A Great Day in L.A.

As you read this title you may be thinking to yourself, "The Orr's back in California?"  No Los Angeles for us...now we are talking L.A. as in Lower Alabama.  I am not going to lie, most Saturdays I wake up and wonder, "What the heck are we going to do to day?"  By Saturday I am looking for a change from Jake and my "normal" routine, but it easier said then done.  By nine it is usually too hot and humid to go outside, it can even be too much to go swimming and who knew that was possible?  The beach is beautiful, but the 3 to 4 hour round trip is not something we can do every week.  And since we have a toddler, staying inside watching reruns of NCIS or Criminal Minds is also out of the question.  Needless to say, our whole family (especially Arthur) were excited when the Kimber's invited us to a place they call Shark Tooth Creek.

As far as I know, this place is not on any map and although it is only 45 minutes from our house there is no way I could find it again.  I think its seclusion is part of it magic.  It was like entering a tropical paradise as we made our way down the hillside to the base of small waterfall that feeds the cool clear creek.  The sound of falling water and the canopy of branches and vines protecting us from the Alabama heat made a beautiful backdrop for a morning of "excavating" and memory making.  A big thank you to the Kimber's for sharing your special spot with us, we had a great time!

A perfect 2 year old hike to the waterfall

Making our way down stream

Katie showing Jake one of the fossilized shark teeth that she found.  She's a teacher (can't you tell?) and one of Jake's (and our) favorite people out here.  

Jake walking back with the boys.  We love spending time with the Kimber's, and it makes it so much better that they love Jacob.

Jake playing in the water downstream.  It is moments like this, when the independent little boy he is becoming is so apparent, that I hold my breath and wait to become melancholy or nostalgic about the baby he use to be.  But I don't.  Instead I am just happy and excited as I watch him learn and grow.

As if stomping around in water and finding fossilized shark teeth wasn't enough, that was not the end to our awesome day.  After hamburgers and naps, we were off for an evening of extreme bowling with our best friends here, the Kimber's (they hadn't had enough of us) and the Moody's.  It was Jake's first time bowling and my first time in nearly 10 years.  But even with our lack of experience, we had a great time.  Arthur even helped me improve my game.  On my second game I scored a 98.  That may not sound like much, but after a game of gutter balls, I was pretty excited.

Jake's independent self was in full force.  After Arthur showed him what to do one time, Jake wanted no further assistance from either of us.  He would go pick up his ball and carry it over to the dragon slide.  After pushing is down the dragon, he would stand at the end of his lane and yell, "Go! Go! Go!" as his ball rolled toward the pins.  The best part was that it didn't matter to him whether he hit one pin or all 10.  He was just enjoying the experience.

When he it wasn't his turn, he would lean against the beam next to our lane as Talen, Michelle and Sean's son went.  He also enjoyed sliding around and dancing to the 90's music in his sweet bowling shoes.  He had some pretty awesome moves in those shoes.

As for me, I was just grateful for a fun family night out and that we got through the evening without Jake dropping one of the heavy bowling balls he kept trying to pick up onto his foot.  Simple blessings right?

All in all it was a great weekend and for old times sake I feel like I should ask, "So, what's next?"

Fabulous Fourth! Family, Friends and Freedom

I had never realized what a holiday of traditions the 4th of July is for people.  Talking with all our new friends here, each of them had a unique tradition "back at home" that they were sad to be missing.  While we do not do the exact same thing every year, Arthur and I are not completely excluded from this.  Since we started dating we have spent at least part of the holiday in Tahoe.  While I know we both missed the family and friends we see when we are there, not to mention the incredible Tahoe weather, we were both excited to start some new family traditions that we can move with us and share with our children wherever the years take us.

Tradition #1: Jake and Daddy buying and setting off fireworks together.  This will obviously be effected by where we live and what is legal, but both of them had too much fun to not do whenever possible.  Jake liked the dragon snaps the best.
Note 1: Everything is legal here
Note 2: Fire works have a way of turning grown men into 8 year old boys while making Mommies very nervous and jumpy (I did make Arthur promise that everyone would end the evening with all the limbs and digits they started it with).

Tradition #2: Mommy taking lots of pictures of Jake (and future children) in cute red, white, and blue outfits doing what I like to call "All American" activities.

Tradition #3: Freedom Fest (the post sponsored celebration)

Since Ft Rucker is the home of Army Aviation, helicopters were brought out for public enjoyment.  Jake thought is was a really great idea.

The old fashion firetruck was also a big hit...

for both my boys.

Tradition #4: Spending time as a family surrounded by good friends, food, and fireworks to celebrate our freedom.  Now we understand first hand that freedom really isn't free.  

However, the Independence Day tradition that I want to pass along above anything else is love for their country, gratitude to the men and women who sacrifice to keep us free, and pride for their father who is now among them.  

Reflecting on the day I can say that there was something extra special about the Fourth for me this year.  I have always been a very patriotic person, but celebrating on Army post surrounded by other soldiers and their families magnified the feelings of pride and gratitude I have for the men and women who have sacrificed so much to keep this country free.  Throughout the evening there was a feeling in the air, one I have never felt at a 4th of July event, and you could just feel that you were surrounded by proud Americans.  These people were not just here for the food or the fireworks, they were here to celebrate this amazing country that we live in.  The live music was great, the speeches where moving, and sitting on our blanket with our friend I couldn't help but realize that Independence Day will never be the same for any of us again.

Here is a poem that was read that night.  I thought it was beautiful and was worth sharing:

It is the Soldier, not the minister

Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet

Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer

Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer

Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician

Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,

Who serves beneath the flag,

And whose coffin is draped by the flag,

Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

Charles Michael Province, U.S. Army