Feet

Did you ever really think about feet?  Michael sent this picture of Mana's feet.  He said that he loved this picture...and I can see why.  But...why would we be fascinated with a picture of feet?  First of all, it may be the perspective, but looking at them from here, they look bigger than the entire rest of her body.  Will she grow into them?  If she were a puppy, we would be estimating her size based on her feet.  Again, it may be perspective and the fact that the onsie is rather big on that tiny body - but you can just barely see her head.  In fact, when you look quickly, it seems as if her head is resting above the blanket and those ears that I see, they are even bigger that Buta's ears.  Michael wants Lou to stop giving the peace sign when they take his picture.  From here, it looks like Mana is giving the peace sign with her big toe and her second toe.  :)

But feet - regardless of the size - are so important.  Where will those feet take her?  Will she be a dancer?  Will she be a runner?  She probably will be running very soon to keep up with her big brother.  His feet are only four years old and they have traveled more miles than I had at the age of 30.


Mana's feet are young feet - they still have growing to do.  They may appear small now, but they will grow as she grows.  I hope they take her to beautiful and exciting places.  I need Grandma and Grandpa Yoneda to kiss those feet for Buta and for me until we can kiss them for ourselves.

Rocking Chairs and Red Velvet Cake - how could life be better?

This is the design on the back of the beautiful rocking chair that I received last night.  It truly is beautiful and it will have a place of honor in our home.  I am sure that as I sit in that chair and rock, I will think back to the day that I first walked into Maple Avenue School.  I was going to be there as an Interim Principal.  I was going to be there for one year.  I was not going to make any connections or commitments.  I was going to walk in in the morning and walk out at night.  I had such great plans!  In those first weeks and months, something happened.  Once again, I fell in love with a school and the people who make that school a special place.

Last night was wonderful.  What could be better than lemonade and red velvet cake shared with friends.  I am so grateful for the experiences that I have had at Maple Avenue.  You have become part of a very special group.  Central Elementary School in Bellows Falls, Vermont.  East School in Springfield, Vermont.  Elm Hill School in Springfield, Vermont.  Union Street School in Springfield, Vermont.  Brownington Central School in Brownington, Vermont.  You have all touched my life and made me a better person.  For that, I am eternally grateful.

So, I am not sure about this blogging thing.  It could become a habit.  It could become an avoidance strategy.  For instance, I have a LOT of work to do tonight.  I had trouble keeping up with all of the work that came my way today.  I think part of it has to do with the weather and allergies.  They were - I think - impacting my attitude.  Every time I started to have a cranky moment, I thought about this picture.  That is a lie.  I thought about the doughnut that is in the picture.

John and Emily went to Portland, Oregon on the weekend of his birthday.  Last year, all of the kids were home in May.  We celebrated two birthdays - John and Mike. (Kate was just there to beautify the place.  :)  ) I actually made each one of them a different cake, cut them in half and pieced them together to make one cake.  We could not decide which one we liked best.  But today, in my cranky moments, I was not thinking about that odd looking cake.  I was thinking about this doughnut.  John and Emily put the picture on facebook and the comments started coming in.  Many were negative - abhorring the thought of a doughnut with maple and bacon on it!  Have they not heard about maple flavored bacon?  Have they not heard about fritters?  Today, I just could not get this thought out of my mind.  Who would not crave this delicacy?  How many Weight Watcher points would be in one of those suckers?  How would I feel after I consumed that death by sugar and fat concoction?  Would there be fewer points if I ate it standing up, in the dark, and washed it down with a diet coke?

I actually think that the visualization of this food offering is what got me through today.  In retrospect, I am wondering if it really was the doughnut...or if the doughnut was the trigger for those sweet memories of all of us being together celebrating.   I guess it really does not matter.  The important thing is that I made it through the day.  The important thing is that I have those memories.  Memories are the foundation of things to come.  Based on that, I am thinking that the simplest way to create one of these would be to go to Stuart and John's and ask them to create one for me.

I will let you know how I like it.

Thanks for the memories!

So, today is my first real attempt to blog.  Let me introduce you to the newest Baby Yoneda Davignon.  We believe that her name is going to be Mana.  I have two things to say about that.  The first thing that I have to say takes me back in time.  When Michael told me that their first son was going to be named Louis, I thought:  "Who in God's name would name a little baby 'Louis'?  Well, it is truly amazing, but HE really is Louis!  I am not sure if he has grown into his name or his name has grown into him - but he is Louis - King Louis, Lou Man, LOOBA, and many other love names that we have for him.

It appears that his baby sister will be named Mana.  When I Googled the name, I discovered that it is a Hawaiian word.  The people of Hawaii believe that Mana is the spiritual power that inhabits all things and creatures.  This power is considered to be magical and is made up of goodness, light, and love. 

Whatever they finally choose for a name, Lou's little sister will grow into it - just like he grew into his. 

It got me thinking though.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of us were named Mana - and we lived up to the meaning of our name?

Wonder Woman?

If the Super Boy of Japan is King Louis - perhaps his newborn sister should be Wonder Woman?  It is absolutely shameful that I am using my grandchildren to try and learn how to make this piece of technology work.

Kate tells me I can learn how to do this. MMMMMMM