and worked to perfect their seagull call. For all its chilly start, the day ended beautifully.

Meanwhile, in Ogunquit...

The diners.

And the seagull.

Did the beach ever warm up? And what about lobster? Isn't Maine all about lobster? Find out here.

And Then... The End

Ready for Field Day!

The further into May we've gotten, the more "lasts" I've experienced at DCE. It is bittersweet. This school is the only place I've ever taught, my home away from home, my family. I'm swiftly realizing that every school is different, and so this may be the last time I ever experience these things again. Our last DCE field day, the last DCE fifth grade walk, the last day of kindergarten for my baby. And as pumped as I was to get my first graders out the door and onto summer, I tried to remember that this moment will never come again.

Ah, Field Day. I have a love/hate relationship with field day. Love - the awesome music blaring across the field, watching my kiddos tackle each station, cracking up at their lack of coordination, getting to take a break from the rigor and just enjoy watching kids being kids. This year had a Star Wars theme, so some of the stations were a lightsaber battle (using pool noodle lightsabers) and a Storm Trooper relay (the kids wore these GIANT boots to race back and forth - hilarious). Hate - the heat, the sun, the fact that it takes forever (and the whining starts creeping in around hour two), the way the classroom smells when we return. But this field day was extra special because I got to sneak away from my class for a few minutes and visit Violet.

Lunch Date! (I regularly dress like a ladybug... it impresses the kids.)

I also got a chance to sneak away and have lunch with Violet. I told Matt if he ever wanted to eat lunch at school with V, the next-to-last day of school was pretty much his last opportunity. So he showed up, we ate in the courtyard, and then these two rascals hatched a plot to skip out the rest of the day and hike to the top of Sawnee Mountain.

Mountain mastered! When I asked what was at the top, Violet said "a really big view".

Our last DCE Wild Animal Dance Party

First grade also celebrated our end of the year party. We wrap up our curriculum with our animal unit, so recently we've been banding together for a grade level Wild Animal Dance Party in the gym where all the kids (and teachers) dress like their favorite animal and we "dance" for half and hour before splitting up back to our rooms for food and the end of the year slideshow. This year's dancing was more like loud milling about the room and the world's longest conga line snaking around (I'm sure the parents were like... "we took off work for this?") Then of course I teared up during the slideshow when I told parents how special this class has been to me. Truly, despite the craziness, these kids have been the most loving and generous kids I have ever taught. I've learned so much watching them and sharing the room with my awesome special ed co-teachers. It's been a long, hard, hilarious, blessed year.

For my support teachers... we're all going somewhere new next year, but we will "be truly glad, there is wonderful joy ahead". I'm claiming that promise for next year!

Last Day of K!

Then suddenly it was the last day of school! Just look how much my baby has grown! I still remember the first day, forcing her to walk down the hallway to her classroom, watching her struggle to hold it together. Now she's out of my room before I can give her a hug, nary a backwards glance. Sigh. They grow so fast (said every mother ever).

So sad to leave the incomparable Ms. Howington.

And then I put the kids of the bus for the last time and it was over! I mean, I still have two more days of post-planning, and entire classroom's worth of boxes to move into my new school, and plenty more teacher goodbye's to say, but it's pretty much over. I came home Friday feeling so light... I didn't realize (okay, I did realize) how much weight I've been carrying this entire month. May is the worst. Every day there were 47 things to remember (specials cancelled, new lunch time, bring gifts, bring cooler, field day clothes, grades due, report cards due, pack this, don't pack that yet) that it was a relief to come home and not have anything left to remember. The to-do list was done. So Matt made me a Moscow Mule in my new cups to celebrate. And then, you guys, I passed out in my bed. Peace out, May, you have been conquered. Bring on summer.

Hello Summer

Ladybugs in the Garden

Violet's Daisy troop had a ladybug release! They used some of their cookie money to buy ladybugs to contribute to our elementary school's garden. Ladybugs are my classroom theme, so of course I had to get in on the action. We even got to take a few home that were too reluctant to initially leave the bag - hopefully they will make a happy home in my vegetable garden.

Be Overwhelmed

Usually being overwhelmed has a negative association. It is easy for me to feel overwhelmed this time of year. I'm overwhelmed by the mountain of tasks I have left to accomplish with my students, even as the calendar ticks steadily down through these last 20 school days. I'm overwhelmed by the end-of-year parties to plan, teacher gifts to buy, volunteer presents to make, boxes to pack. The garden needs maintaining, the pantry has still not started stocking itself. My children inexplicably continue to need snacks and baths and books at bedtime.

But overwhelmed can be flipped over, taken out of its defeatist connotation. It can also mean to affect strongly. And affect in a good way. You can be overwhelmed with love, overwhelmed with joy. Perhaps not when doing the snacks-bath-books dance for the 471st time, but it is possible. It requires a bit more intention. You have to pay attention, look down and really notice what is around you. Allow it to affect you instead of just brushing past it on your way through the to-do list.

At church we've been going through a series on joy.  We can find joy in adversity. We can find joy in knowing God is with us, taking care of us, shepherding us daily through the valley of the shadow. And we are also called to take joy in his creation. Psalm 148 says "Let every created thing give praise to the Lord." We can find His joy in everything: twinkling stars, wind and weather, scurrying animals, even children. The challenge is in creating the space to do so, making the time to look down and notice, look up and marvel. 

I've been doing my best to find at least one small moment every day that has allowed me to take a breath, look around and marvel, be still and know. It's ironic when your to-do list includes "be overwhelmed by God's glory" but sometimes I have to be that intentional about it. And you know, once I start looking for it, it's always there. Sometimes I see it in Violet's face - that unadulterated joy of peddling through a tunnel of green light. Other times I steal a moment to wander away while the children play within earshot and their happy giggles become a fitting soundtrack as I spot that first ripe strawberry.

The Bible says "let everything that has breath praise the Lord." And God, in His infinite wisdom, created our bodies to do just that. In Hebrew, God's name is Yahweh, but it is written without the vowels. And the consonants that are left are the sounds we make as we breathe in and breathe out. The very act of breathing is to say God's name. It is the first thing we do when we enter into life on this earth; it is the last thing we will ever do before we see God's glory in death. We speak God's name. Our bodies, our very beings, praise Him. And if that's not cause to be overwhelmed, I don't know what it.

Spring Break - Here, Fishy Fishy

Seahorse met some seahorse.

Spring break, day two. We woke up, got ready, and walked to breakfast on our way to the Tennessee Aquarium. Other than being rather chilly, there were no problems. I forgot how much I love this aquarium. I know the Georgia Aquarium, just down the road (literally next door to our new church building) is billed as being the world's hugest, most luxurious, most amazingest aquarium in the history of aquariums (oh sorry, that was Trump) but Tennessee's is nothing to sneeze at. I think it is actually more accessible and set up in a way that makes it easy to see everything without being overwhelmed.

We started with the river building, which features otters (they weren't doing anything) on the top floor before you wind your way down the dark ramps to see the various fish exhibits. Violet was once again in manic mode, wanted to race her way through everything on a quest to... get to the end? I really couldn't figure out why she was in such a hurry. 

There are alligators back there...

We made it through and switched to the ocean building, which brought you to the top floor into the "touch a sting ray" pool and the butterfly garden. Both girls got to hold a butterfly! This building also holds the penguins, which was really fun. First grade does a huge unit on penguins every year, so it was fun for me to see these guys up close. They really are amazing swimmers, and the exhibit was partly underwater, letting you watch them dive and leap.

Taller than a penguin... barely!

Finally, the live versions!

At lunch, we played pictionary. I drew this and told Violet to guess what it was. "It's a penguin!" she said. "Or... a volcano."

We had planned to go to the IMAX movie after lunch, but neither girl was really into it, and Annie was heading dangerously close to naptime meltdown. So we cut our loses, took another stroll over yesterday's bridge, then headed back to the hotel for some R&R. The nice thing about our aquarium passes - they let us in and out all day. So once everyone was rested up, we headed back and did the ocean exhibit all over again. A good thing too, since Violet rushed us through the first time. This round we arrived just in time for giant manta feeding. It was bizarre! Shrimp would come sailing down into the water and the mantas would shoot up the window and then sink back down, catching the shrimp against the glass and swallowing them. Talk about up close and personal! The sea turtle was feasting on an entire head of lettuce as we watched. Then we headed to our IMAX, which Annie and I ended up spending in the lobby (she's just not ready for 3D IMAX movies quite yet).

After the movie, we followed up on a recommendation made by some random dog walkers we passed at one point the previous day - dinner at Boathouse. It sits right on the river with great views of whatever happens to be sailing by. Alas, it was a rather stormy evening, so there wasn't much action on the water, but we enjoyed dinner and made it back to the hotel before the rain started, so... win!

Lunchtime!

A little sea salad for this big guy.

Last night in the hotel!

Our last day in Chattanooga, we packed up, checked out of the hotel, and headed to Ruby Falls. We figured this would be a good way to wrap up our trip and wear out the kids before we threw them back in the car for the ride home. Before we planned this trip, we were on the fence about Ruby Falls. It's dark. It's a lot of walking. Was it going to be too scary? But seeing Violet race through the dark caverns at Rock City convinced us she would handle it just fine, and she did. Annie, on the other hand, was in full clingy mode and insisted on being carried almost the entire way. By me. Try as he might, Matt could not convince her to take a turn in his arms. She lasted to the waterfall itself, then totally fell asleep on me during the return trip. Exhausting! I swear she's gotten heavier in the last few weeks. I was sweating by the time we made it back to the entrance!

The lights! The majestic music! Cheesy touristy goodness!

If you can get past the commercial touristy aspects, it's a pretty cool place. Some guy, drilling into the earth hoping to build an elevator down to some caverns, hits a hidden pocket of fresh air. He jumps down the shaft, crawls on hands and knees for hours in the dark through an 18-inch tall passageway, and discovers an underground waterfall! Had he started his elevator drilling just six feet over, he would have missed the pocket altogether and Ruby Falls would be unknown to this day. It's rather amazing to think about. Also, who has the guts to crawl through the dark for hours into the unknown? Not I, said the sensible school-teaching mother of two. No thank you. But it does make for a lovely end to our little spring break journey to Chattanooga.

View from the top.