Nature walks and baby talks

It's been an eventful week here, full of fresh air and parks and nature explorations. Some highlights were:

- going to graduation parties. It only took Karis one such party experience to ask when we were ready to leave for the next one, "What are we gonna eat there,  momma?" One even had a bouncy house, which, combined with the crazy hot day made for one red-cheeked little girl. We escorted her to the basement when we got home to cool off.
- examining huge green caterpillars perched on a neighbors' bush . . . it'll be interesting to see if they remain there to cocoon
- seeing baby birds in their nests in another neighbors backyard
- discovering a mulberry bush down the street and picking the berries, singing "here we go round the mulberry bush"

Notice, not much is happening in OUR back yard. And that's okay, we enjoy the fruits in other places for sure. I can't imagine that Karis will EVER have a graduation party!

We had the joy of having our first midwife appointment yesterday. Trev got to join and we sat in awe at hearing this baby's heartbeat for the first time. Life is a miracle. A crazy thing happened in the waiting room: Trev stepped out to take a phone call, and shortly after this beautiful and very pregnant woman approached me and asked if my daughter's name is Karis. I was so taken aback and my mind was racing trying to think of where I might know her from. She explained that she saw my husband step out, and she recently met him and Karis at a nearby park. Well, once she told me her name (Maryama, a memorable name for sure) I was completely floored! Trevor and Karis have been talking about her and we've been praying for her at night, for her and her baby who is close to being born. It was so random and bizarre and wonderful to have that chance encounter. I hope we meet them again, I'm so curious and prayerful today about their baby (she was being induced yesterday). I appreciate how this big city can feel so small (like when I ran into a neighbor today at the grocery store - love it).

Not 2 hours after that appointment, I was at the park with Karis and started chatting with a mom . . . turns out her due date is just a few days later than mine. It was special to have those connections to make the day memorable.

To top off the day, last night Trevor and I went out to celebrate our 8 year wedding anniversary. We grabbed some hot food from Whole Foods and took it for a picnic at Lake of the Isles. We enjoyed sitting on our fluorescent beach towels and watching everyone else exercise while we ate. We did not go for a walk afterward, we instead packed up and went to YUM for decaf and cookies - a good night, hopefully memorable (we can't seem to remember from one year to next how we celebrated the previous year. We finally remembered that last year was Chipotle and Dairy Queen ice cream cake with my bro and his girlfriend - I know, we're so fancy, right?!). Tonight for the "actual anniversary" we're including Karis in a run to get some "Old McDonald's ice cream". Again, fancy. We might actually wear jeans instead of sweatpants, but that's yet to be determined. Anyways, I'm so thankful for the past 8 years of marriage with Trevor - you're the best, Trev. To top off the day, he even ran an errand to Target for just 3 things . . . while I sat in the car and closed my eyes. It was great. I wonder where we will be next year? Hopefully fondly remembering this one.