Surprise! It’s Senghor

What’s a Senghor?

It’s been two years of keeping a secret.  Then again, Tompaul and I are no strangers to waiting and secrets.  All good things come to those who wait, right?  While it may seem like we have been just galavanting about, we have been planning our family.

Tompaul and I are parents. We are pleased to announce our son Senghor (SEN-gor), born August 10, 2011. He will physically join our family later this summer and we are impatiently looking for his arrival.

Senghor means “Descendant of the gods.” Someday we’ll take him on vacation to Mexico . . . where they will call him Señor Senghor.  However currently he lives near Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Long ago, before we were even married we talked about what our family would look like and we knew it would include adoption.  Isaiah says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

In Nashville we know how to brunch…

We arrived in Nashvegas on October 29 and we moved in our house October 31st.  Let me tell you it was good to be HOME!  Even if home was a hot mess.  Let’s just say it was not how we left it behind.  So we had a crazy week of unpacking, carpet cleaning, storage room unloading, and movers.  It felt so rushed…mostly because the brilliant minds we are scheduled a brunch and had guests.

Just in time we got suitably unpacked for guests.

In case you are actually looking at our picture here.  You are correct in noting the lack of couches or bookshelves.  Do you see the three chairs (plus one beanbag)?  Those are the only ones we own.  So our theme of the brunch was BYOC(hair).

Stephanie and her boyfriend Matthew came up to spend the weekend with us which was nice treat.

So what was on the menu you say?  Well my hashbrown casserole, french toast casserole (my friend Heather’s recipe), Special K loaf, blueberry syrup, blueberry and chocolate chip muffins (a moosewood recipe), a fruit platter (which I forgot to put out), eggs, Brioche (ala Sharon), homemade Chai Tea.

In case you were wondering it was delicious.  We had a few people (around 12) over and I think good times were had by all.  Oh and that forgotten fruit plate?  It was devoured in our youth class hours later.  DEVOURED.

So fab they named it twice! (part 1)

I’m playing catchup.  Tompaul and I have been roadtripping for about a month now and I think it’s high time I post a blog or two.

October 4-7 we visited New York, New York. We saw friends and famous people and just enjoyed the city.  We stayed with our good friend Chuck, who gives hospitality a run for its money.

Our first day we did some important things.  Disclaimer…we took all of these pics with our phone cameras…so they kinda suck.  But you get the picture (yuck yuck yuck).

We went to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams.  Tompaul and I have wanted to this movie for ages.  It is the perfect 3D movie that details a “newly” discovered cave with pristine cave paintings…like I have never seen.  Granted we had to listen to some random commentary (don’t even ask about the albino crocs) but the visuals were spectacular.

This picture is my one of my favorites.  Note this was drawn on a cave wall.

We stopped by a record store.

We saw the worlds’ largest cat.

We bought some records.

We got tickets to the Colbert Report.

We ate delicious Vegetarian Food at a place called Zen Palate.

Today is the day for us to get on our way!!!

Our time in Baltimore is drawing to a close, and our road trip is just begining.

On the plate for this weekend.  Visiting with the brothers Hermann, celebrating a 25th birthday.  Then on to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands.  Stay tuned!

And this is Bones…

Three men (one named Bones) came yesterday and packed all of our things in boxes and toted them down the waiting truck.  Today they visited Tompaul’s parents and carted off 20 more boxes, a piano, a car and a rug.  This is the best thing EVER.  Yes they took our car so we don’t have to drive it down. Later this week they will hit Roanoke and pick up more stuff we have at my parents.

I feel like I won the lottery.

Endings and Beginings

As Tompaul and I ponder our Baltimore departure we are excited.  Before we seem entirely ungrateful let’s review the top 5 things we will miss about Baltimore (they aren’t in any order).

1.  Slurpees

2.  Lisa’s Coworkers

3.  Being close to family

4. Light Rail

5. Wegmann’s

6. Being within walking distance of an excellent theater with 5 dollar Tuesdays.