Our Hurricane Evacu-cation Story Part 3: Celebrating and Returning Home

Even though the hurricane was still moving through Florida, we knew all our loved ones were safe, so we could finally breathe again and feel good about enjoying ourselves the rest of the time. We couldn't go home yet because the roads weren't open and the traffic would probably be ridiculous even when they were. So we stayed until Wednesday. (It was actually 9/11 on that Monday, and we almost completely forgot about what that meant.)

We had packed pretty well, but we were starting to run out of some essentials, like clean underwear, and there was a laundry service at the hotel, but it was probably more expensive than just getting a few things at H and M, which we could walk to. So we decided to take a little shopping trip, and while we were at it, get the girls a couple $5 dresses. We were already overspending on this trip, so what did it matter, right? The girls and Gabe made their choices, though Eleanora's did not come without a meltdown. They had a very limited selection of underwear for women, so I ended up with a black pair that said "SLAYIN" across the back in large white gothic-style letters. Just what I needed! At any rate, we made it out without too much damage, and we filled the rest of the morning with another streetcar trip to the French Market, just to make sure we got what we needed, and to replace Eleanora's fan that already broke in less than 24 hours. :/

We took it pretty easy for the rest of the day, picking up some healthy food from a market for lunch instead of going out to eat again. We rested for a bit, continuing to check in with family throughout the day, learning that Catie and her family as well as my mom and everyone on the East coast all lost power (and eventually were without it for at least several days), but other than that, no bad news.

During our pre-dinner stroll, we happened upon a small parade and marching band in the street. We ran to catch up to them and joined in. A lady was passing out beads and gave a bunch of purple, green, and gold ones to the girls. We walked a couple of blocks and then the parade stopped while the marching band formed near a building and played for a little longer. It looked like maybe it was for a private party, as only some people were entering the building, and then it all ended and the police asked everyone to move off the street. We still don't know what it was for, but it was fun to get swept up in the excitement of a spontaneous parade.

We had dinner at a restaurant called Tableau (for the second time), and then we walked around to different spots to savor the city. Evie heard bagpipes playing, so we walked toward them, ending up by the walkway along the Mississippi River. It was beautiful by the water - not too cool or warm, and breezy, with the sun beginning to descend. Eleanora climbed around on some steps by the water while Evie took pictures of the sights around her. We walked up on a bridge where a man was playing the bagpipes, and from there we could see a lot of the French quarter - the main square where the artists and musicians were, the mule-drawn carriages, the shops and restaurants. And just below us was a small group of jazz musicians. The mix of bagpipes, brass instruments, and other instruments we had never even seen before was a nice reminder of the eclectic nature of New Orleans. We had tried to get beignets earlier that morning, but the line was too long, so even though we had dessert after dinner, I suggested stopping by Cafe Du Monde on the way home, just to make sure we took part in that tradition. The girls were tired, but I was craving them, and we thought they might enjoy them. We got one small plate of 3 beignets, and they were so rich we didn't even finish them! Evie liked them, Gabe and I could only eat a little, and Eleanora didn't care for them. Oh well. At least we checked that off our list. We made the trek back to the hotel and eventually turned in for bed.

View from the river bank.

                       

Bag piper behind wedding photographers (there were so many!)

Brass band.

           

The girls with their necklaces from the parade still on.

      

They loved it!

The next day was one of my favorites because it was different and unexpected. I had read about a place called City Park that had a play area called Story Land and a small amusement park with an old carousel. Eleanora loves carousels, so I thought it would be a perfect place to go. We thought about getting our car to drive there because it wasn't totally clear how much walking we'd need to do (City Park is a pretty big area), but we saw that one of the street car lines ended there, so we decided to just try that. But first, we wanted to experience a jazz brunch, and I had read about the Court of Two Sisters several times - it seemed to be a sign that we should check it out (I mean, two sisters...right?). It was pricey, and we almost didn't go because of that, but we were walking right by it, and it was about to open, so we just sucked it up and went. We tried to take pictures of the girls under the "Court of Two Sisters" sign, but they weren't really into it. As we walked in, we pointed out all the cool historic artifacts in the walkway, including the "charm gates" that were said to be blessed by Queen Isabella of Spain, and the girls began to get a little more interested. The tables were located in a large, beautiful courtyard with a colorful fountain and a huge wisteria tree with branches that stretched out far and wide, creating a nest-like canopy over the tables. There was a small jazz trio that played music we were familiar with from our swing dancing days. The brunch was a buffet, so we filled up on fresh fruits and cheeses, bananas and cream, ham for Eleanora, grits, jambalaya, and several desserts, including bananas foster, king cake, and bread pudding with ice cream. Not a bad way to start a morning. With full bellies, we walked to the street car stop.

They both touched the charm gate, in case it was true.

Artsy fountain.

Special table under the wisteria.

This time our stop was on Canal street - the busy street that separates the French Quarter from the business district. There were two street car stops across from one another, and some locals - probably drunk or high and likely homeless - got into a cursing match with each other while we stood and gave dual responses of politely averting our eyes and giving a sort of shrug with a knowing look. Ironically, the man next to us was trying to defend the honor of our innocent young children by telling the lady across the way to shut the f*** up with her language because there's children around. I wasn't quite sure if the correct response was to thank him or pretend like we couldn't hear them, so we just stood there awkwardly for a couple of minutes until the street car came (and the locals stayed on the benches). It's all New Orleans, right?

More streetcar fun.

We took a long ride to City Park, which we realized we had probably been to before when we went to Jazz Fest, because it is where parts of the festival are held. The stop we got off at was at one end of a large park area that included the New Orleans Museum of Art, a playground, a small amusement park, a botanical garden, and Story Land. To get to the places we were going, we had to walk a long way. So we stayed under the trees and strolled along a bayou, slowly making our way there while the girls stopped every now and then to pick up a unique leaf. There was a lot of wildlife in the bayou, including sun bathing turtles, egrets, ducks, lots of trees with hanging moss, and a group of swans! We eventually came to a small playground with a tree that had a huge branch curving down toward the ground. The girls took turns climbing up and walking on it before we walked a little further back. Next we came upon a pavilion with lion sculptures guarding each corner (we think this is where we may have danced before during Jazz Fest). We sat by the water it overlooked and had some snacks before finally walking the rest of the way to our destination.

The Bayou.

Turtle island.

Their collection of sticks and leaves.

Pretty sure this was the first time I've ever seen real swans.

Eleanora and the lion.

Eleanora had some help from Papa getting on the tree branch (yes, that's a branch she's sitting on).

Evie's happy place.

Alice in Wonderland's house.

We learned that the amusement park was closed on weekdays, and although that was disappointing, it was hard to be too upset because it was already a beautiful place and there were other things to do. We also learned that Story Land, the gardens, and the train that took people all around City Park were free to Florida residents because of the hurricane - what a beautiful gesture! So those were the things we did. Story Land had little play areas inspired by fairy tales and famous stories, like Alice in Wonderland, The Three Little Pigs, Moby Dick, Snow White, and lots more.

In Cinderella's pumpkin carriage.

Inside Moby Dick.

The entrance to the gardens.

The girls had fun wandering through the different areas for a little while, and then we decided to head to the gardens before catching the train. I personally thought the gardens were beautiful and had an impressive array of botanicals, including various flowers, plants, succulents, and even fruits and vegetables. The girls found some rocks in one area and came up with a whole make-believe game of school based on those rocks. They were almost blind to the actual gardens, but who am I to say what should be appreciated there? Gabe sat near them while they played, and I took the opportunity to walk around the vast area, snapping photos of colorful flowers and lush gardenscapes - even a butterfly here and there. There was also a sculpture garden in the same area, so we walked through there, though rather quickly as the girls were becoming less and less able to carry themselves with their own feet, and we were almost ready to catch our train. We took a quick bathroom break and made it over to the train station. The conductor gave a little spiel about the train ride and asked who all was from Florida - almost all other passengers were, so it was kind of nice to have a little moment of solidarity before embarking on the ride.

  

Organizing her rocks.

There's a butterfly on the white flower in the middle.

              

Papaya tree...yum!

I tried to grow an eggplant once, and it didn't turn out like this.

          

Sculpture garden.

One of my favorites.

We relaxed on the 15-minute open-air ride all around City Park, through the bayou, along the path of old, historic oak trees, near the Museum, through a tunnel, and then back to where we started. By this time we were overdue for lunch, but we weren't sure we could make it all the way back to the street car, only to wait more to find a place to get off and eat. So Gabe had the idea of seeing if the museum had a restaurant, and luckily, it had a good one. We walked over to the museum, and on our way we came upon a large group of different kinds of birds by the water - ducks, geese, egrets, and herons. It was clearly a feeding frenzy, as some people were tossing them bread. We went a little closer to the cacophonous crowd, but decided that might not be the best idea, as some of the very large geese were walking right up to the girls. We headed away as other people tossed more bread and the honking and quacking became even louder. It was quite a sight to see.

We had a nice lunch in a cool and uncrowded cafe with healthy options and decent pricing. It was nice to settle in and refuel before our long walk back to the street car stop. We did not stay to enjoy the museum, although it seemed like a nice one. The girls gained some energy back and we made it fairly easily back to our stop, with Eleanora sprinting ahead and stopping to look back and laugh, only to repeat the same thing over again, while Evie fell behind, picking up leaves and "flowers" (weeds), noticing and appreciating all of nature's little details. It was a moment that captured the two of them perfectly.  Our ride back and walk to the hotel were uneventful, and we took our rest. We had another stroll outside and a simple dinner out, repeating our pattern of nights before. We fell asleep for our last night in New Orleans, and planned to leave the next day.

We decided to spend the morning out and walking so that we would be able to rest during the long car ride home. So we went to Louis Armstrong park, which had many noteworthy sculptures, as well as a picturesque bridge and plenty of rocks for the girls to play with. We took some pictures, marveled at some of the sculptures - I tried to give a little lesson on slavery based on one of the sculptures, but I'm not sure how much of it the girls really got. That was our last foray in New Orleans, and throughout it all, we certainly got our fill of adventure, music, food, history, and even a healthy dose of uneasiness at times. We went back to our hotel to pack up and say goodbye to our little room that became our safe haven for the week, and we requested our car for the first time since arriving.

The man himself - Louis Armstrong.

Eleanora is there too, if you look close.

Finally got a good picture of a butterfly that wasn't quite so busy.

The girls joined in the parade.

This sculpture helped us explain the Native American heritage of New Orleans.

A sculpture depicting market day at Congo Square during slavery.

Can't get enough of those rocks.

  
We weren't sure how far we were going to go or how bad traffic would be - one new concern was that an overpass on I-75 near Gainesville was going to flood due to the rising river underneath, so we figured we'd keep an eye on road closures and get at least as far as Tallahassee and reevaluate then. I offered to drive because I wanted to get across the many bridges we'd need to cross on the way out of Louisiana (for some reason the irrational fear of getting stuck in the middle of one kept creeping up). After a smooth ride out, we stopped to pick up lunch at a Panera, and then settled in for a long ride, the girls with their favorite shows on their devices. The ride was easy and there were really no traffic issues. I realized at some point in Alabama that there was a large crack on my windshield, a little longer than a dollar bill. I knew that was bad because that's the size it needs to be for insurance companies to decide if the whole windshield needs to be replaced or if they can try to repair it (I already had one smaller ding repaired on that same windshield). I don't know when it appeared, but I have a suspicion it was from all the rocks flying around when we were driving on the shoulder on the way there. At any rate, there wasn't anything we could do at the time, and I just kept a nervous eye on it, trying to avoid going over any big bumps, and hoped to get home quickly.

Just out of Louisiana.

We still never played the song for the girls.

You can see the crack in the middle of my windshield. (It was fully replaced a couple days later).

After driving for several hours, we decided to stop somewhere in northern Florida to stretch our legs and let the girls play. Gabe navigated us to a playground, and although the girls were stuck on their screens and reluctant to go out and play, they eventually found their way to games of chase and tag and imaginary obstacle courses on playground equipment. Since we were not too far from Tallahassee, and I was still feeling pretty good, we decided that we would probably be fine to drive all the way home that day/night. So after getting our fill of freedom, we made a plan to find a place to eat dinner in Tallahassee before driving the rest of the night home. We arrived some time between 7 and 8pm at a sushi restaurant. It was late, but the girls were in the car a lot, so they weren't all that tired (plus we had crossed over time zones at some point, and we were an hour behind on Louisiana time). It was the slowest sushi we've ever received (especially for a Wednesday night), but the food was good and everyone ate. We got the girls' pajamas out and had them change and wash up in the bathroom before leaving, so everyone was set to go.

We got a movie going for the girls, and Gabe took the wheel to get us home. Again, it was a completely smooth ride home, and we didn't have any traffic issues. I-75 never closed where the threat was, although small roads near that area did. We wondered if it was such a smooth ride because people were avoiding 75 on purpose, but whatever the reason, we were so thankful. The girls eventually passed out, and although I tried to doze a couple times, I couldn't, and I mostly binge watched Insecure or listened to podcasts. We made it home some time around 2am - windshield in tact - and basked in the glory of our untouched home before all heading to bed.

We made it through an intense adventure, and although, going into it, the outcome was unknown and terrifying to think about, all was good in the end. Gabe and I were wonderful partners in it all, and I realized we do really well together when we just have to focus on what matters. I feel almost guilty saying that the trip is already such a wonderful memory, but I think it's because there was so much at stake at first, and we did something out of the ordinary that had a wonderful outcome. I'm just going to leave it at that and not dwell on what could have been, because we know what was.

Our Hurricane Evacu-cation Story Part 2: Beautiful Distractions

We arrived at our hotel in the French Quarter in New Orleans, and we were immediately relieved and grateful to have made it to our destination safely, and we were even excited about this little adventure. I should mention that at this point (Friday afternoon), it was looking like the storm would still go on the east coast of Florida, and possibly not even be that bad along the coast. Of course, I have family there too, so it wasn't exactly good news, but they still had time and places to go more inland or even towards Tampa. Throughout that day I partly even felt a little silly, like maybe we made a big deal about nothing, but that feeling would change not too long after.

Gabe and I needed showers before anything else, and Evie had a bandage that needed to be changed. I failed to mention that through all of this, she had a 2nd degree burn wound on her back, about the size of her hand, that she got the previous Sunday when she and Eleanora were running around playing through the kitchen while Gabe was carrying a pot of boiling water to the sink, and...you can guess what happened. She was very brave about the whole thing, and of course Gabe felt terrible, but in some ways I'm surprised a kitchen accident like this hasn't happened before. We were treating her at home, but then I decided to take her to the doctor the day before we left in case the upcoming hurricane affected anything (little did we know!). She gave us a prescription burn cream but otherwise said to do what we've been doing, which was changing her bandage twice a day. Really, it wasn't as bad as you might imagine, and she was running around and playing the next day, and sleeping fine. But it was something that I was worried about - whether we left or not. I was worried about her sitting in the car for that long and being uncomfortable if we drove, and I was worried about not being able to adequately take care of it and have the right supplies if we ended up staying and found ourselves in a damaged or unsanitary house situation or without power or running water. At any rate, it didn't bother her much during the ride or the rest of the trip, and it's healing very well now. (And they remember the lesson about not running in the kitchen while we're cooking!).

Muffulettas! You can almost hear her rolling her eyes.

We were hungry and ready to walk, so we went straight to Central Grocery to get a muffuletta (my no processed meat rule was temporarily suspended for parts of this trip). The girls weren't quite as excited as we were and seemed to be a little anxious about the new (loud) place we were in, but that was to be expected. We probably tried to introduce too much at once and may have had unrealistic expectations that they would be excited about the same things we were, but this really only lasted the afternoon. As we walked around more we saw plenty of street artists, mule-drawn carriages, and musicians, and the girls started getting more excited. Everywhere around us there were opportunities to learn about something new - historically, culturally, geographically - this all made me feel better about them being out of school for so many days. Many places had historic flags or street signs that represented either France or Spain, and while they may not be able to explain the entire history of New Orleans, they learned some things in context. My favorite was when Evie said how much she liked the rainbow flags all around on one street. I agreed they were pretty and explained what pride flags were and talked about the variety of families and couples there are and the different ways people can identify. There were ample opportunities to talk about race, and we welcomed that too - both the really difficult stories and the celebratory ones. And of course, we were in the land of Katrina, and many people gave us a knowing, sincere look when they learned we were evacuating from Irma. The girls picked up on this, and so we talked about Katrina a few times, and also about how natural disasters affect people differently and how our government responds to communities differently. I don't know how much of this they absorbed - and most probably went over Eleanora's head, but hopefully it was a tangible way to add to the open dialogue about social justice and cultural understanding we've already tried to establish.

St. Louis Cathedral we stayed near.

We stopped back at the hotel after lunch to take a little rest, although the girls would not nap. We had loosened the rules about screen time, and pretty much every afternoon they were allowed to watch a movie or shows, and it allowed us a chance to check in on things back home and at least try to rest. On the way back out for dinner, after discovering and indulging in some complimentary king's cake in the lobby, we went out to the park near the main square near where we were staying and walked around and took pictures. Did I mention the weather was absolutely gorgeous the whole time we were there? A little cool in the mornings and evenings and warm and sunny (but not too hot) during the day.

Free to play in the park!

Evie and her Papa.

We found a good, if not pricey, place to eat, where Eleanora was assured of having her "lemomade," and we walked around a little afterwards. There were lots of musicians and artists around, and that night we saw two violinists - a man and a woman - playing together. Their music was beautiful, and the girls were really drawn to it. Gabe encouraged Evie to use "her" phone (an old one we use for games and apps) to take pictures, and that she did. I haven't looked through them all, but I know there are a lot of pictures and videos of this duo. We saw other more traditional New Orleans jazz musicians and stopped to listen and tried to identify all the instruments with the girls since they're still into music. Then we went back to the hotel, cleaned up for bed, and slept a deep sleep after not being able to at all the night before.

The next morning we found a place on the corner to have breakfast, and the girls learned what Pain Perdue was, New Orleans style french toast. Still no fruit in sight, except the orange slices that came as a garnish, so we asked for extra and Eleanora ate them all up and made "rainbows" with the rinds afterwards. From there, we set off for the Aquarium, which I remember from my very first visit to New Orleans when I was around 12 or 13 years old. Lee and I were visiting our Dad who lived in Miami at the time. While we were there he was spontaneously asked to go on a business trip to New Orleans, and since we were with him, we got to go along. I remember getting up to go to the airport at 4am to fly there, and then staying at the Marriott Grand Marquee and walking around and taking pictures a lot. We went to the HardRock Cafe, which we thought was pretty cool at the time, and we also drove around the swampy areas to meet with Dad's clients. So whenever I go to New Orleans I think of that trip.

"Wishing a penny" at the aquarium for family back home.

At any rate, we decided to try the street car for the first time. We walked to the pick up location by the Mississippi River, got a day pass, and hopped on. It was only a few stops, but the girls loved it! The aquarium was really nice and had several different exhibits. It was different from ours in Tampa, which we have been to a gazillion times, so that was refreshing. We saw lots of different fish, turtles, sharks, sting rays, a white alligator, and many other salt and freshwater creatures, and there was also an area made to look like a Mayan rain forest that had macaws and all, and I thought that was really beautiful. We had a light lunch and headed back to the street car, and then finally walked back to the hotel.

Macaws.

As close as I've come to a rainforest.

White Alligator. Standing Up...

It must have been some time during this day that the forecast for Irma started getting really bad. It was definitely heading more west, and it was retaining strength as a category 4 or 5 hurricane. At some point it looked like it was going to head directly towards our area of Tampa. I was increasingly worried about Lee and had a few little breakdowns that I tried to hide in the bathroom, as I again found myself imagining worst case scenarios. I knew that most of the people in our neighborhood and many other family and friends had stayed though, so I took some comfort in that. I reminded myself that our house is well made and our roof is new, and Gabe reminded me that there were lots of tall trees on the outskirts of our neighborhood that might help break up the wind. Lee was sending pictures of all the preparations she was making. We talked about where she would go if it got bad, and the options were either our master closet, which only closed via slatted wooden sliding doors, or the little toilet room in our master bathroom, which was tiny, but completely enclosed with no windows and an actually closing door. I reached out to one other neighbor that I was friends with and put her and Lee in touch. That was as much as I could do from a distance, so I tried to let it go again and be brave in front of the girls.

We had another evening walking around and going out to dinner. Afterwards, though, we decided to try a carriage ride, which the girls were begging for ever since they saw them. They sat in the front seat by themselves with us behind, and then another family from Miami behind us. Our carriage driver gave us a tour of the French Quarter and talked a lot about the different buildings, some historical conflicts, Katrina, and some local artists. He tried to be friendly to the girls and get them to smile, as many locals did, but as is their style, they just stared back blankly and didn't smile or respond. *Sigh.* I know I was probably this way, so I try not to either shame them for being shy or force them to respond, which makes everyone uncomfortable. I joked about them being tired, and it was clear Eleanora was, as she was starting to nod off. We finished the tour and made it back to our room for a quick bed time routine, and then lights out. I'm sure Gabe and I were both up fretting on and off and checking weather updates, but we at least slept a little.

The next morning we decided to do a little trip to the Garden District, which would keep us occupied for the whole morning. We had breakfast at a little cafe, and the news was on the tv, which was unavoidable. The employees stood there watching along with us, and we all silently shook our heads at the strong winds and damage that was becoming evident in the Keys and South Florida. I did not see roofs or cars flying around, like I had imagined, and there was a weatherman standing in the middle of the storm in South Florida, so I felt a little more okay about that. We had our breakfast and took a long walk to the street car that would take us on a long ride to the garden district.

Just two sisters walking along (with parents crying behind them because they're holding hands).

Hamilton Park (that's the Hamilton statue in the background).

On the way, we stopped at Hamilton Park, where there was a statue of Alexander Hamilton, which Gabe wanted to see after his newfound fondness of Hamilton (he listens to the soundtrack all the time). The girls pranced around a little and we took some pictures and enjoyed another beautiful day. We crossed the street to hop on to the street car, and then took a 45 minute ride along St. Charles street. We admired the beautiful houses along the way - some with gothic architecture, some Greek revival, and that was all I could remember from the tour the night before, but we took turns pointing out which ones we'd want to live in.

Ready for a hour of street car fun!

The girls thoroughly enjoyed the street car, and they stood and held on to handles, and twisted around, and hopped across the aisle in a fit of giggles, and swung around in an innocent kind of pole dancing. We stayed on as the car turned around and we got off near Lafayette Cemetery on our way to lunch. We looked around the above-ground cemetery very briefly, because it got hot after all. Gabe and I had been to one in Buenos Aires that was really beautiful, and I have to say this one was probably not known for it's beauty, but it was interesting and sad, nonetheless (and I'm sure a tour or some information about it would have helped). I noticed several tombstones with very young ages on it, and wondered about how these children died, especially since mostly wealthy families were buried here. I took a few pictures, and that was as much as everyone could tolerate.




                                      

                                      

It really felt like they did.

We made a rather arduous trek with hot, tired, struggling girls to a little crepe cafe that Gabe found online. We indulged in sweet and savory crepes and cooled off with refreshing drinks. A family next to us was from Estero, in South Florida, so we chatted with them a little bit. We thought about taking an Uber back to the hotel, but they wouldn't take children without car seats, so we washed up in the tiniest bathroom I've ever seen (you had to sit sideways on the toilet because it almost touched the opposite wall), and we found enough energy to walk back to the street car stop. We savored the long ride back, knowing we'd need to walk many blocks back to the hotel. We got back and the girls immediately asked for screen time, which we allowed. The hurricane was supposed to hit this (Sunday) night, so I gathered up my courage to step out and make a phone call to Lee, trying to not show how nervous I was. We had an emotional talk, but nothing too dramatic, and I wished her the best, not knowing if she may lose power or cellular service that night, but hoping that we'd still be in communication for a while.



At some point during this afternoon, we learned that, although the hurricane was still coming directly for Tampa, it would probably only enter as a category 2 storm, or possibly even 1. I was SO RELIEVED to see this. Although this is still pretty bad, is much better than coming in at a category 3 or 4. So after our afternoon break, we decided to venture out to the French Market, a type of flea market that is held nearly every day, and was within walking distance. We hadn't really done any shopping yet (it seemed almost disrespectful somehow), but we figured we may as well get a few gifts for other people and have the girls pick out a couple things as well. This is where they got their $2 fans that they ADORED! They reasoned that it was pretty hot out and they needed them to keep cool. They found some fancy hair clips, and we got a few other things for family we were thinking about during the hurricane. Since it was almost dinner time, and walking to another restaurant was pretty unappealing, we found some food at the market that was more or less healthy (one place had vegan cajun food!). Since we weren't going to a restaurant, I realized I wouldn't be able to order a wine, so luckily I found a small bottle of cheap merlot at one of the places we got food - it would definitely suffice in taking the edge off my nerves. We brought our eclectic assortment of food back to the room and ate on make-shift places and a small table. We played a round or two of Sleeping Queens - the girls' favorite new game - and put them to bed.

Unlike the other nights where we crashed along with the girls, I stayed up to try to work in my dissertation. Luckily I had turned in major revisions to all the chapters a couple days before we left, but I had some minor formatting things to work on while I waited on more feedback from my advisor. So I embraced the mindless work while I watched Insecure on my phone and texted back and forth with Lee. I probably turned in around midnight, and checked in again when I woke up around 4:30 am. Everything was okay, and the worst had passed. There was still a lot of wind and maybe some rain, but we were in the clear, and Lee had survived! Throughout the morning, I got regular updates from my family in Deltona (east-central FL) and on the east coast (near New Smyrna Beach). They were reporting scary wind, and they all eventually lost power, but in the end everyone was okay and there was no major damage. We were elated! The worst of the nightmare was over. I finally felt like I could relax a little more. It was Monday morning, and we did not plan to go back for a couple days because the traffic would be so bad, and we weren't even sure when all the roads would be open. So we extended our stay until Wednesday morning. The next couple days would be filled with more exploring and enjoyment of the beautiful (and also heartbreaking) city we were so fortunate to stay in.

To be continued...

Our Hurricane Evacu-cation Story Part 1: (Irma)gining the Worst(and the Best)

The past week and a half have been some of the most intensely stressful days I can remember experiencing. It all sounds a bit dramatic now that we're on the other side of this whole thing, but it would not be an overstatement to say that this storm was a bit traumatic for many people. But it forced me to put a lot of things into perspective.

We probably started hearing about hurricane Irma (or was it only a tropical storm then?) about two weeks ago, but as with many of these storms, very little usually happens, and most of the time they don't even develop into a true hurricane. But with hurricane Harvey having devastated Houston only weeks prior, people seemed to be taking this more seriously from the beginning. As the days went by, it became clear that this was a monster of a storm and it wasn't backing down any time soon. The predictions for where it would ultimately land shifted in major ways during the week before the actual landfall. For a while, most models showed it steadily moving towards Florida and then somehow taking a massive eastern turn and landing on the east coast of Florida. But as the days went by, the hurricane grew stronger and bigger (400 miles across) and that turn wasn't happening. The models shifted to show it going right up the middle of Florida, and then some even suggested it would go on the west coast (that's us), potentially as a category 4 or 5 hurricane (I think Katrina and Harvey were both category 4, and 5 is pretty unheard of for hitting the U.S.).

I had been doing regular preparations, like getting water, batteries, checking on non-perishable food, etc., and I was just mostly planning on staying, although I honestly wasn't sure if we should be preparing to stay or go. The girls were still in school at that point, and we had pretty much just settled on hunkering down for a few days, or maybe going to Orlando because it's further inland. But then the chaos started. People were evacuating in droves from South Florida (and other parts). Water was becoming scarce - in fact, when we went to Costco to get water on the Wednesday before the hurricane came (on a Sunday), they had literally sold out as we were walking in. Gas also was becoming scarce. Schools closed for Thursday and Friday so people could make preparations or leave. I wondered if we should consider leaving, but this was more a flickering thought and not something I tried to plan out. I mentioned the idea to Lee and Gabe, but they brought up the risks and stress of driving on a completely backed up interstate and potentially not being able to find gas, and not to mention, not having somewhere to go, and these things all seemed worse at the moment than leaving. I tried to resume normal activities on Thursday, and since the girls were home I took them to the park and the library, and we even went out to lunch. It was still nice and sunny and if we weren't constantly bombarded with news of the impending doom, nobody would know a hurricane was on its way. We spent some time packing (just in case, and for something to do with all our time) and checking off our list of preparations for the hurricane.

Throughout that day I became increasingly anxious about staying, and I saw a couple more hints that the hurricane was shifting west. I felt like this was our last chance to leave before it would become too risky or people wouldn't be allowed to travel on the roads. I saw some of the devastation Irma already caused in the Caribbean, and I was really concerned about being able to adequately protect the girls and also just dealing with the stress of experiencing a hurricane and possibly being without power or running water for many days. So I pitched the idea to Lee and Gabe once more. Lee was secure in her position about staying, and this was one of the hardest things for me. We were supposed to be weathering the storm together, and I didn't even want to think about leaving her. I figured we'd be together no matter what, but she felt it was much more stressful to drive, especially out of Florida, than to deal with the known factors of staying. She was also coming off of having surgery on both feet over the summer, and a long drive would have been really difficult, if not impossible. She said she knew I had to think about the girls, but that she could only stay sane by staying and not introducing multiple other options and risks (and the last time we left, in 2004, we went to Orlando, which is precisely where the hurricane shifted to at the last minute, so it was very difficult to make a decision based on predictions).

I talked to Gabe when he got home from work, and this time he agreed that it may be worth it. So we looked for places to go. Orlando was no longer a safer option. We needed to go somewhere west of Georgia because now Georgia (where many people had fled to) was expected to be hit as well. And we needed to be able to find a hotel - many were already full. What about Tennessee? Mississippi? We didn't know much about these states, especially in the southern parts, but we realized New Orleans wasn't that much further, and ironically, it looked to be completely in the clear from Irma. We had been there several times, and the thought of having plenty to do with the girls was very appealing. So we took a leap of faith and decided to go for it. As Gabe began booking a place through Expedia, I told the girls what we were doing and we quickly finished packing.

I had taken in a few things from the garden already, but Gabe and I moved a few more things into the garage, and other than the water and supplies we had already prepared, that was pretty much all we did to prepare the house. We didn't have storm shutters or plywood (which was sold out all around us), so I felt a little vulnerable about that, since Lee would still be staying at our house, as it was much higher than her place, which is prone to flooding. I still felt very conflicted about leaving Lee and the rest of my family near Orlando and New Smyrna Beach, but after an emotional phone call with Lee and then with my mom as we were about to leave, I tried to just feel okay about it and move on. We checked in with our neighbors across the street to let them know what we were doing (they had previously offered to help in any way since they had plenty of water and a generator), and we let them know that Lee would be staying at our place and they said they'd check in on her. So I felt a little relieved about that.

We got in the car around 9pm, girls in their jammies, and we drove to Starbuck first for some coffee. They were actually closing up to prepare for the storm, and they were giving away some food for free. Somehow that made it feel more serious since we were still several days out from the storm. Even though my gas tank was mostly full, we stopped once to top it off since there was still gas in some places in Tampa, and then we took off. We tried to make it seem like a fun adventure for the girls, so they were mostly excited, though a little hesitant about all we were leaving behind. I was motivated to get out and get through the worst of the traffic, so I offered to drive first, which worked well because Gabe was navigating and keeping on top of gas with an app that tells you which gas stations have gas available. Just as we really go going on the interstate, north of Tampa, it started pouring rain. Like sheets of rain - the kind I hate to drive in. It almost seemed foreboding, but I was pretty confident it would be over soon, so we got through it in about 10 minutes. But it was not an encouraging way to start.

Traffic wasn't too bad for a while, but as we got further north on 75, it got sticky. From this point until got to Tallahassee, it was stop and go or slow going. We detoured once or twice to avoid accidents. We ended up on back roads that were surrounded by farm houses, with plenty of cars around with the same idea. My fears about being stuck in the middle of nowhere seemed to be coming to fruition. But we weren't quite stuck, and we eventually go back on the main interstate. Gas stations had lines of cars coming out of them, and employees were luckily directing people to available pumps. We kept well on top of gas, not knowing when our next chance would be. The girls slept through most of this, but were a little restless with all the ins and outs and stopping and going. When we stopped for gas somewhere north of Gainesville someone told us that one of my headlights was out. This was not what I needed to feel better about things! Now I was worried that we'd get pulled over and not be allowed to continue or that the other one would go out and we'd be unsafe. But with so many cars on the road, it turned out not to be too much of an issue. People were driving in the left shoulder, which I at first attributed to a-hole drivers, and then saw a sign saying the left shoulder was open, so we occasionally went over there. But there were a lot of rocks flying around, probably because of this, and I heard a couple hit my windshield, although I didn't notice any damage. Having to go the bathroom was kind of an issue - my stomach was already in knots because of all the stress, and coffee late at night didn't help that. The rest area exits had lines going out into traffic, so those didn't seem like good options, so suffice it to say, I dealt with this the only other way I could without stopping and waiting for a long time.

We finally made it to Tallahassee - a trip that should have taken 4 hours, but took 6 and a half, and I as we pulled in to get gas, the girls woke up and I took them inside to go to the bathroom. There was a line, of course, but a man in front of us told us to go ahead of us, and I was very grateful. They were a little anxious and out of sorts, so I told them they could pick out some candy, and boy that made a difference! But we never stopped hearing Eleanora ask for skittles again after that.

The beautiful sky we saw driving out of Florida.

Gabe switched to driving, although he didn't really sleep while I drove, and I couldn't really sleep while he was driving. The traffic was mostly smooth at this point, and he drove all through the panhandle as the sun began to come up. I don't know if I was ever so happy to see morning before! It meant I didn't have to worry about our headlight, and we were past the worst of everything. The girls began to wake up, and soon afterwards we saw the state line for Alabama! This was quite the occasion because it was the first time we had ever driven out of the state (as adults, anyways). I was glad we were getting at least a little geography education along the way, too. We passed through to Mississippi, and everyone was hungry for breakfast, so we found a cute little train depot-themed place to stop. It was a very southern breakfast (although I could only stomach oatmeal) and there was no fruit in sight (something I'd come to get used to from a lot of restaurants we went to on our trip). There was even a small automotive section in the store adjacent to this place, so Gabe took the opportunity to get a new headlight and fix it right there in the parking lot.

The sign says it all.

Feeling a little grimy but mostly happy to start our adventure.

I took over again and drove the rest of the way. It wasn't a terrible drive, but it was a little longer than what I thought we had left and the girls were getting antsy and Eleanora was whining a lot (to be expected), so I was so ready to get there. After going over a ton of bridges, we finally got into New Orleans around lunch time, and made it to our hotel in the French Quarter. We said good bye to our car for the rest of the trip as they parked it far away, and we welcomed all the walking we'd soon be doing.

Back to the title of this post, starting with imagining the worst. This was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, and I never want to do it again. I had to imagine the worst in order to make a decision. And that meant imagining that we would be hurt or would not survive (unlikely, but in my mind and from all the chaos around, it felt like a possibility). So when we left, it meant that I was left to imagine these things for our family and friends. I especially worried about Lee being by herself, and regretted not trying harder to find a way to board up our windows. My dad was out of the state, in California the whole time. My mom was with her boyfriend, Brian, and they left their condo near the beach to stay with my Aunt Pattie and Uncle Mark a little further inland. Catie and her family stayed at their home - with the worst impact of the storm teasing both coasts, and not being sure which way to go. My other aunts and my cousin and her family all stayed put, feeling more or less secure in their spaces and well-prepared. But I thought of them all nearly every minute we were away. Sure, we had plenty around us to distract us and entertain us, but the sickening worry that began the day before never really went away until I knew everyone was safe. I had to just accept that we were away, and others were still in Florida, and that was that. So, I chose to start imagining the best. I envisioned the morning after the storm, when the worst had passed, the sun coming out, and everyone being in one piece. I focused on that image as much as I could for the rest of the trip.

To be continued...

Half Way There

That's right, I'm half way done with writing my dissertation! Or at least with the initial draft, anyways. And I need a break. I finished an intensive chapter last night and was planning on moving right along to the next this morning, but I just can't. And I've neglected my blog for so long, I think it would only be just if I took a brain break and wrote about something that doesn't require quite so much analysis. (This was written over a week ago and I'm actually just about done with another chapter - yay!)

Digging up the grass to prepare the garden.

I've wanted to write about our garden for a long time. I had wanted to transform a small part of our back yard into something more interactive for a long time, which usually means that I throw ideas out there and get frustrated that they don't magically come to fruition. One day, I realized I just had to start. We had an area in our yard that just didn't keep grass well, despite having it all replaced several years ago and having regular maintenance. It was a combination of weeds and lots of bald spots, and while I really don't care so much about having nice grass, I thought it would be nice to try out a bigger garden area there. We didn't want to plant things in the ground there since the grass never did well, so we decided to cover the whole area with mulch. I ordered 40 bags of mulch and began the task of removing all the grass and weeds in that area. I bought an adult and child sized hoe and told the girls what we needed to do. It took a few days, but we eventually cleared everything away and dumped all that mulch on the ground (And guess what? We already have weeds growing through it!).

Painting the pallet.

Fairy garden and house.

I had a small container garden in a different area outside, so I moved all of those over, along with our old mailbox we painted pink and turned into a planter, a few yard ornaments like our little gnome and bird, and some large planters that I got from my mom when she and Brian moved out of their house. We kept the pallet that our mulch came in on, as I had seen lots of ideas for using those in the garden. I decided on a project I saw for painting it rainbow colors and hanging small pots from the slats to create an herb garden. Gabe ordered a raised bed, which we put together and planted some herbs, vegetables and fruits. I tried to follow a companion planting scheme, which is supposed to help deter certain pests (by using flowers like marigolds and nasturtiums), and provide some kind of nutrient exchange among the plants that is beneficial. We also created a fairy garden for the girls - because they're all the rage now - by using a large galvanized tub, filling it with dirt and some succulents, and adding some little fairies and other accessories to create a tiny fantasy world. Evie and Eleanora made some things out of polymer clay, like a little pond that fills up with water when it rains, some flowers and bugs, and other random things that I can't even really figure out. I made a fairy house out of recycled and natural materials (aside from the toxic glue I used to adhere the stones to the sides). They don't exactly play with it a lot, but they check on it a lot and show it to people a lot. Maybe when the weather is cooler? I also got an A-frame trellis with the idea of creating a little hideaway or reading space for the girls, or just a pretty area. I planted bougainvillea on one side and cucumbers on the other. The cucumbers took off and grew huge, beautiful leafs and climbed with their little tentacles, but it ultimately showed signs of a virus, and we had to pull them out so other plants didn't get infected. Finally, I wanted some seating, so we got some colorful and cheap Adirondack style chairs and put a citronella plant right in between them in the hopes it will keep away mosquitoes. Oh, and there is a small "rock garden," which really is just an area around our palm tree that I put a bunch of cut marble rocks, but it now also has some pine cones and some painted rocks we all made.

Preparing the raised bed for square foot gardening.

 It was a lot of work, but a lot of it happened piece by piece, and it was also enjoyable and even relaxing. It was wonderful to see an idea through. I can't say that a lot of the produce was successful though. I attempted to use homemade pesticides for the many pests that found their way into everything, but I think a combination of planting a little too late in the year and the Florida summer just being really hard on plants led to the demise of many plants. We still have some things growing well, like mint, oregano, basil, garlic (which I planted from bulbs), onion (which I planted from scraps), and various flowers that seem to tolerate the heat well. None of our nasturtiums ever bloomed, and most have died by now, and many of the marigolds have gotten tall but not bloomed. We have one tomato growing and surviving, so I'll keep my eye on that. We will be planting new things in the fall, so hopefully we'll get a better result this time. We also have a lemon tree that I've taken great pains to care for after many of the leaves became coated in a black dust called sooty mold (I took care of that problem, but there are no blossoms on it, so I'm not sure it will produce this year), and we added some companions for the lemon tree - a loquat tree that I'm keeping in a large planter, and a calamansi tree (a Filipino fruit that is similar to a key lime). And of course, we got a compost bin and are now putting to use as many fruit and vegetable scraps and egg shells and coffee grounds that we otherwise would have thrown out. I can't say I look forward to lifting the lid and dumping rotting food into a big tub of more rotting food with bugs flying all around inside and stirring all that rot around with a pitchfork, but if it works out, it will be exciting to use the compost on our plants.

The final product.

Ladies on the beach!

In other news, we have had two vacations this summer that provide much needed family and (semi)relaxation time. Our first one was a trip to New Smyrna Beach where our mom and Brian recently moved into a new condo. They graciously slept on their boat while we all took over their condo for a few days. We did what you're supposed to do on a beach vacation - went to the beach! The stress of going to the beach with young children is seeming to ease over the years. We know how to set up our shade pretty easily now, and they don't require much but some sand and water toys. Of course, Eleanora still likes to hold an adults hand the ENTIRE time she's at the beach, but that's what's great about family vacations - there are other adults who are happy to help. Evie is very independent on the beach and does her own thing, either in the sand or the water. But when cousins are around, it's even more wonderful because they all have playmates (at least on and off) and it's so much more than what we can provide with just us parents. We all took turns cooking, we celebrated Jonathan's birthday, the girls performed for us several times, and we all painted rocks while we were there - another thing that's all the rage right now. We also slept on the boat one night, and that was really nice. The girls think it's really cool just to be on the boat; I can't wait to see their reaction when we actually go out on it one day! It was a wonderful trip, if maybe a little short.

One of the many cousin performances we were treated to.

We love waves on the east coast!

Ice cream on the strip before sunset fun.

Gabe and the little ladies jumping waves.

Some of the rocks we painted.

 We headed home and went back to reality for only a couple weeks, as it was then time for our Abella vacation - a week in the Lake of the Ozarks (that's in Missouri, in case you didn't know - I didn't at first). Gabe's brother's wife, Michelle, and her family have had a lake house in that area ever since her grandfather built it many decades ago. I don't remember ever spending time at a lake, although it's possible we went now and then when we were little. I was oddly nervous about this trip - in part because it was a new territory and I never know how my allergies and asthma will react, and also in part because it was three hours away from the major city we'd fly into (Kansas City), and it seemed like it would be in the middle of nowhere. I was prepared for the worst, imagining I'd have problems with my allergies and asthma, being in sun that I couldn't escape, and getting bug bites every day. But instead, it turned out to be pretty magical.

Fishing in jammies!

The house was beautiful inside and provided a wide view of the lake - a pretty peaceful retreat. It was nice for all the Abellas to be together, and James and Michelle marked the occasion by getting us all Abella shirts and Kansas souvenirs. On our first morning there, the girls got up and went down to the dock in their pajamas to go fishing with James and Lola. That set the tone for the rest of the stay. We stayed in almost the whole time, and there was plenty to do. The kids went out by the water a lot, with adults rotating in and out. Michelle's parents came over a few times and her dad took us out on the boat a lot, sometimes just for a cruise, and sometimes to tow some toy or another behind. We all learned that Gabe is a natural skier, after getting and staying up on his first try! The kids tried a little ski trainer - even little Eleanora. They loved riding in a big seat tube loving called Big Mabel - four at a time. Michelle gave them rides on the Sea-Doo, and all of us adults took turns on it as well (I learned that Gabe doesn't like to drive, but he went with me when I drove, even though it was really choppy out). We all took turns preparing meals and indulged in pina coladas a few times, and made two birthday cakes - one for Lolo, and one for Gabe for an early celebration. We also just hung out and played board and card games while Gabe (and sometimes James or Pete) played the ukulele and others sang along. A couple of evenings we all gathered sticks to make a fire just big enough for roasting marshmallows to make s'mores.

Music with papa.

Game time fun.

On the one day we had an outing, we went to visit a nearby cave, and the girls loved it! It was a nice little natural wonder that we don't have near us. On the final night, we did s'mores again, and the kids ran around outside playing secret spy agent while the brothers prepared fire works. We missed 4th of July fireworks in Tampa because it was so late, so it was great to give them a personal show.

A view from inside Bridal Cave.

Our one night out to eat.

Cousins!

Making s'mores at sunset.

Free spirits.

Then it was back to reality for a few more weeks of summer. We been a bit more adventurous with summer camps this year, and the girls tried a couple new half day ones in addition to our regular Montessori camp. Evie had been wanting to do gymnastics for a long time, so I signed her up for a couple of weeks over the summer, but Eleanora was too young, so she did a camp that their dance school offers. I was a little nervous because she'd be by herself, but to my surprise, Eleanora loved hers and performed proudly in an end-of-camp performance. However, Evie did not like hers. So Evie switched back to dance camp for the last week of camps, which is this week! They also tried a music camp for the first time last week, and again, I wasn't sure they'd like it because we had to get there almost an hour earlier than what we're used to, and it also went a little longer (8:15 - 1pm). But they loved it! They tried several instruments, including the ukulele, violin, piano, and drums. They did different kinds of dances, a rhythm circle, and a collaborative art/music project. Their big presentation of the week was a soundtrack to a small movie clip, where each student took part in using instruments or voices to make sounds using music editing software. Gabe and I were impressed! It seemed to really continue Evie's interest in the ukulele, which had been sparked during our Ozarks vacation. A couple days before music camp ended, Gabe worked with her to learn The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and for show and tell on the last day, she played and sang it all by herself. Of course, we were so proud.

Now, they'll be finishing their week at dance camp, and then next week we are going to squeeze in another little mini vacation for a few days in Orlando since Gabe has a work conference there. Then, school starts the following week! We're staying at the same Montessori school this year, but switching campuses since Evie will be starting an older classroom now - first through third grade. Eleanora will be in her third year of preschool (she'll do pre-k next year, and then kindergarten after that). They'll both continue dance classes, although Evie is switching from jazz to a ballet/tap combo, and Eleanora will still do a ballet/tap/acro combo.

As for me, I am very focused on finishing my dissertation, which I am aiming to defend around my birthday - the end of October. Then some more edits (and stress!), and I should have it submitted by mid November, and then graduate in December. Squee! My loose plan for afterward is to continue working where I work very part time now as a graduate assistant, but to move into a professional position doing qualitative research on families and children (what our department does). I'm also hoping to work 30 hours per week, and so far my supervisors seem open to that, but there is nothing concrete yet. Maybe that will be my next post ;).

To Evie on Your 6th Birthday

Dear Evie,

You turned 6 years old today, and in some ways, I can't believe you've only been on this Earth for that long. You have filled my days with something new ever since you were born (you'd like to know that that's exactly 2,190 days). I had you all to myself for long periods of time during your earlier years. You were my buddy, and we made sense together because we have similar personalities. We had it pretty easy, and sometimes I long to step back into those days, at least for a bit.

This year you started Kindergarten, and that has meant a little less time with you during the week. But you seemed ready to spend a little more time filling your need for knowledge and know-how; you are ever our curious girl, and you anxiously work to make sense of new things all the time. In the past year, you've had some minor obsessions, like finger knitting, making paper snowflakes, riding your bike all by yourself, drawing with Papa, and working doggedly on countless other art projects, designs, and structures. You find ways to make your own envelopes, forts, dress-up outfits, earrings, and more. Tape, glue, staples, and clips are your most frequently used objects around the house. While these activities bring out the intense, focused, and perseverant side of you, they also bring out the perfectionist in you - especially when it comes to art. You have high expectations of yourself and your ability, and when you don't do something right the first time, you are very hard on yourself. Papa and I try to talk to you all the time about how everyone has to make mistakes to get good at something and how we're proud of all the steps you take when you learn, but you want to hear nothing of it. You're naturally good at a lot of things, so when you do something that you don't think is good, it feels bad. My hope for you is that you learn to embrace failing so that it will feel like a normal process in attempts at something bigger.


You do have an easygoing side though. You learned to ride your two wheel bike all by yourself this year - starting on your own and everything. And when you got the hang of it, it was all you wanted to do! After school or on weekends, you lead the way riding your bike around the neighborhood, with Eleanora keeping up with you on her balance bike that you learned on, and me or Papa behind. You feel free and relaxed on your bike, and you even still take time to stop and check out flowers or leaves along the way, causing a minor pile-up. You love playing at parks, and you seem to find equal joy in running, climbing, and hanging from monkey bars as you do finding different kinds of nature objects to build something out of or make nature art. You have taught Eleanora about the joys of outside play in these ways.

You still love family and friends probably more than anything. At family and friend get togethers, you gather with cousins or friends and go off on your own to create your own fun. We don't even know what you're doing half the time now, but we hear squeals and laughter (and occasional tears); you're old enough now to want to break free from under our wings, and you relish in the secret world of independent child play.

Something we take for granted is knowing how smart you are, and feeling like you'll always exceed academically. You continue to learn and use big words, to seek out adults to talk to, to do challenging math like Sudoku puzzles for fun, learn cursive writing just because you wanted to, and you're learning to read more every day (although you've never been one to choose reading a book as something fun or interesting to do on your own). We've always felt that it was important not to push you (or any young child) academically so that you can learn about your world through play and natural observations, but we've also been fortunate that you have a drive to learn all on your own, and you observe like no other.


More than anything, I am so thankful that you still love to be close with us. Having a "family day" is one of the most exciting things to you, even if all we do is stay at home all day. You like to share inside knowledge with us (like when we all laugh at something cute Eleanora says), and you talk to us about your day and your feelings. You are a detailed and animated story teller, and I love hearing you talk for several minutes about a conversation between you and a friend that took 10 seconds. I hope you always talk to us this way and trust that we'll think you have important things to say. You're growing up, but you still like to tell us all about each and every cut, bruise, or scrape, or let us know when your feelings were hurt. You still have intense feelings too, that we sometimes don't understand.

This morning, you were getting ready to have a special day at school because Papa, Eleanora, Lola, and I were going to all be there for your celebration of life ceremony. You changed outfits a couple times, first wanting to find a fancy dress, and then settling on turquoise leggings, a LOVE shirt, and a bun in your hair. You reminded me that I said you could wear your clip on earrings on your birthday, so I agreed. You found a pair that perfectly matched your outfit, and as you were putting them on, you dropped one down the bathroom sink drain (which, coincidentally, does not have a stopper in it). It was gone. Down the drain. As it sunk in that you probably wouldn't be able to wear those earrings, you screamed louder than I think I've ever heard you scream, and you didn't stop. You yelled, stomped, and said the day was ruined and demanded that we get the earring. You told me that if we can't get it out then we'll have to go straight to the beach and see if it came out there (it was hard not to laugh!). You can be so determined. Luckily, Papa was able to pull the pipe apart and find it, just in time to leave for school. All was right with the world again.

So even while I think idealistically about the way things were when you were a baby, I wouldn't trade 6-year-old you for anything. Your personality, like the rest of you, is growing and changing. Just as you have new freckles sprinkled across your nose and longer legs, you have new abilities and more refined ways of expressing yourself. We love all these bits of you that make you our sweet Evie.