Bluffton University homecoming parade

Jonathan riding with our neighbor, Sara Chappell-Dick

Surprise connections

Our decision to move here was influenced partly by the connections we had here that we knew we would enjoy...friends from our Markham days, friends from our Chicago days, and a friend's extended family. And then there are little surprise connections that we are still discovering, like...

We live across the street from Jon's mom's college roommate and dear friend.
Seth's Sunday School teacher is a dear woman we visited in Japan when I was in 8th grade.
Seth's piano teacher is my third cousin.
The house we hope to buy belongs to the dad of the guy we rented Jon's dad's house to in Newton.

We are so grateful to be a part of a web of relationships that goes back since before we were born.

COSI science museum in Toledo

We had a fun day, riding a bike on a high wire, watching a loud demonstration on combustion, creating funny faces, walking in a slanted house, giving babies shots, making discs spin, getting soaked playing with water and pipes. (Click on a photo to enlarge it.)

Things Theo communicated with sign language (and a few words) this week

There is Bobbie's house. Bobbie is sleeping (house was dark). Let's go pick raspberries in her back yard.

There is where Dada works.

Mama, play that game where you try to eat the food off my spoon, I eat it, and then you cry!

Isaac, take me outside to look for fire trucks.

Seth is at school.

Keep singing and patting my back while I'm trying to go to sleep.

There is Oma's car.

Mama, go outside with me and mow the lawn. (not now) OK, Dada, go outside with me and mow the lawn.

Things I'm loving in Bluffton...

There are many things I'm loving about living here. These are the first things that came to mind...

People walking past and stopping for a while to chat

Weekly community meal with friends

Weekly frisbee that is fun even for women and people who don’t run so fast anymore

New Zealand friend who became a feminist at 14

Friend who taught me a beautiful song that Patty Shelly wrote when she was 18

Friend who invited me to start a new business with her

Walking and biking everywhere

$3 movie theater

Watching soccer games

The raspberries growing in the garden (that our landlord planted)

The swiss chard that Bobby lets us pick from her garden

Playing, watching the rain, and reading on our front porch

Lots of people who Theo is comfortable staying with

The large Saturday Farmer’s Market

When the house is too quiet...

Birthday presents

For my birthday (back in August), Isaac and Seth each made presents for me. Seth created a birthday party scene out of sculpey clay, and Isaac collected berries from our back yard, mashed them into a walnut shell, and gave me a paint set.