Holy cow, life smacked us in the face like a wet noodle

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Holy cow, life smacked us in the face like a wet noodle

Hi friends!

We've arrived safely in Washington and, thanks to a housewarming we scheduled for tomorrow (!!!), have somewhat unpacked. Which means that the upstairs still looks like a snowglobe but the living parts of the house are generally presentable. Aside from some VERY RUDE neighbors who have not RSVP'd yea or nay for the party so we can plan our numbers, all is very well. Here's the condensed news: Cameron leaves in a week, the kids are not in at the CDC yet and I'm mulling options, Marry the au pair (pronounced "Mahi," oops) is doing great and finally getting some very richly deserved leave tomorrow with some other local au pairs from Brazil, I start work on the 9th, our stuff survived the PCS fairly well, all the work on the house is done except some tiny odds and ends and it all looks fabulous..and...what else? My mind is now turning to all the stuff I want Cameron to do before he leaves: picnic with the kids somewhere awesomely northwest, a date with me in the big city, wire up all the electronics, install all the various safety devices around the house, and so on.

Here are some pictures from Cameron's i-phone as I can't get to my stuff at present (everything not yet unpacked is jammed into the study -- it's going to be a misery to untangle but after the party).

We miss everyone - come visit! The guest room is dripping with ambrosia and rose petals, I promise. Chocolates on the pillow, the whole bit! :)

love,

Tamara

Our co-sleeping angels. We don't let them sleep like this at night -- this was taken when Thaddeus came in from his bed in the morning for few extra zz's while we kept a watchful eye. Too bad, though, because it was pretty cozy.

Teaching Thaddeus to swim has been a dream since I was pregnant. And it's AWESOME!! He's preparing to jump in here after several rounds of his favorite game, "steal your noodle."

Marry is a HUGE hit!!

From Thaddeus' farewell party at the CDC :(

Curious George is very big right now. He's a good little monkey, you know. But always very curious!

Here's poor Finnigan on cat mickies for the drive west with Cameron and Dave.

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The O'Neil Children v. Sandman

(More formally known as the Song of the Stormy Petrel, by Maxim Gorky)

High above the silvery ocean winds are gathering the storm-clouds, and between the clouds and ocean proudly wheels the Stormy Petrel, like a streak of sable lightning. Now his wing the wave caresses, now he rises like an arrow, cleaving clouds and crying fiercely, while the clouds detect a rapture in the bird's courageous crying. In that crying sounds a craving for the tempest! Sounds the flaming of his passion, of his anger, of his confidence in triumph. The gulls are moaning in their terror--moaning, darting o'er the waters, and would gladly hide their horror in the inky depths of ocean. And the grebes are also moaning. Not for them the nameless rapture of the struggle. They are frightened by the crashing of the thunder. And the foolish penguins cower in the crevices of rocks, while alone the Stormy Petrel proudly wheels above the ocean, o'er the silver-frothing waters. Ever lower, ever blacker, sink the stormclouds to the sea, and the singing waves are mounting in their yearning toward the thunder. Strikes the thunder. Now the waters fiercely battle with the winds. And the winds in fury seize them in unbreakable embrace, hurtling down the emerald masses to be shattered on the cliffs. Like a streak of sable lightning wheels and cries the Stormy Petrel, piercing storm-clouds like an arrow, cutting swiftly through the waters. He is coursing like a Demon, the black Demon of the tempest, ever laughing, ever sobbing--he is laughing at the storm-clouds, he is sobbing with his rapture. In the crashing of the thunder the wise Demon hears a murmur of exhaustion. And he is knows the strom will die and the sun will be triumphant; the sun will always be triumphant! The waters roar. The thunder crashes. Livid lightning flares in stormclouds high above the seething ocean, and the flaming darts are captured and extinguished by the waters, while the serpentine reflections writhe, expiring, in the deep. It's the storm! The storm is breaking! Still the valiant Stormy Petrel proudly wheels amond the lightning, o'er the roaring, raging ocean, and his cry resounds exultant, like a prophecy of triumph -- Let it break in all its fury!

Team O'Neil - Sleep Optional

Saturday, June 28, 2008