Stahlke Adoption

Beginnings

July 22, 2010
A hot, muggy afternoon in Chicago

Jonathan and I are desperately packing the last suitcases for our annual road trip to Texas. To keep the little boys busy, I send them each outside with a packet of flower seeds. When we return to Chicago three weeks later, Kola's marigold plants are already reaching toward the sun.


October 29, 2010
A crisp, cold morning in Chicago

Last night brought our first solid freeze, which for me marks the end of the growing season and the onset of winter. Most of Peter's marigolds managed to survive, due to their placement in a barrel close to the house. This morning, to offset sibling rivalry and a possible tantrum, I sent him outside to pick the last of the marigolds. "Kola, why don't you give them to Karol Sue, who had surgery yesterday?"

He liked that idea and grabbed the styrofoam cup on the dining room table, which contained a prior batch of flowers. After emptying the "dirty" water into the sink, he added fresh flowers from outside, and placed the whole bouquet into a plastic grocery bag. Swinging them along with his backpack, he carried the flowers to school, where he gave them to me for delivery.

I bet Karol Sue will view this gift as the most beautiful bouquet of battered flowers she's ever seen.

posted by Stahlkes @ 9:40 AM