Without Compromise

Last Friday it all came together. After a few days of seizures and vomiting Claire was better and back to school. Chloe was happy to be spending time with me and the fresh caught crab was on sale. Suddenly, I felt the huge weight of life lift. As it worked out, Captain Awesome had to work late, which somehow translated in my mind that it was a good night for crab, brie and Champagne once he made it home. It felt really good to celebrate. It felt like November almost did me in a few times, the move, the holiday, the complications from Rett Syndrome. It was almost too much, almost. As we sat and enjoyed our feast we talked about the highs and lows of the month. Jared mentioned that the real great part in the story of the last 30 days was that we didn't compromise the process (hence why he is Captain Awesome). It's a line from the movie 180° SOUTH. It's a discussion about climbing a mountain without shortcuts and the line is something like: if you compromise the process you are an asshole when you start and an asshole when your done. So here are a few highlight from the process, I am grateful for the each of these as they contributed to getting through the times that weren't as pretty.

Claire enjoyed working on some new things at PT.

Chloe figured out how to cut the tops off of strawberries.

She also used a pen to put on her first eye makeup.

I got to enjoy a little of this.

and this...

and this.

I got to enjoy really fresh food. 

This turned into a lovely dinner.

Chloe surprised us with a card for our 13th anniversary, WITH OUR NAMES

I got to answer the question why it gets dark with awe inspiring help from God.

Single largest withdrawal from our account ever, to purchase our new place!

Claire walked into the front door after we got our keys!

Friends helped us get all of our stuff into the new space.

It was hard to motivate myself to unpack, I just wanted to sit and watch the birds in the trees.

A few times I escaped altogether and watched more of this.

Chloe helped to kill time at the doctors office.

I was so encouraged that Rick's did a great fundraiser for Katie's Clinic.

I even got in the spirit with my purple hair.

We took the kids to the motorcycle show.

After the show we had an impulse stop at IKEA.

I got special time with this cute face.

It was easy to have fun painting with this lovely lady.

Chloe worked on flying.

We watched the waves and laughed some more.

Claire loved the teeter-totter so much we stayed until the very last light.

We walked to the farmers market for lunch...

and ate it on the porch.

I avoided more things by sitting here.

Sleeping Beauty did a great job with the tree.

Claire spoke the word "perfect" while sitting here.

We ooed and ahhed at the pretty lights.

They killed more time at the doctors...

and had fun with it!

I finally got my kitchen all unpacked.

Then wrapped up the fun with more of this fun little girl.