Mr. Lucky...

It's Sunday, so you know what THAT means!!!

It means I'm about to unleash an obnoxious amount of photos for your viewing pleasure!!  As a matter of fact, I'm so nice that I'll skip a lot of boring words tonight and show mostly pictures.  You're welcome.

Here is the picture story of our exciting weekend:

I rearranged the playroom!  Woo Hoo!  I should have posted the "before" but I'm not that clever these days.  Here's a tour of the "after."  Use your imagination - and please pretend the "before" was AWFUL so this "after" will then look AHHHmazing.  Thanks.

Hope has her own fenced in area (mainly to make sure she doesn't swallow a lego - my biggest fear).  We're calling it "Romper Room."  The gates are "Friendly Toys Little Playzone" and I got them on Amazon, before you ask.

Here's Hope checking it out:

Brian loved the new room and the special corners.  Like the secret book corner...

...and his toy area.

Friday night was Brian's swim lesson.  He made major improvements in just a week.  He was able to float/swim on his back the entire length of the pool by himself.  My niece, Julia, came to watch and visit with us!  She will soon be leaving for a semester in Peru with Tulane!  I'm telling you - one day you're going to read about this young woman.  She's out to change the world.

After the swim lesson, we sat outside and talked while Brian climbed a tree next to us!

Saturday afternoon we went to the Kimberton Fair (a yearly fair near our home to raise money for the local Fire Department).  Brian had SO much fun!  Ed and I did, too.  And I was in Heaven.  Two words:  Funnel Cake.

Brian and I had a blast on the swings!

So much so, we rode them twice!

We rode the merry go round together!

Brian and Ed conquered the giant slide!

Brian conquered the rope ladder and made it SO close to the top every time, but never could touch the red button to win a GIANT (GIGANTIC - and dirty) stuffed animal.  I was so sad (not).

But make no mistake.  Mr. Lucky still managed to come home with gems like this huge blow up hammer with money printed all over it...

...along with six other stuffed animals and a real goldfish.

At this point we have two choices.  We can start our own carnival.  We have enough dirty stuffed animals and crappy plastic toys to give out as prizes for a year.  OR we can move to a bigger house so we have room for all this junk.

A good time was had by all... and Brian named his new fish "Cutie Pie."

We also celebrated Hope's 34th Saturday with us!!  Thank you to Granny for this adorable and pretty dress.  Hope is such a happy girl and her personality is showing more and more every day.  Lately she loves the attention she gets when she SHRIEKS!  Here are this weeks photos...

And finally, here is your tip of the day.

If your baby goes a day without going "number 2" and the next day you plan to be out for several hours not that close to home... don't forget to check your diaper bag to make sure you have your "emergency outfit" in there.  Wait - what I mean is check for the "emergency outfit" for the baby.  Wait - what I mean is check for the "emergency outfit" for the baby... and an "emergency outfit" for your husband... and a SECOND "emergency outfit" for the baby after the first "emergency outfit" becomes useless... and don't forget to have trash bags and extra wipes and maybe even a bag to vomit in all in your trunk.  And then make sure you bring new pants for you because you'll find yourself peeing the pants you're wearing because you're laughing so hard as you're rummaging (twice) through a bag in your trunk that was intended for Goodwill (thank God it was there) and you end up putting this crazy "Tinkerbell-looking" outfit on your baby in a parking lot. 

So the tip of the day is this:  if your baby goes a day without pooping, STAY HOME until he/she does.  No charge for the tip - it's on me.  (No, literally - it really was on me.  And Ed.  And the carseat.  And the trunk.)

But a good time was had by all in the bathtub once we got home...

...and all was forgiven.

The end!

Hope Anchors The Soul...

Dear Aunt Kate, the letter began...

The day we talked on the phone, I went to work and as I was unlocking my bike to leave, God really directed my eyes straight to this item in the store window.

I told my roommate to hold on - that I needed to go put this on hold for my Aunt.  I only had with me the three dollars I made in tips.  I believe God lined it all up again when my roommate offered to lend me the money and had with her exactly how much it cost.

I was holding it so proudly and almost crying as I was paying for it.  Then I really had tears in my eyes to hold back when the man at the store told me the plank was wood from Hurricane Sandy.

It helped me think about the beauty of how from devastation, Hope can come soaring in and "anchor the soul."  I saw the imagery of a soul floating out to sea after the destruction of a hurricane, or for the metaphor - loss of a child - but hope anchors the soul back ashore when there's not much else that could have done that.

It is such a miracle that you are pregnant - I am just so amazed, it's hard to find words.  Since you talk about Gavin loving the shore so much, I know he helped me find this plan of wood from Hurricane Sandy and the beauty of this message in Stone Harbor.  I'm always praying for you, Aunt Kate... and Brian, Uncle Ed and Gavin.

With so much love,

Julia.

I have the most incredible family - and each of my 17 nieces and nephews are thoughtful, compassionate and kind.  This gift - and this letter (shared with permission!) - means so much to me. Honestly, I am not sure which I love more... the plank or the letter.  I do know I will treasure them both forever.  Julia has so many qualities that my Dad had - a deepness that belies her years... an incredible, almost poetic, letter writer... and a strong faith.

Today we were excited to meet up with Julia at her summer job in Stone Harbor!

She made delicious smoothies for us - a first for Brian AND Granny!  

Then she walked with us around town as we meandered in and out of shops.  I bought some cute things for Hope.  Ed and I have a tradition of sorts - every time I've been pregnant we have bought the baby things from Stone Harbor.  Many of the boys "guys" as we call them are from here.  They are little blankies with animal heads made by Angel Dear.  We are obsessed with them and the boys have quite a collection.  Brian still sleeps with ALL of his.  Today we got Hope the first three of her collection!  The Pink Owl, The Striped Zebra and the Bunny.  Brian got a kick out of seeing "girl guys" for his little sister!

Before we met up with Julia, we spent most of the day at the Cape May County Zoo (my favorite zoo ever).  

It was a gorgeous day.  One of the things I love about this zoo is it's mostly shaded and has beautiful boardwalk like walking paths through the exhibits.  It's hard to believe that this zoo is FREE and only accepts donations!!

Brian had a great time.  He got to feed some goats...

 ...and see some Giraffes from the perfect Giraffe height!  On Daddy's shoulders!  

And he loved checking out Mommy's favorite, the Zebras, with cool binoculars.

Another great day "down the shore" as us Philly folk say.

On This Day...

On this day last year, 11/11/11, my Dad was laid to rest.  Ironically, it was Veteran's Day - a most fitting day to pay respects to this retired Navy Captain.  I wrote a personal eulogy, which I only shared here.

On this day this year, everyone in our family received an email from my niece, Julia.  Julia is an extraordinary woman - and my Dad loved her dearly.  Actually, they have a lot in common.  (Like their writing talent!!)  She just started her first year at Tulane University in New Orleans and we're all so proud of her.

But this email.  It rendered me speechless.  Yes, me.  The email was so beautiful that, with her permission, I have to share it with the world.

*******************

Reflections on Keeping Faith

~ Julia 2012

            In the spring of senior year we received an assignment in my government class to write an eight-page paper on the United States president that we picked out of a hat.  My luck is normally slim in randomly choosing things, so I had low hopes for picking a president that could inspire eight pages from me.  Even though I didn’t know much about him at the moment that I unfolded my little square of paper, I was pleased to have chosen our 39^th president Jimmy Carter, simply because he was fairly modern.  By the end of the paper I found myself referring to Mr. Carter as my man Jimmy.  Many of the documents I read seemed to indicate that President Carter had a weak legacy, and maybe I still am just too young and full of idealism, but I felt that Jimmy Carter had strong and admirable intentions in all of his actions even if they didn’t always produce positive results.  Carter’s attitude and spirit is what stuck out to me, I was able to see past the failed attempts at rescuing the Iranian hostages or earning another term and admire his intentions.  I believe that is the legacy our president of the Gallagher family, Pop, left after his term too.  There is no doubt that his actions are honored and remembered but in the past year I am sure what we have held with us is a positive spirit, a self challenge of overcoming adversity, a quiet whisper of ‘keep the faith’ in a tough moment. 

In thinking back, Pop and I probably talked about Jimmy Carter before.  Especially since I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, the Carters were strong advocates for the organization, so I’m sure I couldn’t have escaped a joke comparing myself to Rosalynn Carter.  With my new knowledge and respect for Jimmy Carter, I would love to have that conversation again, and hear what Pop’s thoughts were on Carter.  Pop stayed on my mind through writing this paper last May as I noticed several similarities between him and President Carter.  The most apparent and fundamental likeness was service in the Navy.  Another similarity was a less than glamorous childhood marked by challenges and hard work.  Finally, the crossover that excited me most was when I came across one of Jimmy Carter’s memoirs called Keeping Faith.

As we all probably have for almost everyday of the past year, I’ve thought about Pop more especially in the beginning of my college journey.  When I flew home during Hurricane Isaac I felt ‘touched by an angel’ by the passenger next to me. It was an older man just a little younger than Pop, with glasses just like Pop’s, reading a strategy book on card games, and later pulling out a kindle. Just that was enough for me to feel that Pop was ‘with me’ through this bustling hurricane evacuation as well as through my new college experience in general.  I nearly cried when we started talking and I learned that he, as well as his oldest son, was in the Navy. My beliefs of heaven and faith have only been strengthened in the wake of Pop’s death.

Once I was back on campus, it wasn’t before long that I found myself, pretending to know where I was going, in the stacks of the library searching for Jimmy Carter’s memoir.  Finally I found the dark blue, fabric bound book, with a simple, Keeping Faith Jimmy Carter, etched on the bind in gold.  I renewed it twice and tried to get through as much as I could, but it turns out diligent leisure reading is not genetic.  From what I did read, I reflect.  Keeping faith involves risk.  Maybe this in an attribute learned in the armed services, that Jimmy and Pop both had it alike, but I think risk and faith come together for courage in action.  Another theme I came across in Keeping Faith was Jimmy Carter’s reflections on being sure that he and our nation were practicing what we were preaching to other nations.  This lesson is found in the Bible and from those of strong morals and values that we cannot criticize others for something we ourselves are committing.  Finally a large portion of the memoir was about human rights.  This was a great reminder to me of the connection between my faith, what that means to me, and the commitment to upholding the rights of all people. The two are interlinked and cannot be extracted from one another.

Keeping faith molds itself to each situation, joy or struggle, in my life.  Sometimes it means hope, sometimes it means remembering the beliefs of the actual faith or religion I practice, and in the past year sometimes it just means ‘hey pop!’  Faith has challenged and confused me, but I will always keep it close.