Put on your happy face.

It's been a bit gloomy around these parts. Or at least my writing has been a bit gloomy. In reality, I haven't been feeling that terribly low. Hair grows. Relationships repair. Life moves on.

I'm actually thankful that I have a few extra days to prepare for our trip to MI. We will be gone for almost three weeks, and a trip for that duration requires a fair amount of planning and packing. In addition we have to ensure that our life in Macon moves along in our absence. Bills to be paid. Housesitting to be arranged. That sort of thing.

Come Friday, my hope is that all of the tasks at hand will be finished. Come Saturday, my hope is that Julia, my dear sweet little one, will not be a nightmare on the drive to Indiana. Generally mild mannered, the child has never grown to enjoy her car seat. In part, I think her dislike comes from her inability to nap when she's strapped in. There are many days when I am thankful she never took to a pacifier, but on those occasions when we are forced to drive for more than two hours, I would give just about anything to cork that child up.

The last time we were in Michigan during the summer Grace turned one year old. Now three years later we are returning with another one year old in tow. Life does move on in some wonderfully beautiful ways.