sisterly love

My baby sister is all grown up.

Today, she's moving to Denmark.

Hannah has always been the smartest of us Palm kids. We're all nerds, but her nerdiness outshines even my brother's newest Ti-89 graphing calculator. And the fact that I know what a Ti-89 graphing calculator is.

Anyway, that smartness has propelled her into intellectual areas I'd never be brave enough to touch. How about four AP classes her senior year? How about getting a perfect score on each one of those AP tests? How about attending a prestigious college and taking organic chemistry? Getting grades that make o-chem look as easy as bowling-101?

Need I even mention that I'm pretty proud of her? For a college-dropout like myself, she more than makes up for my lack of academic achievements. She's our family's own shining star.


So she's moving to Copenhagen. To study abroad for a couple months and see the world in the process. The difference between Hannah and the rest of us? She actually does the things she's always dreamed of doing. She's going to be a pediatrician, which means my siblings and I will be fighting over which of our home-towns she'll be moving to someday. Wanting her to take care of our kids in all her loving-ness and that smart-ness I've been bragging about.

But in the meantime, Europe gets to house our Hannie for a spell. And while I can't stand the thought of not seeing her for four months--my boo, my lovey love--I'm so excited for her and for this adventure she's brave enough to embark on by herself.

I just wish Denmark and Redding were a LITTLE bit closer to each other.

two weddings and a baby

Seems like we're always out-of-town these days.

Some of our trips have been obligation trips. But most have been "because we really really want to be there" trips. Last weekend was one of those.

We drove down to San Jose Thursday night and got to hang out with my brother and sister-in-law at the old Bux for a couple hours. Enjoying a few laughs over lattes. Then we headed to my in-laws where we were met with some pretty freakin' cool news--I'm going to be an aunt thanks to Matt and Anna's mad baby-making skills. I started crying right away, as did all the other women there, one of which can at least blame it on pregnancy hormones. But really, our little Moseley fam couldn't be more thrilled to be welcoming another tiny member.

Friday we attended one of the ritziest (is that a word?) weddings I've probably ever been to. And thankfully I didn't have to chase a little munchy munchkin around the whole time, since we dropped precious Goobie off with my parents that morning. But really, the wedding was gorgeous and made my own nuptual affair seem more WalMart-status next to this wedding's Martha Stewart-ness. There were even pearls hanging from trees.

I loved being a part--the bride is a Moseley family friend who Marty grew up with and I knew from church. The highlight, though? A fellow guest admitting to me that she wasn't wearing underwear, another admitting that her thong was riding up her butt, and Matt, my brother-in-law, chasing down the appetizer trays on behalf of his adorably pregnant wife.

Later, on the dance floor, I tried to shake it and failed miserably. I should really stop trying--I STILL look like a duck trying to whistle when I dance.

Saturday held wedding number two in honor of one of my dearest friends from high school, Mrs. Mary Christine Virginia Baynhem Pitts Wilcox. No joke. But my sweet Christie looked fabulous.

The festivities were held in Monterey, so my best friend from high school, Amanda, and her husband Ryan, tagged along with Marty and I in our beastly truck. On the way there, we had to stop and pee, a detour during which one of our Amanda and Becky Adventures readily ensued. Seriously, weird things happen to us. Let's just say we laughed so hard we almost had to pee all over again. Icky icky.

Funny how when I hang out with my high school buds, it's easy to revert back to my goofy, slightly annoying and loud-mouthed high school self. My pal Nathan was there, and we enjoyed laughing over watery margaritas and salted rims on plastic cups. Laughing AT the people who were drunk within five minutes of us being there, the people who cheered at every little thing and tried to dance while holding their beer. Beats us trying to entertain ourselves in ninth grade by dressing up like Christian punks and walking the local mall.

So walking back to our car in Monterey, even if we weren't walking in a straight line, we passed California's very first theater. And being the drama buff that I am, I had to stop and pose. See, I played the leading lady in all of my high school's musicals, and most of the plays we performed. If ever you want some quality blackmail on me, my mom still has a video tape of me belting out a song or two as Little Orphan Annie, curly red wig and all. Broadway, I'd kiss your hand if you had one to kiss.

So, fun weddings and fun times. Marty and I looked fabulous in our get-up. We bought Marty a suit for his birthday, so technically a "birthday suit". Gray and a paisley black silk tie and a good-smelling-ness. I wore an adorable pink silky vintage dress, and at least tried to get my hair to cooperate and be twisted and pulled off to the side to complete my vintage look. Blood, sweat, and bobby pins notwithstanding, I think we really can dress up when we bother putting in the effort.

So, Sunday. Lunch at my parents' house. Yellow shirts. All my sisters lovingly patting each other's legs.

After a long but very fun weekend, we headed home to celebrate a little alone time. Yes, we were sad to leave.

But considering our track record so far this summer, another getaway is on the horizon. Four are coming up within the next month to be exact. So if you come a-knockin' and we don't come a-answerin', we're probably off enjoying another rendevous.

Let's hope they're all as good as this one was. With just as many puke-flavored smoothies and shoe-matchy emergencies. Sigh.

our trip back east...

Let's just say it'll be a while before we fly with our little munchkin again. But our trip to Pennsylvania and the fun we had visiting with family was worth a fussy baby, diaper explosion mid-air, and a couple tears shed by a very tired Mommy.

Anyway, instead of boring you with every tiny detail of our trip, I thought I'd just post a couple (okay, a lot) of my favorite pictures from our journey, with a little explanation underneath to clarify what's going on. And yes, I'm related to every single one of the people you'll see. Kind of crazy when your family can't all fit in the hotel swimming pool at the same time. We had to cool off in shifts.

So scroll on down to meet my crazy family. Could I love them any more than I already do?

little Marty covered with strawberry Pop-Tart goo after Mommy thought it would be a good idea to hand him one on the drive down to San Jose

hanging out with Unkie at the airport, despite a bit of a height difference

Auntie Ruthie taught him how to pull the airplane window shade up and down--kept him occupied for at least half an hour

holding on tight during our bus ride to the car rental place

we thought he could use a little boost the morning after we arrived at the hotel

with sister Grace, cousin Clara, sister Hannah, sister Laura, cousin Sara Beth, cousin Candace, and cousin Kathleen--just a few of the lovely ladies

loving my cousin Neal

my aunts made these bracelets in honor of my cousin Gordie who passed away in February--they even had a little one made for the baby

playing bocci ball with cousins Billy, Eddie, Rusty, Christopher ("Wrong ball, Becky!"), and my brother Ben

pairing up for the water balloon toss

even the baby wanted to throw a water balloon

posing with cousin Veronika, his babysitter for the weekend
(we popped a water balloon over the baby's head to cool him off in the horrible humidity--he started to cry at first, but once everyone cheered for him he yelled, "Yay!")

lovey-dovey at my Grandy's 80th birthday party

someone really enjoyed the birthday cake

with my cousin Alli, who I just adore and wanted to take home

Grandy and Papa Bill with all the cousins

holding my cousin Hudson and little Marty, both big Elmo fans--they're a year apart but there's a whole generation between them

with my Aunt Susie, a fellow new mom--we had fun chatting about sleeping habits, discipline, and the joy of raising boys

wearing his fireman pajamas with his great-grandpa's old fire helmet from when Papa Bill served at Ohio's Euclid firehouse

posing with Grandy, the birthday girl

playing the slots during our layover in Vegas--my brother actually won a couple bucks

so tired and sleepy after a fun weekend

Da-Benchers Da-Bodessy

God bless the Josephs.

I had to drive down to San Jose this morning. Long drive. And when running on just four hours of sleep, one can tend to be pretty incoherent. Needless to say, I was nervous about manning such a huge vehicle. My dad always says, "A car in tired hands is a dangerous weapon."

And I'm a driver-talker. I like to interact while I drive so that my mind stays sharp instead of drifting off into a daydream. That's when the car starts to veer off the highway. And since the only person I had to talk to on the way down was a thirteen-month-old who latest vocabular acheivment was saying "geck-um" for "your welcome", I knew I was in for a long four hours.

But God bless the Josephs.

Growing up, my siblings and I used to listen to "Adventures in Odyssey". It's this radio show put on by Focus on the Family, a Christian organization that appeals to young families. It follows a group of characters living in a town called Odyssey (go figure), and chronicles their adventures and the Biblical lessons learned along the way. Cheesey? You bet.

But I recently learned that our family wasn't the only one following the happenings at Whit's End, and what Connie and Eugene were up to day after day. The Josephs, Candace's family, grew up listening to the same cassette tapes, and actually still own every single episode on CD.

So I decided to borrow a couple series and see if it would make my time in the car go by any faster. My freakin' goodness. I got so wrapped up in each episode that I was actually kind of bummed when I pulled up to my parents' house. I wanted to sit in the car for a couple extra minutes to find out what the Indian Prime Minister thought of the Edulink that John Avery and little Marvin created to bring both education and the Gospel message to millions in Asia.

Mission accomplished. Thanks to a certain little radio show, I actually enjoyed my long drive, and look forward to the ride home.

Of course, I feel a little silly admitting that I got so much out of a children's program that originated sometime in the 80s or early 90s. But if I can rock an Amy Grant "Heart in Motion" CD without shame, I must be more confident in my love of the Christian oldies than I realized.

I mean, who doesn't love a good Sandi Patti or Twila Paris tune anyway?

oh happy day (oh happy daaaaay)

Ever have those days that couldn't have gone any better even if you planned it?

Friday was Marty's last day working at American Eagle. Hooray! Long story, but we are so thankful to have gotten him out of there. We surprised him with brownies in the food court after he finished his very last shift. The bright blue icing on them read, "Suck it, AE!" Complete with a picture of an eagle crossed out. I swear, Candace has a gift for all things cake-y.

How fun for Marty to be surrounded by good friends as we closed that rather sucky chapter. Bobby and Candace were there of course, the Brams stopped by, we happened to run into the Browns and Shirleys, and my brother Ben and his wife Laura drove up from San Jose for the big moment. Four hours in the car just so they could surprise Marty on his last day. If that's not love, I don't know what is.

That night, Marty, Ben, Laura, and I enjoyed a feast fit for a king. Or fit for a guy moving on to a bigger and better job. We had meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes, Ceasar salad, stuffed mushrooms, Smirnoff galore, and angel food cake with strawberries for dessert. I enjoyed feeling like a little culinary wifey for once. Our time that evening was spent riding Marty's scooter around the neighborhood and laughing our butts off at the stupid people eating dirt, or mud rather, on "Wipeout". And since we all bought something new at American Eagle in order to take advantage of Marty's discount, we felt purty. We were having so much fun, we even forgot it was the 4th of July!

It really was a perfect day. Really. I think I said that about a hundred times as we enjoyed hour after hour of fun and laughter. Thanks, Ben and Laura, for being so precious to us, and for making Marty feel loved and valued during this time of transition.

Now we just need to make some brownies that say "Suck it, four-hour drive seperating the Palms and Moseleys".

"Lord, beer me strength."

Little "Office" quote for ya.

But boy, does this little prayer ring true for me today. Why is it that whenever I have a huge trip coming up, I think about packing at least a week in advance, but never actually pack until the night before? And with a baby in tow, I'm responsible for twice as much crap.

This Wednesday, little Marty man and I are driving down to San Jose. Actually, I'll be doing the driving. He'll just sit in his carseat like a good little boy (fingers crossed). We'll spend the night with my parents, then fly out to Pennsylvania at 7:30am the next morning. Goo. Husband Marty will join us a day later.

So what awaits back east? A huge family reunion with all the relatives on my mom's side. That's 2 grandparents, 10 aunts, 11 uncles, 31 cousins, and 1 second cousin. And a couple significant others who are brave enough to "meet the fam". Of course those numbers don't include the 11 of us that are heading out there from sunny California--my mom, dad, brother and his wife, three sisters, one boyfriend, and us three Moseleys. It's crazy, but I love the chaos.

We typically rent out a whole floor at a local hotel, and hang out in one of their conference rooms while we're there. We do talent shows, so all my cousins, ranging in age from 27 to 2, can show off their latest mad skills. Maybe I'll demonstrate how to change a poopy diaper using only one scented baby wipe. A feat worthy of a little attention if I do say so myself. We'll also hang out by the pool, and get dressed up one evening for a fancy dinner at a nearby restaurant. My Grandy is turning 80 this year, so we get to celebrate her life and the legacy she's created with her many descendants.

Which brings me to the packing I should be doing right now. This will mark our baby's very first trip on an airplane, so packing for a plane ride is a whole different story than our usual San Jose excursions. I don't really know where to start, but thankfully have recieved some great plane advice from a pro (thanks, Beckie). With ziplocs full of snacks in one hand and a brand new Mr. Potato Head toy in the other, I feel armed and ready. Gulp. I'm freaking out in my head.

But today's silver lining is one that will surely carry me through the stress I'll face over the next couple days in trying to get everything ready. This afternoon I was feeling pretty overwhelmed, and little Goobie marched right up to me, put his tiny fat hand on my leg, and said, "Mama?" Wait. It gets better. I looked down at his precious, mac-n'-cheese-covered face, and said, "Kiss kiss?" He leaned in and gave me a big ol' wet one. And I loved every noodle-y, drool-y minute of it.

So in the middle of deciding whether to bring my gray tweed high heels or classic black, and sorting through the toys that will drive me insane on a six-hour flight and those that won't, all I have to do to calm down is ask for a little kiss kiss.

Funny how that seems to make everything all better. Whether the Lord margaritas me strength or not.

brainiac-ness

So, I'm kind of proud of myself.

I managed to put together a website for my mother-in-law, who's a public speaker and soon-to-be author. She was hoping to get her name out there, so I offered to give the whole cyber space design thing a whirl.

Hence, www.mimimoseley.com.

I know, I know, it's not super professional-looking. I'm no Patrick Hardy. But I figured the whole thing out on my own, so pat me on the back next time you see me. At least I can say that things turned out exactly the way Mimi wanted them to. Happy client equals a check in Becky's pocket and the satisfaction of meaning something to the outside world.

After all, I really am a computer geek at heart.

"Red nines, accordians, and Satan--oh my!"

I love my family. We are all super weird and nerdy and loud, but I just love my family.

I'm here in San Jose, staying at my parents' house as we enjoy a long weekend of time together, with my aunt and two cousins visiting from Michigan. And so far it's been a blast. We've played cards and screamed over who put the red nine on the yellow eight, we've given each other crazy gifts that evoked laughter and accordian-playing, we've had a birthday party complete with hot pink cheetah-print goodie bags, and we've all piled in the van to go check out the Satan puppet at the local Christian book store. And tonight my in-laws are coming over for tacos.

Now for those that weren't born into this madness, our quirks certainly raise eyebrows. My husband has had a few freak-out moments of his own, as I know we can all be overwhelming at times.

But to me, this is normal. I just shrug and say, "That's so us!"

Hooray for the Palms.