Highland Light

We had the pleasure of watching the sunset from Truro's Highland Light one evening. It's a special place to watch the ocean because you are high up looking down on it and you can see the swells roll in from the distance and the currents swirl out to sea. The vastness of the ocean is slightly  more comprehensible from that view point, but sometimes I think our brains are too limited to really understand how amazing the ocean is and how big is is and how perfectly rhythmic it is. It's made only by God, that is for sure. And I can see that from here.  The lighthouse is special most simply because it's a lighthouse and lighthouses help people find the shoreline when they are lost at sea. when I think of that as a metaphor it touches me. And the beauty there is so natural. All of Cape Cod took my breath away every day I was there. I saw it with new eyes this trip because I was thinking in photographer mode. I love that mode. It helps me see things I used to miss in the past.  It gets me out of my head and into the present. The landscape is so raw and un-groomed and real. I love it.  Cape Cod is deteriorating. The Lighthouse has already been moved back once due to erosion, but it was saved and it lives on until there is no where to move it and the sea swallows it up. Until then, we visit every year and watch the sun go down. The breeze was up, so no bugs. It was a nice night. 

Best Buddies with Boomie

Dogs are amazing. Boomer is especially. He is part Boxer and Rottweiler, which makes some hesitate when they see him, but you would never know it if you got to know him. He's one the sweetest dogs I've known. Mina is actually thinking of making him a therapy dog, that's how in tune he is with people, especially little people, like Ava . He was a great transitional object for Ava. She's cautious when it comes to new environments and people she hasn't seen in a while, but Boomer made that all better really fast. They were so amusing to watch together because it's like they are the same age! And Ava loves to boss Boomer around. "Bommies you come!" "No bommies!" She was so sad when Mina would take him home during the week and ask about him until he came back. I wish I could have captured the look on her face when we'd pull up from the beach and she'd hear him bark....her buddy was back! And she was his buddy too. He was distressed when she cried and even on his way to the neighbors to play with their dog, he stopped on the way to kiss Ava and check in with her. Really, really sweet. We love you Boomies.

Best buddies. 

4th of July

Though time adjustment is difficult on all of us, Ava is really a great traveler. Red eye to Boston and all the babies we saw would be woken from a deep sleep and, of course, wail away, but not Ava. She was excited! She only whined a little when we got there and realized we weren't at the beach immediately. (she thought the plane was taking us directly to the beach)! :) Nana had many toys from my childhood saved and laid out for Ava to play with and she got busy putting her baby to bed right away.

 On the 4th we put Ava in a special 4th of July shirt and explored Nana's backyard before heading down to Truro. I love some of the shots I got of her in their yard. She was so tired, but still so sweet. She hung in there and took her nap in the car....

We got to Nana and Poppi's Beach House in the late afternoon and guess who was there?!

Auntie Mina!!! Mwa!!

We watched God's fireworks that night. Truly and amazing sunset at Great Hollow Beach.

Ava was happy to have finally made it to the beach :)

I was happy too. To be in Truro, a place I've been coming since I was 2 months old. A place were my heritage lives on. I want Ava to love it there as much as I do. From the looks of it, she already does. You'll see in posts to come :)

We made it to Boston!

Depart SFO: 11pm pst. Arrive BOS: 8am est. 1 nap and a couple meals and Brad and headed out to Fenway Park. Thank you Dad for this gift to us. Going to a game at Fenway is like no other baseball experience I've ever had. Now, I've never been to a Yankee game, but I would never do that anyway ;)! The energy is so awesome, really, the fans are one of the best parts of being there. It doesn't matter what's happening, they're winning by 12 runs and make a base hit and the place is in uproar :) (that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not really too much of one). It's super fun. My favorite part is the singing. I can hear Coley now, saying "ca--sss--iiieeee!" But I would go just to sing Sweet Caroline and Take me out to the Ball Game! Oh, and of course eat a Fenway frank. Disgustingly yummy :)

See Poppi up at bat?! Not Ava's Poppi, BIG Poppi!

Never is that stadium not packed to it's max.

A little clip of what's it's like to be there when they sing! SO FUN!

Great way to start off the trip. What's a trip to Boston without a sox game and a Dunkin' Donuts coffee?

Our Hailey is 7 today!!

On July 13, 2003 Hailey Anne Lacher-Koch was born into this beautiful and challenging world. She wasn't born into a typical family, but she was born into love. Love of all kinds. She came early and she was c-sectioned because she was in distress. Poor baby. Her mommy was in distress too, as were most of her family. 2 weeks after her birth, Brad reached out for sobriety one last time. Though July 13th is not his actual sobriety birthday, Hailey's birth was a driving force to get him through the doors of Hazelden, and it marks the approach to his 7 year sobriety birthday. Thank God for Hailey.

This is the only newborn picture we have of her :(

Here she is at a visitation with daddy. Probably somewhere between 6-9 months old. It was a rough go for a while. you can see that on Hailey's face, but daddy never gave up with her. . . (one of the things I fell in love with him for)

He introduced me to her when she was 18 months old, when he was sure things were solid with us, and from that point on almost every moment of her time with us has been documented. I'm making up for lost time ;)

She is 2.3 in this picture. 

It captures her sweetness and reserve at that age.

She got more and more comfortable with us as time passed and now she's a total goof!!

And love bug

Now look at her! She is just beautiful and so sweet natured. A loving soul who will no doubt struggle a little with her circumstances, but she has the good in her, as everyone does, and she has enough good people in her life that will be there to help her along the way.

Happy 7th birthday, Hailey Girl. I love you.

Escaping to Heaven...(for 2 weeks)

This is where we will be for the next 2 weeks. 

I won't be posting and will be almost completely offline (except for my iphone)!! There will be one exception- a special post in July 13th :)

We'll miss you, our west coast family & friends!!  Happy Birthday, Scott! And thanks for watching our fish that lives forever! xo. 

"Makin' Pies Dearie?"

This video clip just makes me smile. Ava is so intrigued by the "wicken keen" of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. One morning while I was getting ready for the day she came to my door and knocked lightly. She looked at me and said "makin' pies dearie?" It was so hard not to laugh, but I immediately acted as if I was Snow White and said "why, yes, I am. Gooseberry pies!" She then goes on to say "it's apple pies the men yuve (love)". She handed me our pretend tomato (that she thinks is an apple) and said "take a bite!" I fell to the floor and she woke me with true love's kiss!!
This game is now a daily event with me and Daddy. And who wouldn't want true love's kiss everyday?
Here are some clips of Ava being the "wicken keen" and her sweet voice singing Snow White's "I'm wishing":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05BPF1rlA_g