Movin' On

We're slowly moving from the above scenes back to normal. I loved the snowman at the end of our block, holding a bucket. Auntie Laura was confused; I had to explain that his bucket was for water. The military trucks are rolling again, this time to take down the dikes that were raised so quickly last month. Miss Mouse keeps telling me we should find a different (diffant) park (park) without a dike in front of it (big, pile, mud). Hopefully one of these days, we won't have to find a different one and can just use our old favorite!

We've had a busy week, starting with a trip to the circus last Saturday night. Daddy took care of Baby Mouse (who decided that night that she would not take a bottle - I was welcomed home with two sets of open arms! Thank goodness we skipped out at intermission!) so that Miss Mouse and I could have some time together. We went with two friends, one my size and one her size :) A shriner handed Miss Mouse a small stuffed bear on the way in. That bear was cuddled and "oooo-ed" about through the whole circus. Miss Mouse loved the real performing bears, the ponies, and the elephants. Unfortunately we didn't see the elephants perform; we just saw them giving rides which both girls thought would be really fun. The mommies agreed that it would be fun when they are older.

Some circus observations:
*Either people don't know what to do when our country's flag is around, or they don't care. Hardly anyone put their hand over their heart during the national anthem, and everyone just sat down as the flag was being marched out of the center stage. One man across the arena from us stood at attention until it left. Respectable. I wish I could say we did the same, but I caved in to pressure and sat down. Miss Mouse did learn how to put her hand over her heart, though. Her Great Grandpa Don never let Auntie Laura or I sit down as the flag went by, and it was just assumed that a person would have their hand over their heart. I got a little teary-eyed thinking of that....it made me more determined that Miss Mouse and Baby Mouse will know how to properly behave. I certainly have no illusions on the "devout Christianity" of our "forefathers" (i.e., Ben Franklin, Washington, etc. - they were children of the Enlightenment, looking at God as a great "clockmaker" who just set things in motion and let them happen as they would....belief in miracles, Divine intervention, the Resurrection wasn't really on their radar of "rational" things to believe in....); often I disagree with the choices our country's leaders make (i.e., we seem to help people who are oppressed mainly in countries that are beneficial to our own interests - truly understandable that we can't be everywhere, and yet....I digress).....Still, I think it is respectful to act properly. Many people have died and continue to die to protect our right to disagree with our leaders' policies....it seems that makes it more proper to show respect to the representations of our country and to those men and women.

*It was sad to be at the circus again without Grandpa Don. I have to say he wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as the one last year in Williston where we were center stage, first row....the one here was much farther removed from the audience (probably safer, too!) which made it harder to feel part of the action. Still. It was neat.

*Why did I constantly smell rank cigarette smoke? It was like being on the train in college. Humph.

Enough about the circus. Tuesday we took off for a state annual meeting of small businesses. It was great! I got so many ideas for how to market my products (on my tight, nearly non-existent, budget), how to package them, even how to price them in a better manner. We met Grammy, Auntie Laura, and Great Auntie Linda there. The girls had a great time, though Baby Mouse again really preferred that I, instead of the plastic container, feed her. After my meetings were done, we ate at the Olive Garden - the girls were both great! One slept, and one chowed down on my Mom's shrimp and peppers.

Before leaving yesterday, we stopped to visit Great Grandma Dorothy and Great Grandpa Milt. It took Miss Mouse a long time to warm up. She was really tired and, I think, worried that I was going to leave her again (she had a babysitter Sunday evening, Monday evening, all day Tuesday.....not our normal routine!). Eventually she warmed up and visited a bit. It helped that Great Grandma Dorothy gave her as many red pepper slices as she could eat!

The way home was wonderful. I was worried. The drive down (3 hours) had been great, so I was sure the way back would be a disaster. Not so! Baby Mouse slept for half the trip, woke up and ate, and slept the rest of the way. Miss Mouse played with her doll most of the way. She dropped it 20 miles from home, and I couldn't reach it. So, soon I hear, "I love blueberry applesauce. Blueberry, blueberry, blueberry applesauce". It was put to a tune, too. That got us the rest of the way home! What a pair of girls we have!!! I sure do miss my sleep, and it is hard to be tied to everyone else's schedule all the time....but it is going to be sad when these days are gone.