Grand Opening! Library

 I went for a run and when I came home, Isabella announced that she wanted to build a library.

The first step was scouting out a location. By Isabella's orders there was only one prerequisite: It had to be high enough so little brother wouldn't destroy it. We settled on using the previously constructed fortress that Daddy built that morning.

Fortress was quickly converted to library using a few cubbies and filling them with books. I was assigned the task of sign-making for the Grand Opening

 under the direction of the dictator, er, contractor. I threw in a few library cards for free.

Apparently my sign lettering was too "fancy" and "lacked the proper conveyance of emotion". Isabella fixed that with some print letters and an exclamation point. Because everything! has! to! have! an! exclamation! point! when! you! are! six!

 She also added a snake -SSSSSS!

In addition to being a designer and builder, she also seems to have a strong sense of proprietorship.

She fashioned a scanner (to check out books) using a cardboard box and a red crayon. She provided the "beep beep" sounds. Old school.

Contractor, designer, AND she's the librarian. (Just know there is a two-book limit.)

 I suggested a "baby" section of the library for Matthew's use: Low level shelf stocked with books, a comfy cushion, and most importantly several feet away from the main library.

 Matthew licked his library card before it had a chance to dry.

 Then he found his favorite book at the library. What are the chances?!

The librarian must read, too. Of course.

What's in a Name?

The night before Mark and I found out that we were having a boy, we had a visit from an old friend, Matt Shaw. Matt (Matthew) was a missionary who served his mission for our church in Napa, back when I was pregnant with Isabella.  Mormon missionaries typically spend a few months in any area they are assigned to, and then are transferred around to work in various parts of the geographical boundaries covered by their mission. They meet lots of different people and families, but I would say, having served a mission, that there are very few people, in the 18 months or 2 years that you serve, with whom you truly bond, in part, because missionaries move around (by design) so much.

Matt Shaw, and his missionary companion, Roby McNeel, were an exception in the case of our family. It just so happened that they were transferred back to our area, and reassigned as companions (rare) and served in various leadership positions, which made it possible for them to be part of many life-changing experiences for our family.

To name a few:
They administered a blessing of health to Isabella when she was a newborn in the hospital.
They participated in her baby blessing.
They taught Mark the missionary lessons and were part of his baptism.
They helped us move-- twice.
They returned (after their missions) to be the official witnesses of our temple sealing.

Roby is now married and lives on his ranch in Wyoming. Matt has graduated from college and has been back to visit us a few times in the past couple of years.

When he came to our house the night before I was to have my ultrasound, Mark and I said nothing to him about the fact that we knew that there was a chance our baby would have Down syndrome. It just seemed too emotional, despite the fact that Matt Shaw had seen us through so many personal events in our lives.

The following morning, Mark and I drove out to Oakland for our appointment. When we were finished, we knew two things about our baby: 1) we were having a boy and 2) something wasn't right with him. The ultrasound showed two abnormalities and the doctors shocked us with the possibility that our baby could have a very serious, even fatal genetic condition.

Mark and I stood stunned in the parking garage waiting for our car to be brought to us. Mark wrapped his arms around me and asked me if I'd thought of any names for a boy.

"No." I told him. It was too hard for me to think about it in that moment.

Then Mark said, "What about Matthew?"

That made me smile. I loved Mark's sentiment and knew that our baby could be named after someone very special to our family.  I told Mark that was a great suggestion, but I really felt our baby needed a strong name since he might have a lot of things working against him in this life.

When we returned home, I researched the meaning of the name 'Matthew'. It is a Hebrew name, whose meaning is: 'Gift of God'.  I did not need to think on it anymore.

That was our last visit from Matt Shaw until this past week, when we got a phone call from him that he was in town.

Matthew finally got to meet Matthew!

Happy Day!

Kindergarten Promotion

On June 5, 2014, Isabella was promoted to the First Grade! Honestly I can't say I'm sold on the whole Kindergarten Promotion thing, but then I saw my little girl walk out in a blue graduation cap made of a plastic bowl, elastic, and a yarn tassel. She wore her "Madeline" dress, which is a hand-me-down dress from Daysha that she usually wears to climb trees. That sight was so precious to me; she's so little but growing up so fast! Make it stop, please!

They called each child's name and said a few things about them:

Isabella's favorite food is watermelon.

She loves jumping on her trampoline.

When Isabella grows up. she wants to be a veterinarian.

Good friends.

Isabella loves school. She loves to read. Writing is hard and so is JiJi Math, sometimes. Kindergarten was very tiring, especially as the year came to a close, but I'm so grateful for the good experiences she had and the teachers who helped her to grow this year. She did it! I'm also very excited for her to have a fun, restful summer.

Memorial Day

For several years now, we have always gone MV for Memorial Day festivities, but this year, we got to be part of the parade!! (As did the generations of our family. Here are pictures from the float of Grandpa Accampo and Dad from their service days in the Army).

 This Vet got to drive the truck.

And his posterity got to ride on the float.

 How did we get so lucky to take part in the parade? 

Answer: The Methodists of Mill Valley

My parents' church is on a mission to end malaria (Yes, that would be a giant mosquito on top of the truck that Dad is driving). They asked us to join them in walking in the parade and handing out candy. We knew someone who would be perfect for the job: 

She Who Loves Candy (and coincidentally She Who Always Has at Least 6 Mosquito Bites at Any Given Time): Isabella Claire Holsten.

Isabella actually had more fun giving out candy than getting candy and THAT was a great lesson learned.

 Matthew had an important job in the parade too.

 Cheering

 and making fishy faces. As it turns out, Matthew LOVES parades--especially when he is in them (and especially when he thinks everyone on the sidelines is cheering for him. Float? What float?)

 We love Mill Valley. And the Veterans. And the Methodists. We do not like the mosquitoes.

 Thanks for the fun!!