Today we’re leaing for a few days at the cottage in Wisconsin. Our first vacation in a long while, although I’m not entirely sure how relaxing it will feel. We’re giving it out best shot. Here’s a photo from a couple years ago and a slideshow from July 2008.

Art is alot older than Tsundi but they’re still good friends. I don’t know exactly how much older, probably about 30 hours older (!). They were born in the same hospital one day apart. In fact, I just found this photo of them we’ve never posted. Art was a day old (on the left), Tsundi was brand spanking new.

Tusndi was born at HCMC but spent the first few years of his life in India. He came back speaking only Tibetan which was initially a struggle to understand. Not for Art, though, they’ve always played together regardless of the ability to communicate. And now, after a year of kindergarten, Tsundi speaks fine English. Here are some photos from their long lives growing up as next door neighbors:

Jessica thinks this is one of the first times they played together after Tsundi returned from India.

Now Tsundi lives in Richfield but his extended family still lives next door. So he’s over lots and hopefully will be even more now that school’s out. Last week his parents invited Arthur to join them for a day at the lake. They left at 3 and the boys apparently played for hours and hours in the water. Jessica said he literally ‘melted’ into the door when he came home past his bedtime. Opened the door and collapsed. “We played for, like, TEN hours!” he moaned happily from the floor. Here are a couple photos from the lake courtesy of Tsundi’s parents:

My mom is in town for a month. A MONTH! It’s an absolute gift to have her around. For her company and for her mad baby sitting skills. Our pressure-cooker-of-a-house has depressurized a bit since her arrival. Jess and I may even have a date tonight. HOLY FRICKAMOLE!

There are two things that Adria loved more than anything else, Jessica and Emily. She had devotional and unconditional love for her daughters. As she said to me a few times, she was in ‘awe’ of them. I remember her joking that sometimes she couldn’t believe Emily and Jessica were actually her daughters. “How did that happen?” she’d say. Anyway, here are a couple photos of her with her favorite things.

These are the kinds of moments I remember from my childhood, quiet moments amid the bustle. Catching crawdads at Wilson Park, swimming at Lake Weddington, or just bumming around our house on a hot Arkansas afternoon. Childhood is so often about the space in between the doing.

This was Arthur three years ago buying a ball at Walgreens:

And Lewis last week:

We miss her so much. I really wish she was still here. She loved and respected our children in ways that empowered them, she was my best friend and she was Jessica’s dear mom. Our hearts still ache.

This photo continues to break my heart. Arther squeezed in next to her to chat after he learned she couldn’t get out of bed.

Lewis kissing Bubbe at the hospice.

Bubbe holding little Charlotte.

Netta (or Bailey?), attempted murder.