Great girls weekend

Nicole & I escaped to sunny Arkansas for the weekend. Kurtis was in Little Rock for work, so we had Amanda's apartment to ourselves. It was my first visit there since Amanda became a Mrs., and, as fun as my Matron of Honor duties have been, I must admit that it was nice to spend some time together without having to worry about wedding details.

Amanda got a great haircut. It's five inches shorter now, the shortest it's been in five years or so. Very cute. While she was stuck at the salon, Nicole & I checked out the Fayetteville Farmers' Market at the quaint Downtown Fayetteville Square, where Kurtis proposed to Amanda. Shoppers, dogs, vendors and performers were out in droves. The flowers were amazing, and I found fresh basil, garlic and peaches that we used to make yummy treats later in the weekend. Nicole & I were tickled that we were enjoying the gorgeous 70-degree weather while it was drab and rainy back in Wichita. A few images from that morning:






(Double click the picture above to see the soft-shoe dancer's SpongeBob "GroovePants" T-shirt. Nice.)

The three of us shopped and browsed a bit at an outdoor art fair at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade, dined out, caught up and took advantage of a photo opp in a giant outdoor chair. (Odd, yes. But that's how we roll in Arkansas.)



The Mr. got home in time for a late Sunday lunch. Toby, their adorable toy poodle, continued to get lots and lots of attention from all of us. It was fun to play with him throughout the weekend.

Nicole & I barely listened the radio or my iPod the whole drive back and instead chatted, laughed and reminisced. Good visit. Gotta love girls weekends.

See you soon, Toby & Co.!

Which of these is not like the other, indeed

If you've not yet seen the cover of the September issue of Budget Travel -- and if you're a fellow Kansan -- you're in for a really perplexing little treat.

I experienced a swell of pride when I found my copy in the mail and read the big type (double click the image to see for yourself):

"Best places you've never heard of: Australia, Brazil, South Africa, England, France, Turkey, Czech Republic, Kansas, Japan, and more!"

Go Kansas! Inside, on page 69, the magazine gives details about Wilson, Kan., where Wilson State Park offers a 13-mile Switchgrass bike path. Page 68 is a full-page color photo of a lovely scene from the park.

Day trip, anyone? (I'm already humming "I want to ride my bicycle.")

Too bad not all Kansas news making headlines nationally is as good.

TGIT

I met a bunch of co-workers tonight for a little get-together on the patio at Oeno, where we enjoyed complimentary appetizers and $5 martinis and pondered the past, present & future. Not too bad for a Thursday night.

Sock it to him

I don't even want to calculate how much money Brian & I have spent on tug toys, Kongs, balls, Cuz toys and more since this little fur ball entered our lives.

Yet, what did I find Dakota playing with when I came home tonight?

Old socks.

Feline facial

It's so cute to catch Meow Meow in the act of grooming one of the pups. It happens more often that you might imagine, as it did this morning with Dakota. Doesn't he look relaxed?

Celebration times two

Tony thought he was having a cookout this afternoon with Nicole & his parents to celebrate his 33rd b-day, which is Wednesday. But then Brian & I and another friend, Rob, showed up as a surprise to spend the day with him and help him celebrate.







There was a double surprise, though: Tony's mom had an anniversary cake for Brian & me. Very sweet. It was a great way to celebrate two important occasions with good friends. Too bad that the lottery ticket that Mario & Madeline gave us as an anniversary gift wasn't a winner. On the bright side, though, Nicole made a delicious cheesecake for Tony's b-day, so we had two yummy desserts.


We played yard games (including washers with a sweet homemade oak set that Brian made for Tony's b-day gift), played with Roxy & Nanook, chatted and enjoyed the gorgeous day.

Needless to say, there was very little laboring happening on this Labor Day. Wish Mondays were always this great!

Seventh heaven

Today, Brian & I celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary. Marriage, thus far, has been more difficult than I expected in many ways, but also more wondrous and fulfilling. The reverend who married us had excellent advice: Don't go into marriage expecting to split things 50/50. That's not the point at all. Be prepared to give 60 percent, 80 percent. Because sometimes the person you love most in your life can only give 40 or 20 percent. It's the give and take, the for better or worse that makes it magical. And, especially this summer, I've had more than my fair share of 40 and 20 percent days. Fortunately, my husband didn't stop at halfway. He reached across the midway and pulled me through.

I still adore the lyrics to Clint Black's "Something That We Do," which played while we danced our first dance at our wedding reception. They mean more today than they did then, as do the vows I took and the promises I made that day. That's yet another miracle of marriage: It continues to reveal more and more with each passing day, through each hurdle and each joy.

Today, I thank God that I answered, "Yes!"


Something That We Do
I remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
I still believe the words we said
Forever will ring true

Love is certain, love is kind
Love is yours and love is mine
But it isn't something that we find
It's something that we do

It's holding tight, lettin' go
It's flying high and laying low
Let your strongest feelings show
And your weakness, too

It's a little and a lot to ask
An endless and a welcome task
Love isn't something that we have
It's something that we do

We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that you can't tell where I end and where you start

It gives me heart remembering how
We started with a simple vow
There's so much to look back on now
Still it feels brand-new

We're on a road that has no end
And each day we begin again
Love's not just something that we're in
It's something that we do

We help to make each other all that we can be
Though we can find our strength and inspiration independently
The way we work together is what sets our love apart
So closely that we can't tell where I end and where you start

Love is wide, love is long
Love is deep and love is strong
Love is why I love this song
And I hope you love it, too

I remember well the day we wed
I can see that picture in my head
Love isn't just those words we said
It's something that we do

There's no request too big or small
We give ourselves, we give our all
Love isn't someplace that we fall
It's something that we do