And the next Pope will be . . .

I felt that funny "is this real" sensation as I walked into a local grocery store to order a cake today. Not just any cake, I ordered a cake for my almost-one-year-old-daughter's birthday. What? When did Karis get to be a year old?!?

You may ask why I ordered one (I don't recall ever having ordered a cake before! Well, I guess I kind of helped order one for my graduation and wedding). Because this cake is complementary (i.e. free), that's why! All the better for Karis to rip into it, right? We plan on having several small celebrations for her and we feel so blessed to have family coming to town both right before and then right after her actual birthday. Birthdays are a big deal, after all!

Well, back to the cake. I will admit that I love being out and about with Karis, and this outing was simply special and one that I'll always remember. Karis just loves sitting in shopping carts, so in she went and smiled the whole way back to the bakery. I kept telling her we were going to order her birthday cake, and I even got her a Caribou coffee to commemorate the celebration. Karis, being the generous girl she is, shared her decaf with me. Karis waved to & charmed anyone who looked her way, and I was ever the proud momma of this captivating little character. We ordered the cake (chocolate with chocolate frosting, in case you were wondering) and I wheeled the birthday girl out to the parking lot, where we met an especially friendly "mature" woman - she stopped us in the parking lot and as Karis waved and giggled, told me to enjoy her. I said that I enjoy her every single day. She told me that she has three grown boys, and that when they were little she "left everything and played." I told her that's what I'm trying to do.

Actually, her reminder was a good affirmation because I've been thinking about that idea lately as I look at all the evidence that I am "leaving it all to play": withering tomato plants, sadly uncreative meal repertoire, dirty floors, belated birthday cards, and on and on. To be honest, I feel really good about all those really slacking things - not all the time, of course, but increasingly more of the time - because really, isn't it more fun to roll on the floor and cuddle and read board books and stroll around the neighborhood? Yes, it's not only more fun, but it's infinitely more important. Yes, I realize my life is really, really, really good. I mean, ridiculously so.

We're loving the summer months and all they've held, including our first family-of-three vacation to Charlottesville, VA where Trev was best man in his best friend's wedding. We had a blast celebrating and being back in the state where we lived the first two years of our marriage. There's something powerful about witnessing a wedding, especially when your husband is at the front of the church in a tux - brought back many memories of reciting our own vows oh so many years ago. Well, not really that many, but still. Anyways, this wedding was uber classy, I felt fully fancy reveling in hor deurves and brunch and reception and dance at a country club in what felt like the middle of the blue ridge mountains. The bride and groom were the classiest part of the whole event and made the day a tastefully opulent occasion for all their guests. Trev, Karis and I enjoyed our Saturday evening with ice cream and a stroll around part of the UVA campus at sunset. Sigh, so beautiful. Can we go back?

Karis has had many adventures during her first year, it's exciting to think of what year number two will hold.

Speaking of Karis, if you'll excuse me now, I have some playing to get back to . . .

Karis with her best-man daddy