May 1

Two weeks ago tonight, Jennifer and I mentally circled this night as one we looked forward to in hopes that life would be feeling a bit more normal by now. Really, we'd been looking forward to the entire weekend, and it didn't disappoint. As of Friday afternoon, we were entering the weekend with no organized plans but for a few items to be checked off of the weekly to-do list. (these are my favorite kind of weekend by the way)

It was marked by 2 gorgeous Spring days here in NC. After the standard Saturday morning pancakes, Jacob, Jensen & I set out for some errands around 11 AM and we wouldn't see the inside of our house (but for some bathroom breaks) until 9:00 Saturday night! Lunch was outside, dinner was outside, smores, planting flowers, mowing grass, a dozen games of HORSE, PIG & COW, scooters, bikes, dolls and every other item in our garage that could come out and provide entertainment. It was a day that won't soon be forgotten.

The good times kept rolling today...after church, Jacob and I enjoyed a long bike ride with friends on a path that was new to Jacob while the ladies took in the Sound of Music. Jensen had shown interest in the movie one night when it was on television over the holidays (we caught her intently watching a scene after thinking she was in bed!) and Jennifer had said they'd watch it some time soon. So, as part of her birthday eve celebration, they watched it together for the first of what I suspect will be many viewings as it's high on Jennifer's list of all time favorites (right after Hoosiers).

The icing on the weekend's cake was the chance to ride in a 1968 Camaro that belongs to our neighbor across the street. Mike is considering a job transfer that will move him away and Jacob is once again enthralled in cars, particularly Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes etc. On most every nice Saturday afternoon, I can hear Mike fire up the Camaro and back it down his driveway before giving it a good roar out of the neighborhood. When I saw Mike this afternoon, I asked if he'd consider allowing Jacob to join him one Saturday in the future knowing it would be a thrill for Jacob and Mike might not have too many weekends left here in NC. Always looking for a good reason to give it a spin, Mike suggested this evening! When I told Jacob what Mr. Mike had agreed to do, he jumped up and said, "Now!!??". You see, Jacob has loved all things vehicle since about the 2nd day of his life! It's gone from puzzle pieces to match box cars to the movie "Cars" to NASCAR and now he fills up his time in the van looking through the classified ads that he picks up from the gym or grocery store. Before Mike was ready, Jacob must have been checking the clock every 5 minutes, "Daddy, when will it be 6:30?" I wish you could have heard the excitement in Jacob's voice as we pulled away and Mike shifted through the gears the first time (this is an old-school 350 horse-power engine that you hear from a half-mile away). Jacob was beyond giddy, frequently encouraging Mike to give it some more gas. Throughout our 20 minutes in the car, I would hear Jacob just giggling in the backseat as we pulled away from a red light and Mike hit 3rd gear. (I must admit it was thrilling for me as well!) Uncharacteristically, Jensen (often timid in these situations) also asked for a ride and Mike, kindly, obliged her wish as well. It was an experience none of us will soon forget.

Perhaps it's our experiences of the past 2 weeks or maybe it's the fact that we're sandwiched between March 2nd (Jacob's b-day) and May 2nd (Jensen's birthday), but Jennifer and I seem to grow nostalgic during birthday season. I guess we're reminded how quickly time flies by. (Plus, we have a finite amount of 75-degree, no humidity, bug-free days each year, so I hold onto these a bit longer.) Jacob is 6 now and Jensen is 4 (more on her tomorrow), but 6! Really! That means 1/3 our time with Jacob under this roof has already expired. 12 years to go...I mean I graduated from Taylor 12 years ago and still talk about it like it was yesterday. Shoot, most of my t-shirts are still from college. Jacob will be 18 in 12 years. What!!?? I don't want to be overly dramatic here but that just doesn't sound that far off when put in the context of my own life. I know there are plenty of games of HORSE still to come and he'll beat me someday (a long time from now) but this weekend's games just felt a little more special.