Gee whiz, hello, you! How are you? I've been here, there, and everywhere, and all of it was just lovely. I so wanted to be organized enough to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving on time, but the days seemed to evaporate; I sincerely hope your holiday weekend was like ours was, filled with good food and quiet joys and loved ones and all of the precious beauties that belong to this season and this season alone. This morning it was ice-cold, silver-gray, and the air was filled with woodsmoke. I stopped to get a hot chai and a cinnamon bun to munch in the car on my way to jury duty. When my name wasn't called and it was clear I and almost everyone else was dismissed, my heart leaped like a toy on a tight spring, and I drove back through the frosty morning feeling free and full of delight and gratitude, again. The rare gift of a free day at the end of a long weekend of gifts. I am so grateful for my blessings. I try to count them and I get choked up, and cannot speak. A world of wonders, daily. My heart is full.
Leaves crunch, wind swirls, birds huddle. Our big baby girl is talking, talking, suddenly opinionated, thrillingly swift, picking up words and letters and numbers so fast and so suddenly, all spoken in her sweet, lisping, earnest, excited trill. It's almost constant, this bird-like chatter, and oh, it is wonderful. Her eyes shine as she realizes she is understood, sees that she can participate in the conversation. She talks about things I don't even notice, and as I listen hard and try to understand her (because it's still quite tangled and laced with sounds I attempt to parse) so many times it turns out that she is talking about something I was totally oblivious of: The moon in the daytime sky! A leaf that fits just like a hat! Three trees that look like daddy, mommy, and baby! So many things I didn't see until she told me to look. I had no idea it would be this exciting and charming and funny and delightful and really, just utterly incredible, watching someone learn to talk. It's like magic, for all of us, effervescent and full of bubbles popping, glittering the freezing air.
Peace be with you, and joy, this blessed season. And magic. And great love. Xoxoxoxo.
oh I can feel the love and gratitude seeping out of the screen... such gorgeous posts and photos and words, I do so love to visit here often!!
Your words... I simply cannot get enough. Your are a gift to all of us, Alicia! Such a beautiful, peaceful, grateful post today.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your lovely family too. Take care and God bless you~
You're gratitude flows beautifully through your words and pictures. May you continue to be blessed with all good things in life.
Beautiful, beautiful.
gosh, she really is getting to be articulate and big. i remember when you crocheted that taupe afghan with such humble hopes. to see her little hand touching it is very, very big. love to all.
your words are wonderful ... my little one started talking just after she turned two too ... like almost overnight as you say ... so long ago ... it is lovely to recapture it through your words ... stay warm :)
Oh I loved this post! Your words mesh so well, and the photos are the icing on the cake. We also enjoyed a wonderful family filled Thanksgiving, and I'm feeling incredibly grateful today. Best wishes to you and your loves for a wonderful happy month of festivities ahead!
Your words made me teary! SO beautiful. What a great joy it is to watch our children grow. I'm so glad you share your words with us. Big love right back at you. xx Jen
A magical time of year, a magical time in her life.
And we get to see the world new, when we share it with our children.
Isn't it amazing and good?
Lovely
What I love about you is how you see more than most people, and can express the magic that you see. You are so fun to read! You really should think of writing a children's book.. I'd buy it.
*********************************************
*H*A*P*P*Y* * *H*O*L*I*D*A*Y*S*!*!*!*
*********************************************
((hugs)), Teresa :-)
What I love about you is how you see more than most people, and can express the magic that you see. You are so fun to read! You really should think of writing a children's book.. I'd buy it.
*********************************************
*H*A*P*P*Y* * *H*O*L*I*D*A*Y*S*!*!*!*
*********************************************
((hugs)), Teresa :-)
no one, no. one. turns a phrase like you. the sweetest thoughts written just right making the smallest joy large. well said.
Thank you for another beautiful post.
your words brought something beautiful into my throat, your pictures made me smile. such loveliness here, and such grace of you to share it.
Love their little conversations. So precious and hilarious at all once!
When my son was 2, he and his father walked three blocks from our house to the corner store to get some milk. Twenty minutes later, when they arrived home, Father said: "There was conversation the whole way . . . and I didn't say a word"!!! Delightful. I remember those days. Thank you for the light you shine upon your life that enables us to join with you.
What a lovely way to describe a child learning to speak. We've had the same experience in our house this past year, and it's just as you described!
What blessings and it's wonderful to read about them. I, too have a full and happy heart! It's all so wonderful as they learn and what I had no idea about...it continues...the thrill of watching them learn and grow and mature even into adulthood. Maybe you don't giggle at them as much, ha! but, you still will delight in it. God bless you all.
So many richly colored snaps of life.
Just love the photo of Amelia with her face screwed up with the fork in one hand jetting straight up. Too funny!
These are the days that become sweet moments in memory - blissful.
Little Miss M see's the usual things in the unusual. She's very clever. Her imagination knows no limit's.
Have you thought about home schooling? Just a thought
Oh my . . . I just simply adore your beautiful messages . . .
I feel warmed and filled with smiles and peace.
Your big baby girl is lovely and yes growing up, oh joy, Happy Thanksgiving, we don't celebrate here in Australia, but oh I am so grateful for what I have, 3 very big girl 43, 41, 38, what delight we have had raising them and then they give us gorgeous grandchildren which delight us as well, are we thankful? oh yes.
Have a great Christmas and thank you for your blog, always lovely to see your seasons, enjoy the cold that comes your way a time to be quiet and 'nestle in'.
Today I heard my two year old granddaughter talking in the room next to me. When I thought I heard her say "Gamma" I poked my head through the door to answer her. She had her back to me, and her toy phone snuggled up to her left ear and was having an earnest conversation with her other "Gamma" or me :) Either of us are thrilled and amazed with the words and insights she shares with us! I join you in wonder, delight, puzzlement and gratitude, for the beauty around us, Alicia. Thanks for posting! xx
I was jury duty'd on Nov 3-4, and happily got called off right away too! Two years free and clear!