Ups and downs

We'll start with the bad news.  

But then there was this:

And this:

 

And our stuff came, so that was good.  It's all on the first floor behind plastic sheeting while we rip out carpet, caulk the crap out of 130 years of weird gaps in wood framing, prime and seal and paint and wet-sand and HEPA-vac and re-carpet and generally make the house safe for current and future teethers but just being NEAR my books and wrapped artwork makes me feel at home, right?  

Liz doesn't thrive in limbo.  

(but Ainsley does!)

More good.  These guys:

And this guy who was attacked by a werewolf while sledding and escaped by virtue of his cunning nature and quick feet. 

Jeez.

And Khikho, who has only been made more cuddly by her cardiac ailments. 

How many tries does it take to get two 8 1/2 month-olds to wear plastic hats simultaneously?

Ta-da!

The old flag made the cross-country journey by car.

And what an end to the season it was.

Worthy of a formal family portrait.

I started work today with Finger Lakes Community Health in the village of Ovid.  So far it's just been training on the computers, meeting cool people, and taking on-line quizzes to refresh my knowledge of tuberculosis transmission prevention, workplace electrical fire response, and patient privacy policies (hint: it's everyone's job and you shouldn't gossip in elevators) but it's really exciting finally to be starting this part of my career.  I get to help jump-start a tiny clinic, get to know a small town in need, spread my doctor wings, and live in Ithaca while I do it.  That was pretty much the dream ten years ago when this all started.  Now let's get some sleep and get caulking.

We're here! Well, some of us are...

I will spare you the details of our day on a plane but suffice it to say I'd never seen Fiona tired enough to let her tongue hang out and I woke up remembering what the morning after a rugby match feels like.  Thank you to all the passengers who played peek-a-boo while we sat on the runway in Philly.  No thanks to the people who stocked the plane with insufficient sandwiches; I think half my calories Saturday came from Mum-mums.  

Amazingly, Fiona perked RIGHT up when she was released to play with Grammy and Khikho.

 

Remember this from July?

They got bigger and more awesome.  

July pugilistas:

January strong-necks.

 When there's time, there are projects.  Lead paint to be covered, burst pipes to re-route through the kitchen: these are the joys of a 130yo house.  We'll be doing some projects and whistling while we work, dammit, until we can feel safe moving in.  Thank goodness for my mom's basement and generous spirit!

Totally unannoying musical toy.  Could it be?!  It's fun; you can add or subtract instruments from the orchestra as it plays Mozart.  I like removing the harp.  

Julia and Morgan's boys are AMAZINGLY tolerant of Fiona's advances.  She grabs them in her tiny vice grips and they wait patiently to be released and still offer her toys they think she might like.  

Ollie's a really good tupperware drummer.

"I'll wait."

Rockin' Radio Flyer

This needs no explanation.

Missed you the other night, Uncle Nick!

While I was signing a bunch of administrative stuff to start my job this morning Kerry and Emma came over to visit.   Scrumptious socks. 

Morgan's rodeo.

Holy cow.  She found her legs tonight after dinner.  

Big, fun changes are coming.

And tomorrow we get THESE fellas back in our lives.  

Phew.  

xoxo, Liz

As you set out for Ithaca, ask that the journey be long and full of adventure.

The front room is painted, the Dogwood is nurtured with thawed breast milk from May (sob!), the new roommate's stuff is here, the bags are packed, the baby is asleep.  

Let's move to Upstate New York tomorrow!

Precious nectar of yesteryear.

Ummm, didn't I use to have a big blue mat and some stuffed animals?

Yeah, that one!

Thanks for the loving send-offs, dear Seattle friends!

Wedding onesie fits her now!

Injira feels great.  So squishy.

Calmest dog in Washington.

Final pizza party crew get-together tonight.  We had tacos, of course.  

Pretty fun to picture these kiddos in elementary school when we get back.  

Love you.