something good

I went home last weekend to Kentucky. We had such a great time with a lot of the McDaris family. Some might call me a homebody, as this move to South Carolina was never an easy thing for me. However, I am glad to call SC my second home. :) And gladly so, as it is a wonderful place full of wonderful people. However, nothing compares to the farm I grew up on, if you ask me. I often tell Brent that I am like the big tree in my parents' front yard: deeply rooted.

So after being there this weekend, the muse descended, and I felt compelled to write a little verse. It's nothing impressive, just how I feel. It is my hope, though, that every person finds a place that gives them such peace and rest.

I went home today

with tears in my eyes.

No sadness.

Tears of a happy reunion

with the place my soul comes from.

Over the fields I hear

the river's voice singing a sweet melody,

the story of so many

who loved this place before me.

These hills were trod
by my grandpa's boots
and his grandpa and his grandpa before him.

The same walls of this house
hear my songs
and the ones my great-grandmother used to sing.
How many secrets does it have?

Argument and embrace,
Summers and winters,
Birth and death.
This place, a silent witness of it all.

And I can't help but realize
when I'm standing there,
overcome,
that God has been good to me.

Photos are up!

The entire album of Anne-Kelly's photo shoot is up! Check it out here. Just a word of warning: there are some pics of me nursing Anne-Kelly. They are so gorgeous and are done very discreetly (read: you can't see anything!), but if you find that off-putting, then don't click "View All" or "Nursing" under Folders. Just click the album called "Favorites" or "Other."

Photos are available for purchase through the site. That's all! Enjoy!!!!

Like father, like daughter.

I entitled this post, "Like father, like daughter" for the simple fact that Anne-Kelly learned to climb in the last day or two. Brent loves rock-climbing now as an adult, but the stories are many about Brent's climbs up various things as a child. Anne-Kelly's favorite thing to climb is stairs. She figured out how to climb just a few stairs from the sunken den at her Papa Tom's house, but has since graduated to trying to climb our stairs here in our living room. It's time to invest in a baby gate, people.

I'm sort of from the school of thought, however, that I don't want to completely babyproof my house because then she won't learn not to do things. Does that make sense? If you just barricade the stairs, how will she ever learn that she's not supposed to go up them when they are no longer barricaded? There are two ways of thinking about babyproofing, I've heard. Anyway, I think we are definitely getting a baby gate, but we aren't going overboard with all the other gadgets. For example, I only have one cabinet latch, and it is for the cabinet under the sink that has cleaning products in it. The rest of them have stuff in them like pots and pans and tupperware, which is Anne-Kelly's favorite. She drags it all out and has a grand time doing it.

Anyway, looks like this post has gone about as far as it can go. Anne-Kelly is crying and needs her mommy.

A quick update, however. This Thursday we are leaving to go to my parent's farm in Kentucky for the weekend. Joining us will be Brent's mom and brother, his McDaris grandparents (Gary's parents), Aunt Whitney and the kids, and my grandmothers. Possibly my brother too, I'm hoping. We should have a great time, I hope. Or we might drive each other nuts! We'll see. Just kidding about the nuts part, haha. Hope you're having a nice week!