Here's What's/Who's Keeping Us Busy!

It's way past time to play catch-up with my blog, but my niece is rededicating herself to blogging and thus reminding me to do the same!

The twins continue to grow & delight us with their antics, learning & enthusiasm for everything. Since I'm the one generally behind the camera, there are few photos of me with the girls. But this week, Frank took a few photos of us and I'm sharing the best one.

The twins keep us on our toes, that's for sure. Some say that caring for toddlers keeps you young. Others say toddlers make you feel old. Yes. And Yes. But we're loving it!

It's March!

This farm is located as you come into town on business 322, South Atherton Street. I love watching the seasons change on this farm - I drive by it regularly on my way to/from a number of locations. It's such a photogenic farm!

It's still winter in central PA - not a lot of snow left on the ground, but temps are hovering around the freezing mark day in and day out.

The twins are now 7 months old - amazing! They are so darned cute & we are enjoying them SO much. We loved having our own children, but were obsessed with how they behaved & what we were supposed to be doing as parents. We loved having our little grandkids living with us for several years, too. But much of that time was spent trying to figure out how not to interfere while still being a big part of their lives. Now, with the great-grandchildren, we're simply living in each moment and enjoying all of the moments.

Happy New Year 2013!

When I was young, it was impossible for me to even consider being alive in the 21st century. While longevity runs on both side of my family (my paternal grandmother & 2 of her numerous siblings surpassed 100; my maternal grandfather lived to be 92), I couldn't imagine myself in my 60's or 70's. I still cannot imagine me in my 80's, although my 70's are arriving this year!

Odd, how time can be so accordian pleated. Sometimes, it runs by so swiftly that one can hardly catch the essence of what is happening in the here/now of it. Other times, time feels almost like an albatross, smothering one's sense of joy, accomplishment, energy, life. Most of the time, of course, life occurs in between those two extremes.

2012 has been an incredibly FAST-MOVING year for us. Our beautiful, eldest granddaughter gave birth to the first of the next generation in the form of identical twin girls. Because they were born 9 weeks prematurely, they came to us tiny, wizened, "old" little ones. It's amazing how some infants seem mature when they are still so small, young, and barely born... These little ones have already taught us so much about life, infancy, development, and most of all, about loving.

Alexandria: 2#14oz. 15.25"

Catherine: 3#13oz 16.5"

Here are photos of the girls, who were born in mid-to-late July. Since they live here with us, I have more than enough documentary photos, to be sure. As a long-time family photographer, nature photographer, landscape photographer, etc., taught by my grandfather, with whom we lived for 7 years in my childhood, I'm simply carrying on the family tradition!

May you enjoy a glimpse into our lives during the past 5+ months.

Cool Shades!

They're finally home! Spunky guards the twins.

Mommy's shoe... No, they did not weigh 5# before they were allowed to come home!

Copy & Paste hats for the girls

Michelle with her infant daughters

Great-grandpa Frank bringing both girls out to the kitchen!

The girls at 5 months - December 20

5 generation photo: Michelle in back, Peg Capie Reed (great-grandma), Marge Capie (great-great-grandma) holding Tarin & Lexi, Peggy Reed Dolan on the right.

Lexi sleeping. Won 2nd place in the State College Photo Contest for November 2012.

Lexi with the Christmas lights

Tarin & Lexi

It's Been a Long Time Away...

Greetings, one and all. I apologize for my absence and hope you understand. Some years are abundant with change - life-altering, time-pleating, happy-surprising CHANGE. 2012 has been such a year in my life and in our family. There has been precious little time for art, journaling, or anything else, yet every moment spent has been well-spent.

While art has definitely taken a back seat to more immediate concerns, I have managed to do a few drawings, a few fiber art pieces, and experimented with the new-to-me Adirondack Alcohol Inks. I'll be posting photos when I'm on my big computer (where all my photos are stored). For now, a simple update on our family life may be in order.

Our adult granddaughter has been living with us since we moved to central Pennsylvania 4 and a half years ago. She had been attending Penn State University until financial difficulties and a surprise pregnancy ended her studies. The ultra-sound revealed identical twins in a single placenta, making her pregnancy "high risk." The long and short of the situation is, the twin girls were born 9 weeks early.

Due to all the prayers, kind thoughts, love, and caring of all our friends and family, the babies are now 5 months old, healthy, and absolutely adorable. Our household of 3 is now a family of 5, bustling with activity, infant cooing and laughter, and lots of love. As we find a new "normal" in our lives, we're experiencing daily shifts & changes. Watching these tiny girls develop personalities is a true privilege. At our age, we see life quite differently - perhaps it's a broader perspective, perhaps it's tempered by experience, perhaps it's nostalgia, perhaps it's love. But this 3rd time around parenting is an honor I wouldn't trade for the world. No, we are not the parents of these wonderful children, but we are with them 24/7. We watch their mother mature into a beautiful, loving, mature young mother. We witness her love for her children, and are in awe of life itself.

As the generations continue, we stand in the senior role. We are the elders, the story-tellers, the historians, the ones who remember. Some of our stories may never be heard or even told. Others may be dismissed until a much later date. None of that matters. What matters is the love, the family, the mystery of life. At least, that what it seems to be for me in the here and the now.