Phew. We have five birthdays in six weeks in the Kennedy Klan now. Hannie (September 15), John (September 18), Glo (October 2), Rebecca (October 3), and Baby (October 27). That's a LOT, but I don't mind. It means we basically have a free pass to do anything fun for six weeks. Oh wait, I do believe John bought us an annual pass years ago...
Glo honestly wants nothing more than movies, books, and traveling for her birthday. DONE!
We had a date at ArtPrize again. We dipped our toe in the Grand Rapids pool last year, and we could hardly wait another year to go swimming! Thankfully, Rebecca and Mark and Baby were happy to join us. I wish that some year we could have more than a day to catch everything, but I'll take what I can get.
We got there early enough, checked into the clubhouse, picked up our swag, and headed out. We tried to see the 20 final finishers and pick our favorites, but in taking in everything (including a delicious lunch at HopCat), we just couldn't get to them all. Turns out, we missed the eventual winner of the entire competition, but no worries. We saw some painted rocks :-) (sorry, inside joke)
It was a rainy day, thanks to Hurricane Matthew. We weren't really prepared, but no worries. It was fun to see art on the streets and inside churches, and galleries, and restaurants, and hotels. The whole of Grand Rapids really does embrace the competition.
I didn't many pictures of any of the artwork. I find that it's so hard to capture something so beautiful with a cell phone. However, it's really amazing what things people can create in their minds and then create with their hands.
While we were walking around Grand Rapids, I got a phone call, and miracle of miracles, it was Johannah! I could hardly believe it. My girl was calling me! ;-)
I could hardly make out what she was saying, but it stopped me in my tracks. Her mission call was here! Yes, the envelope was actually in her hands, ready to be opened. We set up a time for later that night to open it.
Mark had a rehearsal that evening, so we raced home. While he was rehearsing, we ate Panera.
We then opened Hannie's mission call, but that deserves its own post, so more about that later.
We also took Baby swimming in the hotel pool that night! This is a rather big event each time we do it, because Baby isn't quite sure that she likes swimming all that much. However, with some coaxing and some patience, she was comfortable after only a short while.
Glo, being the birthday girl, decided that we would play Blind Man's Bluff in the pool, a new Kennedy favorite. However, seeing that my boys have albatross wings for arms, I'll have to remember to bring a ball next time so that we can go back to our childhood favorite, "Animals".
The next day was a joy. And let me stop this plot line/slide show train for a moment, and wax rhapsodic.
I have never felt comfortable around women for obvious reasons. I have some traumatic childhood memories from trying to be a woman around women, but never getting it right. I wanted to take Rebecca shopping for Baby for new clothes, but don't think it didn't terrify me. And better yet, Allison asked if she could tag along.
I psyched myself up, ready to put on the performer face, knowing that I would be emotionally exhausted at the end of it all. But you know what? It was a perfectly delightful morning. In fact, it was one of the first times that I felt genuinely comfortable, doing things that I normally prefer to do alone. And I felt immensely grateful for these lovely women that my boys have chosen. Here I am, the older and "wiser" one, learning from women half my age how to be exactly that, a woman. Or maybe it's not that at all. Maybe I've just finally found some women who take me for who I am instead of expecting me to be something else (and when I don't measure up, don't want to be with me anymore...or invite me anywhere). These ladies are strong, intelligent, goal-oriented women who know what they want. What a blessing for me.
And we got some perfectly delightful pictures of Baby.
We, of course, took many more than these, but I love these so. And the best thing? She will have such good examples in her life of great women who will help her feel good about being herself. Another blessing.
That night, we had big plans. HALLOWEEKENDS at CEDAR POINT! Oh goodness, we look forward to this all year, and I do believe Glo might have been more excited for this than even for ArtPrize.
We made it to almost every haunted house, and even got on a few coasters. I could hardly believe it when Rebecca told us that she had never been to Cedar Point before. Hmmmm, I guess we'll have to go back again :-)
Glo honestly wants nothing more than movies, books, and traveling for her birthday. DONE!
We had a date at ArtPrize again. We dipped our toe in the Grand Rapids pool last year, and we could hardly wait another year to go swimming! Thankfully, Rebecca and Mark and Baby were happy to join us. I wish that some year we could have more than a day to catch everything, but I'll take what I can get.
We got there early enough, checked into the clubhouse, picked up our swag, and headed out. We tried to see the 20 final finishers and pick our favorites, but in taking in everything (including a delicious lunch at HopCat), we just couldn't get to them all. Turns out, we missed the eventual winner of the entire competition, but no worries. We saw some painted rocks :-) (sorry, inside joke)It was a rainy day, thanks to Hurricane Matthew. We weren't really prepared, but no worries. It was fun to see art on the streets and inside churches, and galleries, and restaurants, and hotels. The whole of Grand Rapids really does embrace the competition.
 |
| Yes, this is an actual piece of art. You put in 50 cents and got a plastic egg full of some goodie. While it obviously didn't make the final list, it was a fun moment of anyone and everyone who had two quarters. |
While we were walking around Grand Rapids, I got a phone call, and miracle of miracles, it was Johannah! I could hardly believe it. My girl was calling me! ;-)
I could hardly make out what she was saying, but it stopped me in my tracks. Her mission call was here! Yes, the envelope was actually in her hands, ready to be opened. We set up a time for later that night to open it.
Mark had a rehearsal that evening, so we raced home. While he was rehearsing, we ate Panera.
We then opened Hannie's mission call, but that deserves its own post, so more about that later.
We also took Baby swimming in the hotel pool that night! This is a rather big event each time we do it, because Baby isn't quite sure that she likes swimming all that much. However, with some coaxing and some patience, she was comfortable after only a short while.
Glo, being the birthday girl, decided that we would play Blind Man's Bluff in the pool, a new Kennedy favorite. However, seeing that my boys have albatross wings for arms, I'll have to remember to bring a ball next time so that we can go back to our childhood favorite, "Animals".
The next day was a joy. And let me stop this plot line/slide show train for a moment, and wax rhapsodic.
I have never felt comfortable around women for obvious reasons. I have some traumatic childhood memories from trying to be a woman around women, but never getting it right. I wanted to take Rebecca shopping for Baby for new clothes, but don't think it didn't terrify me. And better yet, Allison asked if she could tag along.
I psyched myself up, ready to put on the performer face, knowing that I would be emotionally exhausted at the end of it all. But you know what? It was a perfectly delightful morning. In fact, it was one of the first times that I felt genuinely comfortable, doing things that I normally prefer to do alone. And I felt immensely grateful for these lovely women that my boys have chosen. Here I am, the older and "wiser" one, learning from women half my age how to be exactly that, a woman. Or maybe it's not that at all. Maybe I've just finally found some women who take me for who I am instead of expecting me to be something else (and when I don't measure up, don't want to be with me anymore...or invite me anywhere). These ladies are strong, intelligent, goal-oriented women who know what they want. What a blessing for me.
And we got some perfectly delightful pictures of Baby.
We, of course, took many more than these, but I love these so. And the best thing? She will have such good examples in her life of great women who will help her feel good about being herself. Another blessing.
That night, we had big plans. HALLOWEEKENDS at CEDAR POINT! Oh goodness, we look forward to this all year, and I do believe Glo might have been more excited for this than even for ArtPrize.
We made it to almost every haunted house, and even got on a few coasters. I could hardly believe it when Rebecca told us that she had never been to Cedar Point before. Hmmmm, I guess we'll have to go back again :-)
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| Poppie drove in from State College and met us there. |
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| Rebecca had a friend who kept her company :-) |
Of course, no Kennedy activities would be complete without eating out. Smokehouse 52, HopCat, Angelo's and Pizza House just to name a few. Happy birthdays!
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