An Anniversary . . . of Sorts

(Clark and I dressed up for a dance. Circa 1997)

Halloween has never been the same for me since Freshman year of college. You wouldn't think that Halloween would be known for romantic and nostalgic memories but for me it is. It is when Clark and I first held hands. It is an amusing story and the version of the tale is different depending on who tells the story.

Fact 1: We were both Freshman at wonderful Brigham Young University (BYU aka Breed'em Young University - according to my dad ).

Fact 2: Clark lived in Tingey Hall - of the Heritage Halls variety. I lived in Deseret Towers S-Hall which is no longer standing. May it rest in peace.

Fact 3: We had been friends since the first week or so of school. We would frequently take late night walks. (Oh, the shame of it!)

Fact 4: We spent our Halloween evening separately. I can't account for Clark's evening but I spent it partying at a ward party.

Fact 5: I received a phone call from Clark around 11:00 pm. Do we want to rendezvous near the basketball court for a walk?

Fact 6: While walking on the bridge near the Law Library I decided to jump up onto a wall to demonstrate my incredible ability to balance. Or something like that.

This is where things get muddled. Clark ever being the gentleman extended his hand to help me down. Me being a rather flirtatious girl was bold and determined I wasn't going to let go of his hand. Clark insists he was the one who didn't let go. Either way - hand holding was happening.

We meandered our way to the Wilkinson Center. Still fresh from the success of holding his hand I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I heard Hootie & the Blowfish crooning over the speakers "Hold my hand." I had never liked that song before. Now, I'm catapulted to that moment whenever I hear it. There is something magical about campus at night, especially when it is essentially deserted. I can still feel the chilly wind, remember the yellow lamp light gracing the sidewalks, and the crunch of leaves under my feet. I remember seeing the stray cats exploring the quiet campus. I remember sitting on cold concrete benches next to the Kimball tower until I was afraid that my posterior was going to be so frozen I wouldn't be able to walk.

Thankfully I could. And we were still holding hands.

So in memory of our "anniversary" go out and do some hand holding this Halloween. I know I will; with all the loves of my life!

Baby Steps

Yes, sadly it is true. Eliza has started walking. Well, I should rephrase that. She's attempted. And she continues to attempt multiple times a day. She loves to let go of the couch, or wall, or chair or whatever and just . . . walk. She gets a good four or five steps into it before in her excitement she just has to stop and sit.

And me? I just can't seem to let go of the idea that she should still be a baby and I'm not ready for a "toddler". I especially love watching her crawl. I'm sentimental about her crawling. I need her to continue crawling. I find the moving posterior of a crawling baby so randomly sweet and comforting. But she is much like her brothers. She is busy, busy, busy and she wants to walk. So yet again another child who starts walking by 10 months.

However, where she is different from her brothers is her climbing. I have yet to experience this. She is up on everything. Eliza really gets into some precarious situations. On stools, boxes, even the oven drawer to name a few.

Today I found her here. I was busy doing dishes in the kitchen; her brothers were busy goofing off in the bathroom when I went to see why they were having so much fun. Then I heard her whimpering in the boys room and this is what I found. I had to re-stage this for a picture. She was more terrified the second time than the first.

Slow down please. Slow down.