Where have you been?

I remember how when I wrote my graduate school pedagogy (kind of like a "mission statement") I alluded to the fact that I find teaching English so desirable because, in life, people are always asking the question "where are you going?" But with English, language arts, and writing, one can truly explore the question of "where have you been?" It is imperative that, once in a while, we stop, reflect, and ponder the places we've been. These are pictures from about a year ago (give or take a couple of weeks....). So much has happened since last October.....

Callum absolutely loves his cousin Emma! He has her picture in one of his photo albums, and he always walks around carrying it and saying "Emma" over and over again. Back when this picture was taken, Callum didnt know an "Emma" from a Brontosaurus.....but now he is so much more aware of the people in his life. He has a very good memory, and as a testament to this, when he saw his Baa-Baa (great grandfather) for lunch yesterday, he got all excited and INSISTED that Baa-Baa change his diaper, show him the pumpkins, carry him around, etc. And he had not seen his Baa Baa for a couple of months. Also, Callum loves all his grandparents. He associates "ampy" with anything having to do with coffee. And he associates Nanna, Puppa, and mee-mee with anything having to do with the phone....

Look how chubby this kid was....

Looking through pictures from last year, it dawned on me that the Garners are about to celebrate their first wedding anniversary! That year went by fast, huh? This is a picture of Amanda and Michelle at the rehearsal dinner at the lovely bed and breakfast in Rangely. We had such a wonderful time during the whole event planning--from engagement to wedding day. And now, Michelle and Chris have their very own little pumpkin: Reid. We miss getting together with them....

Auntie KK and Uncle Twon came up last Halloween (Anthony and I enjoyed a couple of growlers of OPB while we gave out candy to 300 kids....), and they are planning on bringing Jackson on his "maiden voyage" to Maine THIS Halloween. Callum was a pumpkin last year--a very awkward, fussy, and amorphous pumpkin. This year, he'll be a duck (Amanda is sewing the costume as I write this) and six month old Jackson will be a pirate! Should be pretty neat...especially with the virtual "block party" we have with the Greenlaws in back of us, and, this year, the Shores right where Paul and Lucille used to live.....

My little pumpkin! Callum has started saying his name....when you ask him who he is or what his name is, he responds, with an ear to ear grin, that his name is "Al-man." You have to hear it to truly appreciate it.

I wonder what where we'll be NEXT October..........