A few weeks ago, my friend Heidi drove down from Chicago to spend the weekend with our family. She and I have spent most of our post-high-school life in different parts of the country or, twice, in different countries, so it seems miraculous that we’re now “only” a six-hour drive apart. Heidi has known me for twenty years, but she hadn’t seen Katherine since my little girl was one, and she hadn’t met Nathaniel at all yet, so her visit was filled with both reminiscing and getting to know each other.
Heidi seemed unfazed by the kid chaos (thank you, Heid, for that!). We spent the weekend picking apples at a local orchard, visiting one of our favorite playgrounds, and following a trail at Shaker Village (though most of that walk consisted of chirpy voices begging to return to the car for banana muffins). On our walk, Nathaniel was busy trying to load every rock, fruit, nut, and stick in nature into his arms; this boy puts the great collectors of the Victorian era to shame.
Erin
Alan Schmierer