The boys in Jamaica, Spring 2005
The boys in the Turks & Caicos Islands, Spring 2006Tonight at the dinner table we were dreaming aloud about vacation. Braydon and I were talking about various islands of the Caribbean that we’d like to explore. Owen was talking about “our family — Mommy, Papi, Kyle and Owen — going on a big airplane on vacation.” Kyle was talking about “on vacation we be going in the ocean, deep in the water with the fishes, big waves, salty in the eyes!” It was sweet family vacation day-dreaming together. It was fun. At one point I said to Braydon, Kyle, and Owen: “Hey guys, so, do you want luxury or adventure?” There was a pause. Braydon thought about it. Owen looked up with a blank face, then ate more lasagna. Kyle turned, looked me in the eyes, and said: “Luxury and adventure!” 
NOW THAT’S MY BOY!!!
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This time of year Braydon and I always start dreaming of vacation. We have an annual tradition of vacationing in the spring — after the school year ends. We started this when we were both in graduate school and we had no money. We’d save and save and store up our loose change and plan and scheme for how we could do a vacation on the cheap. Then we’d hit the road for the 18-hour drive in a car with no air conditioning to Charleston, South Carolina. I remember it was a really big deal for us one year because my dad gave us his Mobil card and said he’d pay for our gas money. We stayed in a super cheap but very clean no-frills Hampton Inn hotel — we chose it partly because it was really inexpensive (since it was located relatively far from the beach) and partly because it served a “continental breakfast” (cereal and milk) as part of the room rate. We used to eat that breakfast in the lobby with the truck drivers every morning before we’d head off for the day. We’d pack our own food and eat on the beach for lunch. We used to bring $200 cash with us for the entire week. We had that and only that, and we made it stretch for all of our dinners and all of our spending money. We’d read books and nap in the sun and get really tan. We’d unwind from the year and plot our future. We talked about the high’s and the low’s of the past 12 months and all that we hoped for in whatever was to come in the next year. It was a little slice of heaven. And we’d come home refreshed and loaded with good memories.
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We began to diverge from that Charleston vacation trip as soon as Braydon graduated with his doctorate. He got a “real job” that paid seriously good money… and that spring we took our annual vacation up a notch. We still went to Charleston, and we still drove the car with no air conditioning, but we stayed in a fancy resort. The place had nice rooms and a beautiful pool and it was right on the water. We got a taste of the good life and we liked it. Our first really incredibly divine vacation was the following year — to the Dominican Republic. Next we went to Riviera Maya in Mexico. Once we both had finished our doctorates, and were both making good money, our spring vacations just got better and better. We went back to Mexico a couple times, we travelled cross-country through France, we went with friends to a couples-only resort in Jamaica. In our late 20s/early 30s we travelled quite a bit throughout the year, but those spring trips remained our major milestone yearly event — a cornerstone of each passing year. We always did the same thing— we’d read books and nap in the sun and get really tan. We’d unwind from the year and plot our future. We talked about the high’s and the low’s of the past 12 months and all that we hoped for in whatever was to come in the next year. It was a little slice of heaven. And we’d come home refreshed and loaded with good memories.
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Now that we have the boys we’ve kept our spring vacation a constant. Our first year, when the boys were just barely 12 months old, we went to Jamaica. And then last year, the week after they turned two, we went to the Turks & Caicos Islands. We are currently in the throws of major research to figure out where we’ll go this year. It’s different now. Instead of looking for resorts with spas or golf courses or scuba centers or cigar bars we’re looking for “child-friendly” with kitchenettes and washing machines and safe beaches and room service. All new needs now, but I still love the process of figuring it all out just as much. It is a fun decision to make. A luxurious and embarrassingly blessed position we find ourselves in. Ultimately, though, it really doesn’t matter where we are because this year we will do the same thing we always do, regardless of location: We’ll read books and nap in the sun and get really tan. We’ll unwind from the year and plot our future. We will talk about the high’s and the low’s of the past 12 months, and all that we hope for in whatever will come in the next year. If all goes well, it will be a little slice of heaven. And we’ll come home refreshed and loaded with good memories. All four of us.
After Mor Mor & Mor Far left today we went to Panera for lunch and Lowe’s to get some birdseed. At Lowe’s, naturally, we had to sit on the riding lawn mowers (first things first of course), then we got the bird seed and then we looked at the washer and dryers.
While we were browsing the washing machines a nice black family came up and starting chatting with us and smiling at the boys. Both O & K pounded (when you hit your fist on the other person’s fist) with them as a way of saying hi.
Then as we were heading to the checkout line Owen exclaimed: “Look, it’s just like Joy-Lin!” and pointed to a cute young Asian girl with her mother. Joy-Lin is the Chinese adopted daughter of Chris and Lisa.
After passing them, Owen then points to a middle-age white woman and states: “Look, it’s just like Amy!” Amy is our great neighbor who is white.
This all took place in the span of 3 minutes or less. And they are not even 3 yet.
K & O are starting to recognize numbers – 1, 2, 3, 4…. And even the letters O, K and sometimes M and P.
And they evidently recognize R, even if they don’t yet recognize the letter.
MorFar & Owen last nightThis is MorFar’s Second Time Guest Blogging!
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MORFAR BLOGGING
Well, it’s been another wonderful and active visit here at the Johnson-McCormick household. In just a few weeks Owen and Kyle have grown in some very noticeable ways. The most noticeable, from my point of view, has been the way they are now talking with each other, scheming with each other, laughing with each other, and playing with each other. It’s fun to watch them. Even more fun to get on the floor and roll around with them, play airplanes with them, and try to keep up with the energy level. Of course, keeping up with the energy level by me, soon to pass a very significant milestone birthday (I can’t remember which one!) is a losing battle. It was rather interesting working with Kyle and Owen to blow out the birthday candles thanks to Heather who had un-extinguishable candles placed on the cake. It was delivered to me with too many candles burning and too much of the frosting already nibbled by quite a few anxious fingers. Everything about our visit was terrific – the great dinner out while Alex babysat, the great dinner in of beef Wellington prepared by master chef Janet, Little Gym, the sidewalk lunch on a beautiful, warm, Saturday afternoon in New Hope, the ride on a real train, and everything in this busy, joyful, full-of-life family. We’re already looking forward to the next visit.
MorMor & Kyle tonight
This is MorMor’s 3rd Post as Guest Blogger!
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It’s been a great few days living life with the Johnson-McCormick family… it seems like the boys are changing tremendously from month to month these days. It’s hard to remember they are only 2 when you watch them ride scooters down the hill in the driveway, hear them count and recognize numbers and letters, play steel drums like the “African Drummers” or the trumpet like the “marching band”. Sweet Kyle is so special. He kisses and hugs with such love in his heart, when he snuggles with me it’s wonderful! His smile when he looks at me makes my heart skip a beat he’s so cute! I am so proud to have him as my very own grandson. Endearing Owen is so special. He’s developed quite the sense of humor and likes to make people laugh! He constantly makes up a story and ends it with “just kidding”. He’s really funny these days! When he looks at me it melts my heart. How proud I am to be his MorMor. Heather and Braydon are wonderful parents and an amazing team. Lots of time and hard work go into their work jobs and yet they together are raising these adorable, smart, athletic, energetic, little guys. Life is so very good!
Really we kind of live two lifestyles. Lifestyle #1 takes place the vast majority of the time. In that life we live as a dual-career family of four with no extended family anywhere within a day’s drive. We spend a lot of time as a foursome and we do a lot of stuff together. Lifestyle #1 is a rich and full life. It is a crazy, but good life. Lifestyle #2 takes place when my parents visit — which is usually about every 8-10 weeks or so. When they come they usually stay for several days or even up to two weeks. They live with us. In this life we live as a multi-generational household. We eat meals together, all pitch in with cooking and clean-up, and all love on Kyle and Owen round-the-clock. My mom does the laundry. My dad does lawn-work. We all take turns going grocery shopping and running errands and checking our email and doing daycare drop-off and pick-up. The four adults try to keep up with our work and go to meetings and field phone calls. The two toddlers go to daycare shorter-than-usual days and at home they keep us all on our toes with their antics and wild behavior. After the boys go to bed we watch TV and chat. On the weekends we go to Little Gym and try to do at least one big daytrip or outing. We all come and go and work and play. Lifestyle #2 is a rich and full life. It is a crazy, but good life. #1 and #2 are neither better or worse than each other — just drastically different lifestyles. Both drastically different, but both drastically good lifestyles.
Owen and MorMor and Kyle, July 2005This my week #2 for our blog’s contribution to “Love Thursday” (click here for explanation). This photo just warms my heart because of how much love it shows. At least for me, in looking at it, I can almost even feel the love just seeping through. It was a hot July day — this photo was taken on our back porch late in the afternoon. The boys absolutely adored my mother from the very start. And of course, she absolutely adored them from the start too. Despite the fact that it is long distance, the three of them have a very special — and loving — relationship. Happy Love Thursday everyone!
We got home from Atlanta at 11pm on Monday night. We were all drained from the trip, and Braydon had a bit of a flu bug (which I now have too). The refrigerator was empty. I had not even the faintest of a plan for meals for the week. And there’s a lot going on with work right now for both Braydon and I. But… not to worry!!!… MorMor is Back!!!!!! She arrived yesterday afternoon with a car full of groceries and a heart full of energy. God, what would I do without my mother? I feel so fortunate, so blessed, and so so so grateful for her in our lives. And of course the boys are in HEAVEN when she is here. And putting this all over the edge — putting us all on Cloud 900 — my dad arrives tonight! We get to have MorMor and MorFar with us until Sunday morning. It feels blissful.
Owen with Sea Otters at the Georgia Aquarium
Kyle with Grandpa Robert on the Front Porch
The boys in Jamaica, Spring 2005
The boys in the Turks & Caicos Islands, Spring 2006
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