Eckenrode Family

Snowy Saturday

The boys in their igloo. See their faces peeking out?
With no wind today the snow stayed right where it fell.
My constant companion. He is always there, right behind me. A lot of times I forget he's even there. He's such a good boy.
Me and my buddy.
This hen... I can't stop taking her picture. Isn't she something?
Chief and all of his beautfiul colors.

DPP: Day 25

Snow

December Photo Project: Catching Up

My house decked out to celebrate a friend and the new life she's bringing into the world.
Over the weekend Tim and the boys built a stage in the basement to go along with the microphone and amp Miles got for his birthday.These are the audience chairs the boys set up. The animals in the chairs were explained to me this way: "We filled the seats with the animals in case they were empty. We can't have any empty seats cause we're awesome."

Today on the first day of winter break they decked out the stage with lights for a variety show they put together. This included a solo, a puppet show, a duet and some interpretive dancing with costumes.

Six

Just like everyone else, I am heartbroken over what happened in Newtown last Friday. When I heard there was another school shooting my mind, as it always does, went to my own children sitting in their classrooms just down the street. Then I heard the horrific details and saw the list of names and birthdates of those victims and this time, not only did I cry but I could feel the tension growing in my shoulders. Most of the children on the list were born in 2006, the same year as our son and when I saw the name Benjamin on the list with 2006 written next to it I realized why this incident was hitting me harder than any new story ever had. I know exactly what it is these parents have lost. I know exactly what won’t be coming home to them.

Six is such a magical age, one of my favorites. Children have grown up just enough to be able to communicate their ideas and emotions to you but not enough to have outgrown such beautiful and magical thoughts. They light up the room with their energy and ideas. Six is getting taller and bigger but it still has baby hands. Six can be so unbelievably loving and cuddly. Six is wild and curious.
I can’t help but look at my six year old and be hit by the magnitude of loss of these 20 families. At six my son lives with his heart on his sleeve, he’s so very innocent and trusting and loving and lovely and I know what they’ve lost and I feel such gratitude that I get to bring my six year old home this afternoon.

DDP: Day 10-13

DDP: Day 9

Not a good picture, but it represents a great day. It is such a joy to watch him doing something that he truly loves. I can tell he is in the flow when he plays and he plays so gracefully and with such heart. When I watch him play it is sometimes hard for me to believe that it's the same 8 year old child that I brought to the rink. He seems so much more mature on the ice. He moves around the ice with confidence and instinct that come right from his heart.

DDP: Day 8

DDP: Day 7

Tonight on Denison's campus was a free bluegrass concert put on by the students. It was held in a beautiful chapel on campus and the room was packed. Again I found myself thanking my lucky stars that we live here.

DDP: Day 6

Afternoon run. Just me, the woods and This American Life.
This movie in the evening by the glow of the tree.