Charleston

Today my friend Teresa and I decided to take our kids to Charleston. We decided to visit the Boone Hall Plantation. This is really a beautiful place and the only plantation in this part of the country that is still a working farm. I visited here with my mom and sister about nine years ago, but they've added a lot of features to the farm since then.

The plantation was started in the 1681; however, the current house is the fourth one that has been built here. It was built in 1931 and has been the site for Hollywood movies and television shows (North and South, Queen, The Notebook, Army Wives).

It's famous for the avenue of oaks, planted in 1743, that lead up to the house.

cotton

General Robert E. Lee was a graduate of West Point and well studied in military tactics. One of his defensive strategies was to build ditches. This ditch on the Boone Plantation marked the northern boundary for the defense of Charleston. (I'm including this shot mostly for my brother Erik who is an AP History teacher.)

This is one of the few pictures of Jalen. Because he is a runner, I've started using a leash. He hates it and as soon as he feels it's tug, he throws himself to the ground in a massive tantrum. He spent most of the day in the stroller.

The front of the house features two butterfly-shaped flower gardens. They are kind of wild and natural looking, surrounded by brick walkways. They seem ancient.

One of my favorite parts of the day was a presentation on the Gullah culture. "Gullah" is taken from Angola, the site in West Africa from which many of the slaves were stollen. Since slaves were taken from different regions in Africa, when they got to the States, they spoke different languages and had different customs. The Gullah culture is the result of the mixing of these various cultures and was found in the Low Country part of South Carolina and in Georgia. The presenter explained to us that a person could speak to you using their language and be speaking about you at the same time. It was fascinating to hear the language and realize that some of our modern-day terms originated from this language. According to Wikipedia, "The Gullah are known for preserving more of their African linguistic and cultural heritage than any other African-American community in the United States."

Boone Plantation is unique in the preservation of some of its slave cabins, which were used for sharecroppers well into the 20th century. These cabins have now been modified for tours and also for a Black History in America exhibit. My favorite cabin was the one where they made sweet grass baskets. I remembered these baskets from my last visit. They are amazing.

Miss Nancy was really sweet to Baylie. She has a granddaughter Baylie's age and is already teaching her how to weave baskets. Look at these works of art!

I bought a small basket last time I was in Charleston. I have used it a ton and it still looks like new. However, while at the plantation, I noticed that baskets much smaller than mine are now selling for $50. I'm going to dump the stuff out of mine and hang it on the wall!

We later drove by the beautiful homes of Charleston. We'll have to go back for a walking tour when we have more time. We stopped at a park by the river just to walk around and discovered this water playground. Baylie LOVES water and was in heaven.

Until we had to leave.

It was a great day.

Growing Like Weeds

I have big, healthy kids and I am grateful. Today was the latest checkup.

Baylie

Weight: 39 lbs., 93rd percentile

Height: 39 in., 86th percentile

Item of note: will need surgery to fix her herniated belly button

Jalen

Weight: 29.8 lbs., 96th percentile

Height: 33 in., 94th percentile

Head: 49.5 cm., 97th percentile

Item of note: peed and pooped on the exam room floor (grateful for tile)

Here Comes Peter Cottontail - Run for Your Life!

So today I got the kids all dressed up to go to the mall and get a picture with the Easter Bunny. I understand why kids are afraid of Santa. He's a huge man with facial hair dressed in a gaudy red suit. He is a stranger - so screaming when he reaches out for you is totally understandable. But what is scary about the Easter Bunny? He's fluffy, soft, smiley and wears pastels. Nevertheless, my kids freaked out and wouldn't even consider sitting near him for a photo.

This is as close as we got. If you look closely, you can see the tears and remnant of horror on Baylie's face. She was seriously terrified. Fortunately, we still got the bunny ears.

"Almost Summer" Sun

It is already getting hot - hot - hot in South Carolina. Today was 89 degrees and sunny. (Tomorrow will be 89 degrees and rainy - it doesn't cool off in the rain.) We decided to head to the zoo with our good friends the Thompsons, not realizing that due to Spring Break the zoo would be a zoo.

Ironically, due to the fact that the kids mostly wanted to ride the carousel and the train, we didn't even see that many animals!

Jalen has finally embraced the carousel. He loves it now and cries when we have to get off. He prefers the animals that are stationary and don't go up and down.

We had some cool beverages...

... and stopped for a snack (Jalen's favorite time of the day, of course)...

...and played in the penguin rocks. (Baylie doesn't care about the actual penguins. She just likes climbing all over the rocks.)

Best part of all is that the kids were exhausted. So far their nap has lasted over three hours!

And here's a little peek at how our patio garden is progressing.

The only thing really struggling is the fern because it's getting so much sun. I moved it back a little, but don't dare move it any more because a finch has laid four eggs in it.

(Current temperature in Provo, Utah - 46 degrees...)

Into the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Warning: this post is very selfish and self-serving. It's also very petty.

In the course of my singlehood, infertility, adoption, etc., people have often said things that were thoughtless and hurtful. In 99.9% of the cases, it was unintentional and I chose not to take offense (sometimes you can't help but hurt though). Since adopting my kids, it is rare that I feel infertile or that I am lacking in some way. However, recently on a couple of different occasions I have heard men say that a woman goes "into the valley of the shadow of death" and comes back with a child.

I'm sure that is true. That must be what labor is like. I wouldn't know. However, I have a hard time with the phrase, particularly when they go on to say that the experience is why women are closer to their children than men. I know that these men are saying this to honor women - and women who deliver children should definitely be honored. I feel guilty for letting this bother me, but every time I hear it, it stabs me in the heart a little and I can't help but feel that it is diminishing my journey to motherhood. I didn't go into the valley of the shadow of death, but I did go to hell and back.

I know it's impossible to consider every situation and every exception when giving a talk or a lesson. I'm not expecting anyone to do that. I'm just sayin' ...

What Will He Be When He Grows Up?

As the daughter of a coach, I have long dreamed of having a son who was big, strong and athletic. I dreamed of a child big like me and tall like David (with my aggressive nature ...). I have been thrilled as Jalen continues to be in the high 90th percentile for height and weight, not to mention head circumference. He is a big kid - and I love it. I don't want to force him into anything - he can choose if he wants football or baseball.

However, sometimes children have their own dreams.

Oh well, Lynn Swann took ballet lessons, right? Anyone have a helmet I can borrow?

Easter Picnic

David and Baylie didn't win the three-legged race.

But they won the back-to-back balloon race!