Dept. of Family

[kaffy_r]

Big Sky Country

Andy called this morning while on the road. They were, at the time, heading for Billings, Montana. Based on the things he didn't say, the drive hasn't been as smooth they hoped for, but that didn't surprise me. This was never going to be nearly the easy journey I know they hoped for. But they haven't been in a crash, and they haven't defenestrated each other out of a moving car. 

And there were positive things. They spent an hour at Glacier National Park, and Andy took pictures of the sky as they traveled east. "It really is big sky country," he said, and I could hear just a bit of wonder in his voice as he said that. I predict that this time next year, when most of the boxes have been opened and their home looks and feels like a home, he and Emily will remember the wonder of Montana's sky, and consider the rest of first 36 hours worthy of being in anecdotes rather than giving them headaches. 

I'm looking forward to more calls - at least two, before they hit Illinois. We'll see if my estimate is correct in a while. 

I don't believe I've shared recent pictures of Harlan and Julian. Since Andy put this one up on Facebook recently, I'm happy to put it up here. Andy is a really good photographer of children, and it shows in this image. 

Comments

[sideways]

That photo of the kids is SO full of personality <3

[kaffy_r]

Andy manages to catch kids at their most unguarded and generally happy, and this image shows that in spades.

[chez_jae]

Oh, that's adorable!

[kaffy_r]

It truly is - every time I look at it, I smile!

[sallymn]

Sounds like a great time is being had! :)

[kaffy_r]

Depending on what one considers "great." Heh.

[ljgeoff]

Genetics! So cool!

[kaffy_r]

Genetics, eh? This deponent saith naught on that subject. Heh. I find myself glad that Julian will be able to have a nickname like Jools, because I think his sunshine will continue to make him a nicknamey kind of kid. Harlan? I don't know. He's brilliant, on the spectrum, unable to stop moving, and I find myself hoping his path in life ends up a little more calm than it is now. Not for his parents' sake - they can take care of themselves - but for the sake of calming some of the bees in his head.

[pameladean]

Oh gosh, both of them are so tickled to be in a photo. Impossibly cute. P.

[kaffy_r]

They're both ridiculously photogenic, and yes, they're tickled to be the subject of the lens. Their dad takes a gleefully inordinate number of pictures.