Metal Meredith

So Busy

I have been so very busy, but it still feels like nothing is going on. How strange.

This past weekend I spent with my Mom and Sister having a much needed “Girls Weekend” in Dallas. We helped Michelle get settled in the new place. I always have fun organizing (as well as spending Mom’s money--hee hee), so it was nothing but a good time for me. I got home utterly exhausted from all the running around. Vivienne was lucky enough to spend a weekend with her Dad who showered her with affection and took her on many trips to Smoothie King and toy stores.

On Tuesday, I got word that Allie Scott, had died. She was a 9 month old baby girl that was diagnosed with Leukemia at 5 months old. I have been following her story for many months, as had thousands of others across the world. Her parents, Jenny and Andrew Scott, have taught me so much in such a short time about love, strength and grace. They have raised over $80,000 in Allie’s name for The Lymphoma and Leukemia Society‘s Light the Night Walks all over the US.

In honor of Allie, Vivienne and I spent Thursday afternoon together at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. We toured the Butterfly exhibit, where butterflies are flying freely around a big atrium filled with flowers and trees. Vivienne seemed to enjoy chasing them, but was much more fascinated with the beads that kept them from escaping. She tried her best to say the words, but all she could come up with was “bubbafluh” which, of course, is the new pronunciation of butterfly in our home.

Vivienne is full of surprises this weekend. On Friday night, while eating chicken strips, she starting saying “bawk bawk bawk”. I know that this sounds like nothing to the average person, but to Phil and I, we were floored. All of the sudden we realized that our kid was making some connections. She knew that a chicken went “bawk”. We took bought her a shirt with a puppy on it, only to have her point at it all day and proclaim “goggie” over and over. Wow, here we are just goofing off and our kid is learning every second. We were so happy, we bought her a chicken costume for Halloween. (That will certainly embarrass the heck out of her at 15- much to the delight of her parents!)

The State Fair is coming around the corner which also brings my Birthday. We will undoubtedly be taking the afternoon and evening of my birthday to see farm animals and eat gross carnival food like fried Snickers and Funnel Cake. There is nothing like a footlong corndog to say “Happy 32nd Birthday!”

Love and Kisses!
Meredith, Phil, and Vivienne