No need to write a minute by minute detail account of the trip but some of our highlights included:
A walk by the river:
I learned that BB is not a morning person, and will hold her hand up and tell you "No!" She is not ready for an audience until she has watched one episode of mickey and had her yogurt. It's quite dramatic and adorable.
We started the day off with a trip to the river walk. I love that the Missouri River flows through Bismarck, ND. It's like a physical moving tie between St. Louis and Bismarck. We started off at a great little cafe/coffee/bike shop. It was a gorgeous day and we had a chance to check out some incredible art representing the balance male/female, plants/animals, water/sky, spirit and creation.
This bridge as I understand it is iconic "Bismarck." Macie has some incredible art that includes this bridge at Loupine Design! I have some of her art hanging in my living room, I love it!
The Starving Rooster - Tom recently accepted an amazing opportunity to be a professor! He was helping some of the Freshmen move in and met Sarah, Macie, Myself and BB at a restaurant called the Starving Rooster. The place has great food, more importantly the head chef took the time to come out and talk to Sarah about her allergies. I will always tell people if they give her meat, she will die and I really like her and they will have a problem if anything ever happens to her. Sarah chimes in and says the allergic reaction won't happen for a few hours and she won't be their problem. (I know where her epi pen is and I know how to use it!)
We took an opportunity to have a girls shopping day. I love all the shops in Bismarck Macie takes us to. A shop girl completely melted over BB. It went a little something like this:
Shopgirl: Well hello there!
BB: Hi!
Shopgirl: How are you?
BB: Party tomorrow!
Shopgirl: You're having a party tomorrow. Is it your birthday? How old will you be?
BB: (Thinks for a minute) Two!
Shopgirl: Oh my gosh two! What kind of party are you going to have?
BB: CAAAAKE!
Then BB started an all out dance party in the middle of the store everyone joined in on, it was hilarious and a complete blast!
Later in the evening Tom took Sarah and I for a really fun ride in their jeep to go on a ghost tour of Bismarck. The city has a fascinating story.
- It was founded by a madame.
- The history includes: gunfights, stabbings, prostitutes, gambling, prohibition,
corruption, death, conflicts, fires and even a ghost story or two!
- There are tunnels that run under the city, I had no idea!
- I fell in love with the wet plate collaboration "Murderer's Gulch:"
We walked around Bismarck a bit more after the tour because it was such a perfect night out and I asked Tom if we could show Sarah the Bismarck Alley Art. It was a work in progress when I was there last. A few more murals have been added since last year!
(photo above by Bismarck Alley Art)
These are two of my favorites:
The next morning it was officially party time! Macie and BB have a special bonding mother/daughter outing to get Tacos on Tuesdays so the theme of BB's party was adorable: "Taco Twosday!"
I loved getting to spend time BB's aunts, cousins and grandparents! They love BB so incredibly much. Hugs, laughter, great food, party hats, and noise makers ensued.
Sometimes I notice Sarah worries that maybe she is dominating a conversation or talking too much. I don't think I've ever had that thought one time. Her story telling ability, willingness to share and openness is actually one of my favorite things about her. She tells the best stories and can bring an entire room to tears through laughter.
She was there with me in the hospital the day BB was born. She's had the opportunity to meet Macie and Tom and see BB, but this was different. I loved that Sarah got to see and experience BB in her own element surrounded by the love of her parents and her family.
Through the wonders of modern day technology we got to FaceTime with my folks back in Virginia while they were on their sailboat. BB exclaimed, "let me see!" and hugs and kisses the phone. We are butter in the palm of her adorable hand. She opened up a cute monkey card from my sister and really enjoyed the puzzles my parents got her. I surprised her with a few dress up kits and some play dough thanks to the wonderful recommendations from BB's mom. I really appreciated the recommendations because there was no way I was going to be able to one-up a scrap book with her adoption story in it.
After the party myself, Sarah, Tom, Macie and BB headed to mass. Tom was doing a reading and as he walked back to our pew BB excitedly exclaims, "Hi Daddy!"
I had to really laugh at myself though because during communion I'm used to two lines for bread and two separate lines for wine. Thinking I was just going to the shorter line for bread, I skipped right to wine.. whoops! That will make for a hilarious confession I'm sure.
It was nice to sing, to be in the light, play with BB, and enjoy the company of family and their community. BB is wonderful at making friends everywhere she goes! My prayers were full of gratefulness. A man in the elevator at work told me yesterday, "The more praise and thanks that go up, the more blessings rain down." I think that's true.
Also, I would call myself a cafeteria catholic. I choose the things that make my soul feel good and whole, and don't participate in negative things. I will always love the LGBTQ community and will never judge another woman for the choices she makes in regards to her body and life. Those are deeply personal and I would never presume to know what's best for anyone else.
Following mass, Tom and Macie's families were wonderful and met us for dinner. BB immediately made new friends with the servers. I could not believe after her party and mass she was still going strong. The adults were exhausted!
As a last birthday surprise Tom and Macie set up a projector with birthday balloons that filled the walls and ceiling of the house. We were all mesmerized.
One of the wonderful things about Macie and Tom is that they are always up for an adventure and cool with any requests to do weird things. Enter the world's largest fiberglass Holstein cow sculpture! It sure was windy but I learned a lot about wind farms and Sue's purpose is "to honor and advertise the dairyman of our area ... the hardworking, persistent, and informed dairyman who is an asset to his community, church, the economy, and his family.
Macie and I were impressed that BB was not freaked out by the cow at all. In fact she charged right up the hill in her dad's arms and pet that big 'ol cow.
One of our last adventures was on the Lewis and Clark Riverboat. It was a wonderfully relaxing way to see some of the river. Poor BB was a little exhausted from all her fun birthday shenanigans. She desperately wanted to go swimming, to jump right off the boat and into the water.
She had a melt down, as two-year olds do. I sat there smiling like a goofball because I was in awe of the way Macie and Tom parented her. They didn't bribe her or compromise they just had a conversation as to why it was a bad idea. She calmed down right away and curled into her mom's lap. For her good behavior we walked down to a boat ramp after the riverboat tour was over and splashed around in the water a little bit together. It seems she loves being around/in the water as much (if not more!) than I do.
I love her spirit!
We're not perfect, but we're figuring out this wonderful journey of adoption together, and I couldn't be more thankful. I already miss them and can't wait until we are all together again!
Up Next: Adventures in the Badlands!
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