Milestones...mold...mildew...mosquitos

We have celebrated lots of milestones over the past few weeks... Mother's Day, our 5 year anniversary, Nathan's 2nd birthday and my 37th-freaking birthday. Christian & Tracy also hit the big 40 milestone as gracefully as I've ever seen it done. Both are such beautiful women inside and out -- I hope I can only look and appear to feel as good as they both do.

I've also felt the baby move this week -- more than the little flutters or gurgles in earlier weeks. That helps because after the first rush of discovering you are pregnant and one or two ultrasounds, the next several months are anticlimatic. You aren't obviously pregnant -- just look like you ate a few too many containers of Ben & Jerry's (which I did).

I've also had the misfortune of watching a very dear friend struggle with her many addictions (alcohol, drugs, bulimia) and finally give in to all of them after two years of sobriety. She's sober today and that's all that matters, but the battle with the bottle is a terrifying thing to both witness and experience. No one has ever written about it quite like Ann Patchett in Truth & Beauty. If you haven't had the opportunity to read it -- do so.

Ten days straight of rain...we've got moss growing in every crack in the driveway and covering our garden beds. Towels go sour in 2 hours. Mosquitos the size of B-52 bombers are chewing up the very delicious skin of my 2 year old. CARRY ME BAAAAAAAAACK TO OLD VIR-GINNY!