We Made It

It's been awhile. We spent the last 10 days in Wisconsin at the Jothen farm. I managed to fill an 8GB card of pictures and videos. So much to filter through. So many stories and happenings floating through my head I don't want to forget to tell you about.

We are going to begin at the beginning.

The first day we drove from Maryland to South Bend, IN the home of Notre Dame University and Touchdown Jesus! We got you there a year and few months after that infamous incident in the College Park diner. It worked out perfectly as Daddy had bought us dinner hours before at a Subway in Ohio. We drove lost around the campus looking for the football stadium and the statue (which turned out to be a very large mural), it became apparent that this moment was meant to be. We finally spot the stadium as we drive around the corner there it is... Touchdown Jesus! A parking space was available right next to the stadium. The place was almost deserted. In front of the mural is a reflective pool and a very large grassy area with sidewalks /paths sort of like a miniature National Mall.

It was calling our name. We had the picnic blanket in the back of the van and dinner. After driving almost 10 hours, we were ready to stretch out and relax. A surreal picnic ensued with a friendly squirrel dinner guest. We played, ran around, relaxed in our own private party. A biker here, a car there. But for the most part, Touchdown Jesus was all ours for just a moment in time.

Of course we spent a copious amount of time trying to get you to do the 'touchdown pose' in just the right spot. You did everything but, including standing on your head!

Later that night in the scuzzy hotel your father booked, you did your first somersault and then followed it up with two more!

But as we were getting ready to leave, I still didn't have that "perfect picture" to match our perfect evening. So we set up the self timer and took a family photo of all us signaling a touchdown.

I will always remember the beauty of this picnic in front of Touchdown Jesus, just the three of us laughing, having good conversation and being together as a family.