the system is a joke

Lauryn Hill, I love you with all my heart.

ps. if you've never listened to her live MTV unplugged album, you must. must. must. it's one of those that i count on.

check this out

richard scary's best sport ever!!!

Last night, Dan and I went to a Rangers game (playing the Detroit Tigers), thanks to the generosity of the Bruce lads who gave us some of their tickets for the season. We had a lovely time, complete with Sonic beforehand and peanuts, super tasty beer, and a lemon icy (yom!) in the 6th inning (which we believe to be the perfect inning for Snacks).

My shining moment of the evening: asking if Johnny Damon had been traded because I remembered he'd been with the Yankees last season. Dan was super impressed.

Pouting because at that point the score was 6-1 against the Rangers. They rallied, but thanks to a couple of random home runs in the 9th inning they didn't win. As you can see, Dan is rather emotional about baseball these days.

Trying to look like a Bright and Eager Scholar despite the fact that reading Faulkner is not my favorite ballpark activity.

Look at us! We're doing something fun! Gasp! (fun has been in short supply around here lately)

Thanks, Papadah and Justin!

First Anniversary-- August 9, 2009

Our anniversary fell on Sunday, so we went to church and were sung to-- good ol' LPBC is rather spunky about the "Happy Birthday" song and adapts it to all of life's little occasions. One time we actually sang "Happy Blessing To You" when a couple announced that they were expecting a baby. Anyway, when we got home, we celebrated with tasty snacks and the long Pride and Prejudice, which we watched all the way through. It was lovely. Our snacks were the top layer of our cake, fancy cheese and bread, sour patch kids, gummy worms, fancy chips, chocolate covered pretzels, cherries, and espresso beans, champagne, and nice beer. We thought it was a most successful anniversary.

Dan's phone screen, with the counter he started to count down to our wedding showing 365 days since. How has it been that long, and longer? We've been so happy together-- God is unfailingly, abundantly bountiful to bless us with a life this good.

the newlyweds come to visit, May 21-22

Before they got married, Molly and Daniel proposed a Wonderful Idea to Dan and me. Fiddler on the Roof (Topol's last tour) was going to be playing in Dallas the week of their honeymoon, so they asked if they could come spend Friday night of that week with us and all go see it together. We were very surprised and most excited about the idea, and said 'Oh, yes yes, do!' while jumping up and down with glee.

So on Friday we got the apartment squeaky clean, turned on some lovely music, and waited for the Gooches (as we could finally call them!) to arrive.

(Aw, these pictures are making me all nostalgic for the apartment. . . dear little place, how we loved you.)

Molly and Daniel had a few odds and ends of food left over, so Daniel offered to cook supper for us.

Our delicious meal-- spiced couscous, prosciutto-wrapped chicken, sauteed mushrooms, salad, and baked apricots (my idea). We ate supper, and then somehow all managed to get ready on time in our one little bathroom (very cozy) and drove to Fair Park for Fiddler on the Roof. Dan drove the wrong way on a one-way street, but then he managed to find free parking, so he was a hero once more.

Fiddler on the Roof was wonderful! The cast had a lot of energy, and the choreography somehow managed to look free-spirited and folk-ish without being chaotic. And Topol is every bit as cool in person as you think he's going to be. Dan's been trying to figure out the wiggly dance thing he does ever since, with little success. The only not-completely-wonderful thing about the evening is that, wouldn't you know, we just so happened to have seats right next to those of a homeschool family we know who once suggested an arranged marriage between me and one of their sons. Awwkwarrrd.

The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast of berries, yogurt sauce, toast, sausage, and tea (I tried to make Claire's inimitable oven pancakes, but they didn't rise. . . Claire, I need a tutorial!), we visited and looked at wedding pictures on facebook until 'twas time to leave for DFW

At the airport. . . not really sure why Dan is standing like that. . .

Thanks, M&D, for your Wonderful Idea, and for being willing to share the end of your honeymoon with us. We enjoyed being with you so much.

moo

Over the next few days I'll be posting some pictorial highlights of 2009 that never got posted at the time. And how better to begin this project than with an earnest 'Moo!'

These pictures are from Dress Like A Cow And Get A Free Entree Day at Chik-fil-a, in early June. I believe our costumes to be exemplary.

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