that groundhog wasn't kidding when he predicted an early spring. mid-february in our neck of the woods doesn't usually come with clear, blue skies and mid-fifty degree temperatures. long bike rides, golf balls driving into the field below and laughs in the yard with friends are usually reserved for late march. but we'll take it, because we know it won't last. i spent the beautiful weekend sweating for a variety of reasons.

first: my bible bump. otherwise known as a ganglion cyst. this beauty spontaneously appeared on my wrist one morning shortly after christmas. although not overly painful, more a nails-on-chalkboard type of reaction when touched, it was UGLY!!! i'd been given advice to bite it (what?!?), smash it with a bible (the old-school method) and just leave it be (uh...no). saturday morning i took the more humane approach and had it popped by a pro following a painful, burning steroid shot.

second: my children got all fancied up and went to church...without me. our move to our new home was done largley in part to get into a better neighborhood with great families. we did well. our children have lots of great friends with space to run and very dear neighbors who seems to like us unconditionally. i can't exactly describe how i was feeling when they headed out the door, but it was a mixture of nervousness and excitement, topped with a little bit of guilt. the two hour bike ride ripp and i went on helped alleviate most of it and replaced it with hunger instead. e has been quite a bit with my grandmother, but for the pill it was a first. he has had me laughing since sunday with his literal take on everything and what he learned while there. that is for another post. finally: e put me on the spot as we were getting her ready for church and with the don't-be-vague-i-know-you-are-not-telling-me-something look on her face she asked how babies really get into their mom's bellies. apparently the surface answers she has been getting are no longer enough. i looked at her innocent, sweet, honest face and swallowed the lump in my throat. as i was explaining that it takes a mom and a dad who are really in love and ready to have a baby, she chimed in with "and lots and lots of kissing?" that is when i told her that there is a really long conversation that we should have and that i think she is getting close to the age where she can handle it. me however, that is a different story. can't we just get back to belly looking ganglion cysts and the way they are formed and removed?