Dan

You may remember Dan Keane, one of Bill's dearest friends, from our wedding (July, 2005 - we look exactly the same, right?):

Well, Dan is one of the few people on earth that we would -- after staying out very late in Chapel Hill the night before and enjoying several adult beverages while we did -- break a sweat trying to get all four of us packed up, in the car, and on the road back to Charleston to see.  Especially because Dan is usually in Mexico or Bolivia or (now) Ann Arbor.  But on this particular Sunday, Dan and his girlfriend Jenny were in Charleston, and we were not going to let that occasion pass without a proper visit.

Dan and Jenny (September, 2011):

When Owen was born, Dan sent Owen a vest made of alpaca wool from Bolivia (November, 2008 - Owen, five weeks old, looks like a little bruiser, huh?):

Three years later, it is still one of his favorites and it -- somehow! -- still fits.  Pictured below: the vest giver and the vest receiver:

Love you, Dan.  Come back soon.

Cape Romain

One Saturday morning in early September, we drove up 17 to Cape Romain, a National Wildlife Refuge, to enjoy the gorgeous weather.  We stopped and picked up a bite to eat at Jack's Cosmic Dogs along the way (their slaw is out of sight, and their veggie dogs are quite good).

Bill and Owen enjoy their dogs by tailgate:

Here we are at Garris Landing looking out onto Sewee Bay:

Oftentimes on the weekend, we seek out a park or preserve of some kind, or we just find a place to be on the water.  It always leaves us feeling peaceful and grateful.  And, the glorious months of September through mid-December in Charleston are our handsome reward for making it through July and August, so it is important to take advantage.  And, on a day like this one, to drive a few miles to take in a view like this one:

We sat out on the end of the pier for a while, and Owen ran down and back until he was about to collapse.  Here is a video of the scene - there is a sweet moment at 1:40:

 

Love ya.

Time for School!

Every day in August, Owen would wake up and ask, "Do I go to school today?"  He knew August was the month.  We had had attended the ECDC Family Picnic; received a home visit from Owen's teacher, Ms. Stephanie; filled out reams of paperwork; picked up our parking decals and entry swipe cards; bought new clothes and new shoes; assembled a "nap bag;" readied the lunch box; and written "Russell" on everything we could think of.  We were as ready as we would ever be.  And, at the same time, we kind of felt like we might throw up.

Here is our baby boy on his first day of college preschool:

ECDC (the Early Childhood Development Center) is an amazing place.  It is the demonstration program and laboratory school for the College of Charleston's School of Education.  All of the classrooms have observation booth built in (sound-proof with one-way glass) and an open-door policy, so you can spend as much time in there as you like.  (The Director jokes that the observation booth is like a clown car the first week of school.)  And did I mention that my office is about a 2-minute walk from Owen's school?  Yep.  It is.  So, I considered it a major show of restraint that I only visited the observation booth three times on the first day.  And I only cried once.  (Bill and I walked him in together, handed him over to Ms. Stephanie, ran out of the school as fast as we could together, hugged, and I had a few quick tears on both our behalves.)

And here again, from the ECDC blog, is a collage of photos from the first day (Owen in the center with a big, green ball).