October Birthdays

Nichole Paine, October 9

Nichole's birthday was earlier in the month and this past Sunday, they celebrated Mallaika.

Nichole is helping Mallaika read the label on her birthday quilt. Mallaika's birthday party with a dozen squealing five year old girls had just wrapped up. She was pleased with her "blanket" and put it on her bed right away. She also liked her tooth fairy pillow case from Logan (and the dollar tucked into the tooth fairy envelope). Via Skype, I got to visit their beautiful new home. Nichole has done a great job furnishing and decorating it. I also got to talk to/see grandson Tom. They have settled nicely into becoming a regular middle class family -- graduating from starving student mode.

Mallaika Paine, October 15

Here's the birthday girl just before breaking into a dance routine for the camera.

Valery Goodell October 25

Valery and I celebrated her birthday at lunch with Steve and Julia. (And then we celebrated again at dinner with pumpkin pie standing in for birthday cake.)

Jack and Abby Brown, October 25 (two years old)

Valery and I spent the weekend in Des Moines while Ben went to a band festival in Saint Louis and Logan spent the weekend with Steve and Julia. Valery's friend, Kelly, moved to Des Moines early in the summer, and Valery needed to see where they sleep. Seeing where people sleep is a "thing" in our family. When someone dear moves away, we are unable to rest well until we know where they are resting. Think about it, you probably feel the same way.

Other noteworthy October birthdays: Robin's was October 8, she would have been 49; Ken's was October 18, he would have been 61; and my dear friend Nancy's birthday is October 21, she is timeless, perpetual, eternal, and I love her so much, I'd never tell her age, in fact I'm not sure how old she is.