Kat and Silas
Some folks just weasel their way into your life and you just love them from then on. That's the case with Kat and her entire family. We met in January of 1997. When I lived in Irian they were one of the families that took me in and loved me as if I was their own. In fact, that's the way I view Kat, Becca and Jonny. They're my younger sibs. They're family.
And Kat lives IN Chicago and we RARELY see her. That's just silly. Shame on us. I've made a vow to myself that I will change that this year. Man, I just suck at keeping up with people. I think my sister-in-law has called a ba-zillion times and I just don't do well at calling her back. And I missed my Aunt Kitty's birthday back in August. And I think I've literally talked to my mom twice on the phone the entire month of September. {Seriously.} And Denise, my dear, dear, DEAR friend ... we haven't talked since August 30th and she lives in the suburbs. And how many others of you have I not emailed back or called back or facebooked back or visited with? I have the best intentions but I just can't do it all ... and that frustrates me. So if you happen to be one of those people that I haven't kept up with, don't take it personally; I love you! I promise. I'm realizing I'm just spread pretty thin and I'm trying to figure out how to change that. Not sure what the answer is.
Okay, on to the good stuff. Kat has a little boy, Silas, who is 10 months old and is A COMPLETE DOLL. Oh mercy. Never been around a better baby. He didn't cry one single time and we were together for 4 plus hours. Seriously. He whimpered a tiny little bit when he was putting himself to sleep in the car seat. He puked all over me and I didn't mind because he was just so cute. The red hair. Hello adorable.
And Kat. I love her. We can laugh at each other and our individual idiosyncrasies. We're alike in so many ways ... I'll let you in on a few ...
And Kat lives IN Chicago and we RARELY see her. That's just silly. Shame on us. I've made a vow to myself that I will change that this year. Man, I just suck at keeping up with people. I think my sister-in-law has called a ba-zillion times and I just don't do well at calling her back. And I missed my Aunt Kitty's birthday back in August. And I think I've literally talked to my mom twice on the phone the entire month of September. {Seriously.} And Denise, my dear, dear, DEAR friend ... we haven't talked since August 30th and she lives in the suburbs. And how many others of you have I not emailed back or called back or facebooked back or visited with? I have the best intentions but I just can't do it all ... and that frustrates me. So if you happen to be one of those people that I haven't kept up with, don't take it personally; I love you! I promise. I'm realizing I'm just spread pretty thin and I'm trying to figure out how to change that. Not sure what the answer is.
Okay, on to the good stuff. Kat has a little boy, Silas, who is 10 months old and is A COMPLETE DOLL. Oh mercy. Never been around a better baby. He didn't cry one single time and we were together for 4 plus hours. Seriously. He whimpered a tiny little bit when he was putting himself to sleep in the car seat. He puked all over me and I didn't mind because he was just so cute. The red hair. Hello adorable.
And Kat. I love her. We can laugh at each other and our individual idiosyncrasies. We're alike in so many ways ... I'll let you in on a few ...
- we hate taking showers, because, it's a waste of time. Truly, it is. She understands that about me. Jack, my husband that takes 3 showers a day, does not.
- we're finding that we used to think we were extroverted but now we love being alone. We're closet introverts and rather excited about that.
- we both hate the phone
- we both love photography
- we both miss our friends Ailie and Cinda and Becca (her sister) and we somehow want to get them all to Chicago for Lou's pizza. We're making it our personal mission to make this happen SOON.
- we both love a good bargain and will do anything to save a buck
- we both love her mama's cooking.
I suppose the list could go on and on. We have great stories of life in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. We have blackmail material on Kevin Mills (think O.E., Kevin. Think, O.E.)
Let's just say that Kat was a pistol when she was in high school. {She'd admit it so I'm not talking rude about her.} I mean, moody, rather irritable at times but a BUNDLE of fun. She's real and I love that about her. You know where you stand with Kat-bo-bat. She was up for ANY adventure. We were water aerobics buddies. She'd do anything for you. She was {and still is} a hard worker. She was KAT. I loved her then, and still do. She left America when she was going into her Junior year of high school, to head to the jungles of Indonesia, against her will. So, it was tough for her, and understandably so, but I look at her now and see how God has worked in her life.
He has done amazing things in her heart. She loves Him so deeply and that is so admirable. She's leading a Bible study on Monday nights and I love that. I've watched her grow up in her faith and it is a beautiful picture of what God wants to do with each of us.
We had fun today, taking pictures of each other at the Botanic Gardens, with our fancy-pants cameras. We were models. And photographers. Just havin' a little fun on a gorgeous fall day.
Let's just say that Kat was a pistol when she was in high school. {She'd admit it so I'm not talking rude about her.} I mean, moody, rather irritable at times but a BUNDLE of fun. She's real and I love that about her. You know where you stand with Kat-bo-bat. She was up for ANY adventure. We were water aerobics buddies. She'd do anything for you. She was {and still is} a hard worker. She was KAT. I loved her then, and still do. She left America when she was going into her Junior year of high school, to head to the jungles of Indonesia, against her will. So, it was tough for her, and understandably so, but I look at her now and see how God has worked in her life.
He has done amazing things in her heart. She loves Him so deeply and that is so admirable. She's leading a Bible study on Monday nights and I love that. I've watched her grow up in her faith and it is a beautiful picture of what God wants to do with each of us.
We had fun today, taking pictures of each other at the Botanic Gardens, with our fancy-pants cameras. We were models. And photographers. Just havin' a little fun on a gorgeous fall day.
Here are a few I took ... isn't she gorgeous? And how 'bout that little boy of hers? She jokes because people are always asking her if she's the nanny. After all, she's Mexican and young and pretty and Silas is as white and fair-skinned and red-headed as they come ... So she must be the nanny, right? We laughed hard at that one.
These are all {SOOC}.
These are all {SOOC}.
And last, but not least, my fave of the day:
I loved spending time with you today, Kat. You make me smile.