Big Night 2013

Last night was our 3rd year to go on Big Night in Small Town, ME.  

 The weather conditions apparently fit:  in the 40's and enough rain to make the streets wet. The email was sent out at 12:40, but I didn't see it until after 5.  That's when I scrambled around to contact our friends (one family that I met at my first Big Night went to our church, and she invited me...needless to say, she is one of my favorite people!) to give them the heads-up.  Unfortunately, we never really know when Big Night is, because the conditions have to be 'just right'...

So after wrangling our family together, we dashed out the door to grab a quick bite at McDonalds and meet our friend there.  After a 'fast eat' we drove to the LEA...only to see no-one there.  UGH!  Through a quick email, I learned that I misread the email (sorry again Serena!) and plenty time to wait...

After a while, people started showing up and filling up the small LEA room.  We received our instructions and then...we were off!

I was skeptical because I didn't think that it had rained enough, but apparently, the LEA staff knows what they are doing!

So many Spring Peepers were found, a handful (pun intended?) of Salamanders, a slug (that B nearly stepped on in front of the LEA leader...), and a 4-toed salamander (told that they were rare but several have a ton in their home area).  A very fruitful night!

I helped cross 3 peepers (2 found by Cary and B--who ADORED the frogs!).  2 peepers apparently thought I was too sweet to let go, though, and one almost unwillingly came home with me because he jumped onto me and I couldn't find him...thankfully he jumped on my galoshes and not inside!

I also found a salamander on his way onto the road, so with the help of Nancy, I got him across.  Cary and B were too far ahead because I was hoping to get B to carry him over, but that's okay.  We'll have the chance to do it again!

On the way home, there were several peepers on the road, hopefully Cary avoided.  However, he slammed his foot on the brakes (not literally!) when he found this guy:

I got out of the car and told him that he was lucky that I knew what I was doing (ha!) and picked him up and carried him across the road to safety.  Though he had a great chance of making it across himself, it was not worth trying...he's so purdy!

The hardest part of last night was that my dad was not here to participate...however, he'll be here soon, and the weather looks perfect AGAIN, so we might be going out to save more peepers, frogs, and salamanders!!!

Big Night Take II

April has been good to our little town here in Maine!  On Sunday evening, we got to experience our second Big Night in 2012, which is the night that the weather is perfect for amphibians to try to migrate to their vernal pool to reproduce:  this particular vernal pool though is located by a busy road, so we help the critters move across to try to keep them from being squashed.  It proved to be fruitful for the little critters that decided to wait to cross the road this night.

According to the leaders of the night, we helped over 12 spotted salamanders, 20 spring peepers, a handful of wood frogs, green frogs and bullfrogs, and a four-toed salamander!

We had a police officer walk with us as we 'hunted', and at one point, he pulled over a vehicle that was trying to drive past, only to  later have another police car go down to where they were...and even a little later than that, the walking police officer retrieved his car and went whizzing by back to the scene!

I unfortunately didn't get to see many peepers, green frogs, bullfrogs, or the four-toed salamander as I ended up straggling behind and helping a couple of salamanders.  Cary and Brylee, further ahead than I was with our friends Nancy and Kyle, saw more stuff!

You can't really see them, but this picture is of Cary and B:  both real troopers in going along on this late, chilly, and rainy night!

This is how we found B when we got home.  I just wish it wasn't so blurry when I took it, because she woke up immediately after I took it...

Two Days Of Pre-Easter...And A Day Of Storms

April 2nd:

Our typical day.  Wake up, eat breakfast, play, eat lunch, nap, play... you get the idea.  Except it wasn't typical with our Playgroup's Easter Egg hunt!  Oh fun!

So many eggs!  So much fun!  We took 42 filled eggs to the group to walk away with 14...but this momma isn't complaining...we have so many more from B's t, poppy, and granny j, not to mention I have several to dye today!

April 3rd:

Tuesday, things were a bit more stressful for this Texas-to-Maine transfer:

A package arrived here from my parents that they wanted to watch B open that evening, so on my way to pick up the package from Cary (he wasn't going to be home in time to skype with my family due to late nights with tax season) when I received a message from a friend stating that there have been reports of 5 tornadoes in Dallas.

And of course my reaction was, 5?  today?

 

(image found on washingtonpost.com)

On my way home, I called my dad and asked how it was out his way and he was on the way to the fire station to watch the weather.  And as soon as I got home, I tuned into wfaa.com and watched with stress as tornado warnings kept being given for all of the towns I knew, video footage of tornadoes ripping through the DFW area, and trying to make sure all of my family and friends were safe.

By the end of the day, a dozen tornadoes hit the area, a large portion of my friends and family had to take cover twice, there was hail damage on several vehicles, and my heart had a workout without even turning on Prayfit...

The biggest blessing is that there were no serious injuries to anyone that was hit by the storms (maybe a broken neck?  that's pretty serious though...).  Homes and businesses, and 18 wheelers were damaged, but much more easily replaced than a loved one.

So the evening was much more relaxing and allowed us to experience this:

And on Wednesday, I got this beautiful bouquet:

 

I joked with mom when I called her to say 'thank you' that I was glad that nothing bad had happened to my family with the storms the previous day and then received these from the next...

But truly, no matter what possessions and packages I receive, nothing compares to that of my family and friends, and the storms on Tuesday reminded me of what really is important to me.  I thank God for keeping all of them safe!

How Do You Spell Chaos?

Try 2 computers in 2 homes, all of them being on Skype at the same time.  Yep.  T and Poppy got to watch B from 2 angles last week when Cary and my dad mischievously decided to add in an additional call to their own computers, causing B to run around, sing, play the recorder and drums...and lots and lots of echoing...

A Difference Of Two Years

Not Your Normal Weekend

Well, normal weekends don't exist this time of year for us right now, as they consist of Cary and Brenda working every day until tax season is over (come on April something!!!)

This weekend, however, was pretty fun and different, starting with celebrating Brenda's birthday with lunch, presents and turtle cheesecake! Somehow I managed to get zero pictures of her gifts, which consisted of 2 necklaces, a ton of blueberry stuff, and an electric griddle!  Cary, did you get any?  If so, send them this way!

However, I did manage to get pictures of me earning some 'Cool Mom' points with Brylee by getting her a bubble gun:

Sunday turned out to be a potential for some great amphibian crossings with the temperatures in the forties and raining nearly all day.  So after going to youth group that night, Cary, Brylee and I went to kill 30ish minutes at Dunkin Donuts getting hot chocolate and of course, donuts!

 And then it was on to Big Night with the LEA, a night where we assist amphibians like Yellow Spotted Salamanders, Wood Tree Frogs, and Spring Peepers in crossing the road so that they can get to their vernal pool to reproduce without getting squished by cars.

Big Night ended up being 'Not-So-Big-Night' with us only finding 3 critters to cross the road, but that means there is some great potential for another Big Night when we get out of the drizzling snow and rain in the 30's during the day thing. 

We found 2 salamanders (the other begged for 'no photos please!':

I found this guy while waiting for a car to pass!

Brylee seemed to have fun with us, riding on her daddy's shoulders and helping us spot cars so that none of us got hit by one.  I do hope she got the opportunity to see the critters and someday she'll be ready to walk along with us and spot them herself.

I can't wait for the next Big Night!!!

Cary's Birthday

A month ago, the greatest man that has graced my life had another birthday!

And we celebrated in style, including visiting the Portland Museum of Art:

(No pictures allowed...)

And by having our typical birthday lunch with his parents where he got coffee:

Gift cards (and several more from my family!!!)

And a little mug that Brylee painted and decorated!

I am so behind on writing out a post for him, but I hope that my non-blog things show him how much I love him and think the world of him.

Happy (belated blog post) birthday Cary!  And here's to many more!

All We Wanted Was To Go Out To Breakfast...

And this is what happened:

We got stuck...

 Take 2 (in my car this time)...

And made it only partially up our road (tracks pretty much end at the house)...

So this was our breakfast for Saturday morning...

Cheers!

(No worries...the snowplow 'rescued' Cary about noon that day so he could go into work...but it was a nice way to spend time together, just the two of us until we could get out and try to retrieve Brylee from her grandparents.)

One Year In New Life, ME

Yesterday marked one year since Cary and I drove our cars from our final hotel stay in New York to Maine. 

One year ago today, my parents made the plane trip with our little one to this new and slightly foreign world.

 (Brylee 1 year ago)

One year ago this weekend, I felt more floods of emotions than I could ever imagine as I saw our new home, began the (fun) task of unpacking, celebrated a birthday, and then bid good-bye to my parents for several months, only seeing them sporadically through the year.

In that year, I battled depression, gained weight, stepped out of my comfort zone, found new weekly rituals, found a new church, joined a playgroup, got involved in church, met some wonderful new people of all ages, from smiley, drool-y Addison and Hosea and their older friends and siblings, to their moms, to the youth and elders at our church.

My new friends have been the greatest gift in this new journey so far. 
 
I have also learned that even though I was close to my parents, I have learned what it means to truly miss them and make the most of our visits together.  I have also somehow come closer to other family outside my parents, even reconnecting with an aunt I have not really had a conversation with in several years. 

I have also reconnected with a longtime passion:  writing.  As of this morning, I am 38,000 words in on a story I am bound and determined to complete, get advice on, and maybe, just maybe, see if it is worth publishing.  

And the new life has also been made incredible by the man I have promised the rest of my life with.  He has comforted me in my hardest times, laughed with me at my silly stories, and taken me on adventures to the surrounding towns/cities, to hockey games, and discovering more small town joys together.  He and his parents have been great sources of strength for me, and incredibly helpful in so many ways.

During this past year, I have learned how to appreciate life without chain restaurants within 30 minutes (Dunkin Donuts and Subway are the only ones in our little town), learned how to adjust to places closing at 5 p.m. (or for the entire season) in the winter months, and to drive in snow, long stretches of two-lane highway, and realizing that the majority of people live off some beaten paths instead of close to the main roads.  We have just moved into our second (rental) home, 10 minutes off of the main road.  Whoever knew this area existed?!

It's not unusual for me to have my rough times here, but if I had made us stay in Texas, I know I would be kicking myself for denying us an opportunity of what has been so far a great adventure.  I have no idea what the future holds for us, but for now, even when it is the hardest, I will turn to our Lord and know that I am not weak for missing my family intensely, just someone who learned how to love and appreciate what she had and struggled a little to let go.

 (Brylee today)

However, that being said, I am truly looking forward to my trip back to my hometown in May, to enjoy visiting with my wonderful family and celebrate life and adventures with them.