day trip to Dallas

I don't think I've included a picture of our second child on this blog yet, so here it is.  She's more active than I remember Benjamin being in the womb.  I may need that in writing to prove something when she's older.  

We took another of JB's days off to meet his family in Dallas to break injera bread together at a great Ethiopian restaurant and do a little shopping.  We also discovered a delightful stretch of Lee Park with a series of quaint bridges, lots of blooming red bud trees, and--to Benjamin's great joy--a playground.  

I wonder how we will think differently about taking a day trip to Dallas when we have two children.  I often feel like I'll just be holding my breath until baby girl turns two.  A few times I've been able to imagine the moments of joy in having two small ones, but mostly I think of it being hard. May the joy take me by surprise.  

And here are a few lovely things we did to celebrate my birthday last week.  B and I had a fun day together without any chores or errands.  The highlight was an afternoon at the park with a picnic snack (cupcakes!).  Later in the week we had some friends over for dinner--JB made a wonderful Moroccan-ish meal and we enjoyed drinks of various sorts in the goblets from Midge.  They won't be kept behind glass in our house!  I also made a strawberry cake, which I've been dying to make ever since I saw one at our new local bakery, Lula Jane's.