can't 'leaf' it alone!

the joy on these faces just about sums up what a pleasure it is to work hard together to accomplish a goal.....particularly with these precious ones!

life is 'grand'

 

So after getting the much-anticipated call from Brian that it was 'time'
to come to Tahlequah to care for Blake while he and Lara went to the
hospital to welcome baby brother, Luke, we set the alarm for 'early o'clock' (as if leaving on
an exciting 'road trip') and turned onto Briar Lane just after 7 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7.
Blake's initial suspicion, after waving 'good-bye' as Dad and Mom left, dissipated once we gave him the bouncy ball that lights up and flashes.  With advances in technology being what they are, the phrase "greatest thing since...." will soon precede "bouncy ball that lights up and flashes" rather than "sliced bread".

We also took with us the tiny foot-propelled trike that we keep here for the 'littles'.  Recently,
when Cora was here, she asked where 'her' trike was and we told her it was in the car so that we'd have it when we went to Tahlequah for Blake to play with while Luke was being born.  She smiled and said, "I share."  Nearly melted us, that girl!  So after the cloudy day warmed a bit, we let Blake explore the neighborhood.  That boy got up a 'head 'o steam' in the straightaways, for sure.

Later we played in the backyard for awhile till even he acknowledged that it was
getting too cool.  Daddy's shoes were handy and he stepped into them with ease and assurance.  Kind of a wonderful metaphor about leaning into and following his amazing
daddy as he grows into boyhood and manhood.  Will have to think on that, though, for the words and detail to come......heart's too full of emotion now.....just watching him move with such ease in those big shoes let us know this was a comfortable, safe place in which to move and breathe.

Brian kept us posted with frequent texts as their progress in labor at Tahlequah City Hospital moved along. (Looks like I got this smart phone and text plan in the nick of time, huh?)  The final text of the evening was from Lara, though, and it read, "9:47!", and sweet Luke Baine Searcy had arrived.

Happy (and exhausted) Mommy, Luke, and Daddy!
#fullofgratitude

The next morning started out pretty cool, so after breakfast and before a brisk walk in the neighborhood, Blake and Pop had some good discussions about the 'Planet Earth' segment they were enjoying together.
 

Just before lunch time, while Joy (Blake's sweet while-mommy-and-daddy-are-at-work caregiver) looked after him, we were able to go to the hospital to meet and hold precious Luke and see his daddy and mommy.  No words.



During that day, along with block building, ball bouncing, trike riding, eating, reading, and his exploring the contents of various cupboards and drawers, there was plenty of time for drawing lessons and fort building!

Tuesday morning was full of excitement all around, knowing that Daddy, Mommy and Luke
were coming home.  We still started out plenty lazy, though, enjoying the 'bedhead' Blake was sporting (which was the creative result of Pop's playfulness with his post-bath coiffure that night before), breakfast on the couch, another long stroller-walk through the neighborhood (so spoiled by their neighborhood with sidewalks!) and welcoming his big-helperness with some loads of laundry before lunch!



He was captivated, throughout our time there with what seems to be a favorite show: Super Why.  (We still find ourselves humming its theme song:))  And he took great joy, it seemed, in giving Pop (another 'techy') a tour on his Tabby (tablet).

Blake, little buddy, we thoroughly enjoyed our time with you and oh, do you have an adventure ahead of you.  Being a big brother is an important responsibility and soon, before you know it, little bro, Luke, will be stepping into YOUR shoes, watching and emulating everything you do.  And you can say to him, just like's been said to you, "C'mon, buddy, Daddy knows the way home."

Living a life of gratitude

Spending Thanksgiving (and the rest of our treasured ordinary lives) with these precious ones is just ONE of the many things for which we are thankful.

Our 'culinary' cutie

Cora spent the morning with us
on the day before our family
Thanksgiving gathering which
was on Saturday, Nov. 8.  Doing
the day-ahead preparation with
her has 'ruined' us for doing it
any other way!

She was so focused and intense on every task.

Can you tell she was proud of her creation?

Checkin' on the turkey with Pop.

The Natural State

Yep, that's what Arkansas calls itself.....The Natural State....and we
frequently count among our blessings that we can get there so easily.  A 3 hour drive on a Sunday morning (Nov. 2) landed us at Mt. Magazine, the highest elevation in the state, just in time to join a guided hike, lead by a park ranger.
The 12 of us on the hike were well-prepared with stocking caps and gloves as the wind and 'real feel' temps kept it in the 20's.  The brilliant sunshine featured all the trees and plants that Don (the park ranger) educated us on and his dry wit was the perfect accompaniment to this good,
mountaintop hike.  We even got to taste berries (y' know you're not supposed to do that in the wild) because this guy 'knew his stuff' along the trail.   After our hike we enjoyed a splendiferous meal at the Mt. Magazine lodge....when you walk in and smell BRISKET do you even need to look at the menu.....really?  So good!

The next morning we arrived at our
destination for the week: Mather Lodge at Petit Jean State Park.  This lodge was built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corp and has recently undergone a renovation to
update the facilities and yet preserve much of the natural design. Our room wasn't ready yet and the day was sunny and warming so we set out on the Seven Hollows Trail (infamous in our family history as being called 'the death march' when we set out ill-prepared for this 5 hour 'moderate-to-difficult' hike with Laura, Allyson, and Brian in 1989).  We thoroughly enjoyed the hike, the ups and downs of it, the beautiful displays of color, crossing a stream and

climbing over Turtle Rocks.  We
stopped at the Grotto to have our snack about 2 1/2 hours in.

Reminded us of a 'Colorado sky'

You've been in situations like this:
the pictures just don't do it justice, right?

There were several cave openings to explore which all narrowed to 'crawl spaces' very
quickly.

We started out in coats and quickly
began to shed layers.

the next two days wee drizzly and
rainy, so we enjoyed the lodge and short
walks, wearing our ponchos.

The Great Rooms at the lodge, with their
pinion wood-stocked fireplaces and comfy chairs
were great places to read, talk and be inspired
by someone else's efforts on a jigsaw puzzle.  I
was so inspired by this one that I started one
of my own.



The tiered flagstone patio at the lodge was
the perfect place to watch the sunset (the first
night) and watch the clouds move through the
valley the next two evenings.

When the rain stopped, late in the afternoon
on Wednesday, we headed out for a 90 minute
hike on Cedar Creek Trail, taking care to gauge
our time so that we'd be back to the lodge
before sunset.

This is an amazing place, and one of our favorites, to enjoy the beauty that Arkansas
has to offer.  And the history contains a love story, so that's also an intriguing part of the
attraction.

http://www.petitjeanstatepark.com/


We will return!

some 'little man' time in tahlequah

We enjoyed our 'staycation' with our Tahlequah 'Cookie Monster' (a.k.a. Blakers, 'almost-big-brother', Blake) this past weekend so much!  This time gave us some 24/7 bonding opportunities and gave daddy and mommy some time in the Tablerock Lake area to commemorate their 10th wedding anniversary and a bit of a 'babymoon', to boot!  Happy Anniversary, precious ones!

We took with us (and assembled there) an early birthday present for sweet Blake.....a sand/water table for the backyard.  He was fascinated from the 'get go'!  Because sandboxes are so much a part of his 'Pop's' heart it was fun for both of them, trying out all the sand toys.

We enjoyed a nice walk to the school / playground near Blake's home & you could tell he was familiar with all the equipment... man, is he FAST!

Between breaks in the rain, we got our exercise by blowing and chasing bubbles.  We enjoyed watching 'Up' and 'Despicable Me' on auto replay.....

There's nothing more fun than dumping the entire tub of blocks (over and over again).... then knocking down the towers that Noni's built!  He's amazingly good about putting the blocks back in the tub, too!  Wonderful time with our boy!



 

our little sacajawea

Our sweet 'grand', Kady Grace, as Sacajawea in the
Second Grade Penny Museum at Wolf Creek Elementary.