I have a love, a dear one far away.  An invisible bond ties my heart to his, somehow.  Somehow we are part of each other, though doing very different things, though in very different places.  I am incomplete apart from him. Yet I have him even when he's gone.  He's with me, in my heart.  I guess I left part of me with him, and kept part of him with me.  That way we are one together, and together apart, and incomplete without each other.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but only if that heart has once known presence.  I think of the presence of my beloved, and long for it.  Everyday greetings are made special.  Goodbyes are much more meaningful.  A last look in those noble eyes, both confident and vulnerable, knowing and asking, happy and sad, then he goes.  His expression remains.  His beautiful face stays steady before my eyes, though behind my eyes, in the swirling mists of my heart.  My hands tingle for the feel of the solid him.  My eyes look through his reflection, waiting for the true him to cut through his surroundings, to be here.

My eyes are heavy with waiting.  My arms strain for the stress to release at that first hug.  I will fold into him, warm and happy, one with myself and my love.  Then the dance of reunion will begin, with talk and laughs and play and hugs.  Everything will be known, everything made known.  Until our next departure, we will be as normal again.  And then the time will loom, will draw closer, and dare to come.  I will hurry to that last kiss, a sign of loyalty, of love, of attraction, of enduring patience until he comes again.

I gotta admit, I put alot of work into this Valentine's Day.  Weeks ahead of time I planned all the dishes for a special Polish dinner for us (No, we're not Polish, but last time we had Polish it was great!).  I researched all the recipes, went on a special shopping trip for good ingredients.  Then yesterday I  cooked nonstop from 10:30am to 7pm, but I did it!  Dan, Eddy and I feasted over candlelight on Pierogies, Golumpkies, boiled potatoes with Dill, and the best Polish pound cake you've never seen! =)

By the end of the day, the end of the meal, the end of dessert, I was beginning to wonder whether Danny had anything in store for me at all.  Right when my anxiety began to rise noticeably, Danny disappeared upstairs and came back with a very large flat package wrapped in brown paper.  "Don't wreck the front," he said.  It was A foot-and-a-half wide and 3 FEET tall.  I carefully removed the paper to reveal a particle board artist's painting of a caricatured blues trumpet player! (pictures to come)

He said when he visited New Orleans on his way home from buying our car, he ran across a whole bunch of artists in progress on very New Orleans style pieces.  This artist sold his paintings for less because he put them on less expensive materials, such as particle board.  But they were just as good or better than half the other paintings for sale!  Wow!  With this, and my uncle's blues painting, I have the makings of the perfect music room!  My husband sure knows what I like!  A perfect surprise for a perfect Valentine's.

I hope your Valentine's was just as special.  Tell me about it!

I've been planning a special birthday date with Danny for months!  It was a lot of work to try to work out a babysitter and find good tickets for just the right show at this great restaurant and music club to which I had been introduced this spring.  I told Dan waaaaaay in advance to block off his calendar for his birthday, and, despite being really busy this week (and being in Eau Claire instead of Afton), he obliged, and drove all the way back for his birthday.

Dan arrived at the house and found Eddy and me running around the house trying to get everything together.  First we gave him some birthday hugs and kisses.  Then we rounded everything up and hit the road pretty quickly.  I was impressed.  Off to the babysitter!

Apparently babysitter Kristen didn't tell her little girls that their friend Eddy was coming, because they were quite shocked to see us walk in the door, after three months of absence!  They were very excited.  Eddy was excited, too.  He had been looking forward to seeing his friends for two whole days!  And he had birthday cookies all ready to share with them.

Off we sped in our gorgeous clothes, our cool sunglasses and our shiny fast sports car/Subaru down I-94 toward the city, opposite all the rush hour traffic.  We were happy, for a while, until we learned there was traffic in both directions.  Oh.  Good thing I planned lots of extra time to get there!  We had plenty of time to park, walk to the restaurant, find our seats, mull over the menu 20 times before deciding, and open presents before the show.

It was a great show.  I don't know if you've heard of the Gin Blossoms, but they were really popular in the 90's (I remembered several songs from the radio growing up) and have a new album out this year.  (I did plenty of checking on youtube before buying tickets).  It was a last minute visit for them, only a week and a half notice, but still the place was packed.  And everybody joined in the fun.  We were up on the mezzanine right in front of the stage, and found it provided the perfect balance of privacy and action, and a great view of the band.  We clapped and hooted with the best of them, in between eating our gourmet (though a little more expensive than we're used to) dinner made by a nationally renowned chef.

We went on a walk after the show, enjoying the perfect summer evening of downtown Minneapolis.  All the nightlife was lighting up, and the sky was still light blue.  The huge harvest moon added to the mood.  The ride back was much less crowded.  With windows down and wind in our hair we jammed out to Daniel's other birthday present, the hip-hop sounds of tobymac!

Eddy was happy to see us and tell us all about the fun he had, I was happy for the night to be a success with no major hiccups, and Dan was happy for all we'd done for his birthday, especially for cookies to eat and new music to listen to on his hour drive back to Eau Claire.

Thanks, Danny, for being so great, and letting me show you a good time for your birthday.  I'm so happy to be with you!  Happy birthday!

Here we are at home.  It feels like so long since I've been here.  I missed my Danny terribly, and so did Eddy.  Eddy scarcely spoke a word Wednesday that didn't involve seeing Daddy =)  How special it was to walk out of the airport and see Danny's face once again.   Eddy always gets loud when he's excited, so every head on the sidewalk turned when Eddy and Daddy were reunited.

The Van Dyke sibling camping trip ended in a delightfully different dinner at a French Basque restaurant, from which everyone got home late and tired.  Wednesday was spent sleeping in, packing, visiting the Woodfields again, then driving the beautiful road straight westward to the San Francisco International Airport, Nicki at the wheel.  Over each mountain pass the air became 10 degrees cooler and more humid, starting with an arid 90 degrees and ending with a balmy 60 at the bay.  Along the way we saw many orchards, then deserts, then dry mountain peaks, each one capped with scores of very old windmill generators.  Soon there was a train railing along by us with commuters to the city, then the roads became larger and busier until we found ourselves skimming just over the water on a six-lane low bridge.  The bridge was several miles long and rose gradually until we were flying way over the water, with a grand view of Oakland and the cloud that covered up San Fran. On to the airport.

Goodbyes and hugs and into the most beautifully constructed airport I'd ever seen.  Towering high ceilings hosted 3-story windows of the plane yard, giant tile murals, and framed paintings.  3rd floor balconies with seating by the windows also overlooked all the gates, which were nestled in below, on the 2nd floor.

Both in good spirits after a relaxing car ride and good lunch, Eddy and I were easily able to cope with the airport pressures, thanks to the help of the amazingly accommodating airport staff (waiving the baggage fee to check our bags, carrying our carseat on the plane for us, and other kind gestures) With snacks and the ability to give Eddy freedom because of the placement of the gate, both our moods stayed elevated all the way on board.  But nothing kept us from missing "daddy".

There were several upsets on the plane as the night grew later and Eddy grew ornery, but no earaches, and no more than I could handle with grace without dampening my evening in the least.  Then we descended.   Then we landed.  Then we taxied.  Then we parked.  Then everyone stood.  Then the doors opened.  Then we packed our bags and car seat.  Then we filed out.  And we were free!  We were IN Minnesota, our hearts racing to see the one we loved the most.  Through the maze, down to the baggage claim, we searched all over the room...but no Danny.  Where could he be?

A quick phone call and some confused conversation and the mystery was revealed: "He's outside in the car!  Let's go."  Again the momentum rose as we raced down the sidewalk lined 2 and 3 deep with cars loading and unloading until, second row out, behind a group of passengers, we spotted the BioLawn symbol!   "Daddy!"  Eddy jumped in the front seat to see his Daddy while I ran back to get the bags.  With the bags and stroller loaded and Eddy strapped in, I finally got that hug and kiss I was waiting for.  We were finally here again...finally home.

May 3rd is a very special anniversary for Daniel and me.  It's not our wedding anniversary, not our engagement, not our first date (well, not officially), and not the day we met.  It's the day we decided there was something there.

I love May 3rd because it's filled with memories of long conversations all day long in the park, of hope for the future and new love.  May 3rd was determination to do right, and the reward for seeing goals through.  May 3rd was happiness together.  Another special thing about that day was it wasn't a one-time event.  There are at least 3 successive years that May 3rd was significant and unique in the life of our relationship.  May 3rd, 2003, when we decided there was something between us more than friendship, and the decision that a relationship would be beneficial...when we got a little older.  May 3rd, 2004, the culmination of a year of keeping unbelievable boundaries, in order to learn from life and seek guidance. This one didn't end in a full-blown dating relationship, but was incredibly romantic and fun, as we talked of the future, and enjoyed each other's company for the first time in a year.  May 3rd, 2005, finally, we have been dating, and experience for the first time an anniversary together, as well as make other momentous decisions about each of our lives.  And I hold each May 3rd since in my memory, for each has been in very different circumstances, with very different flavors.

As you know, yesterday was May 3rd, 2010.  It was probably the busiest May 3rd we've had.  Dan was on a very long and hard route, I was pummeled with calls in the office, Eddy was at the babysitter's, we were catching up on work, etc.  And for the first time in our history, Daniel has remembered the date before I did!  I tried to make up for the fact by cleaning and cooking a nice dinner to be ready when he got home, but I'm afraid he bested me.  My dirty, starving, overworked, under rested, bedraggled Danny came through the door at the end of the day carrying a large pot filled with blooming violet/white Phalaenopsis orchids, and swept me away.

Not the most eventful May 3rd, but definitely a sweet one.

Light snowflakes swirling in the breeze over a valley of slopes, your honey, and friends. Hats and mittens, and lifts and skis on a couples' romantic getaway.

We all met at our house after church, put the equipment into one car, and the rest of us snuggled in the other on our way to the hill. We got there, got set up and hit the slopes together, all smiles and jokes and expectation. Up we go and on down the hills at every speed and style imaginable, but all encouraging and helping each other along the way.

By closing time we were a bit tired and mostly cold, so we warmed up in the chalet, put our gear away, and relaxed to a Mexican dinner in Wabasha, with plenty of happy conversation.

A long, dark, snowy ride home made most of us pretty sleepy, yet we talked into the night, in subdued voices, until, contented and satisfied, we split up at our house and waved goodbye to the homegoers.

Eddy was a sleep, our things were laid out to dry, and the fire was ablaze. Our day was complete. A Valentine's success.

Okay, so I'm kinda being a copycat (lukasvandyke.com) but my brother had a good idea (and can I help it if I'm 1,000 days ahead of him?). His celebrating 120 years of marriage will probably be written off by most as the natural action of a newlywed, but why can't we oldlyweds be just as celebratory?

So, in the spirit of randomness and love, I'm committing to celebrating this day of marriage in the most elaborate and caring way I can on such short notice =)

I hope I can make your day so much brighter and smoother, Danny. Thank you for always being there for me, and for all you provide for our family.

I'll start by doing the dishes...then perhaps make some much-coveted egg bagels (yum!)...
Tonight is a little sketchy because of a possible group nightskiing outing so I'll just play that by ear...There's sure to be some fun on the spur of the moment...

Thank you, Lukas & Suzy, for being so in love and proud of it. You remind me of just how good I have it. And to the rest of you married folks, show some spontaneity and rejoice in the time you have together!

On a day when we were supposed to be traveling back to home and hearth, my husband and I were swept along with a big group of local skiers to Beaver Creek and my first ski of the season. What memories and joys came alive on the slopes that day! Even a mogul covered black diamond could not stop me on that day, and the snow was good and abundant. In a life lacking skis, a whole day at a first rate ski resort is sheer bliss.