The Haggard Herald

I had chicken marinated.  It was going to be grilled.  But our evening plans changed.  And the next evening Matt and I were going out to dinner.  The next day I decided it was time for grilling.  But Matt didn't come home for lunch that day.  So I did it.  It was a little nerve racking.  I was worried about a big plume of fire igniting us all and the house on fire.  After making the girls watch me start the grill from the safety of inside I even got brave enough to hold Lucy while I turned the chicken over.  And I asked Maddie to take a picture (she took 13) of it so that I could remember the day I learned how to use the grill by myself. Side story: The girls and I had been playing out back most of the morning.  They were helping me wash our Florida shells (they had been sitting in zipped up bags and were still stinky).  Poor Lucy kept getting wet though.  After the third change of clothes she demanded "any! any!"...

Maddie and Lucy often have a great time together.  And when they are fighting, they still would way rather have each other than not.  When one is gone the other is lost.  These two complete each other and fulfill each other's needs--they have each other to play with and drive nuts and hug and tug and love and say sorry to and forgive--every day.  It is beautiful. Maddie's often the first one into Lucy's room when she starts to wake up in the morning and in the afternoons after naps. This morning Maddie ran in before me and then asked if Lucy could sit on her lap.  So she did.  And Maddie read her several books. Maddie decided it would be easier to read if Lucy was next to her instead of on top of her, so they moved to this position.  They stayed like this for a while, just looking at books together with Maddie reading, or singing, or pointing out all the different parts of each page and accompanying pictures. I'm so glad they have each other....

An app on Matt's phone makes these short videos of pictures and video he takes.  This one is for the month of February.  It includes puppet shows, Matt practicing the ukulele (he was trying to inspire Nate to learn to play it too), reading, playing at home, playing with Valentines at Grandma's house, camping in the great room, and early morning cuteness. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/OEH0GXAaIR8 (It won't upload, I think because of Matt's youtube preferences, but the link should work.)