ValerieDykstra.com

Rachael and Deborah had orthodontist appointments this morning. I chose a sunny window to sit and think profound thoughts. The profound thoughts eluded me, but I enjoyed a reminder of the past. From the forth floor window, I looked down at the traffic circle below. I'd never looked down on the dreaded traffic circle. Before moving here, I'd never encountered a traffic circle. I have friends who will drive blocks out of their way to avoid a round-a-bout. I joke that when I'm driving through a traffic circle, I close my eyes, accelerate, and hope for the best. This morning as I looked down on the traffic circle, I remembered one of my earliest traffic circle experiences. I was taking my foster daughter, Angel, to the dentist; a dentist in this same complex. I approached the traffic circle with significant trepidation. Gordon had prepped me on traffic circle protocol; the... Read more →

(1999, Hannah, Deborah and Rachael) Rachael and Hannah are thirteen months apart and thick as thieves. Best friends they are. Deborah, four years younger, is the bothersome sister. She wants to be in their exclusive club and they are, at least today, adamantly opposed to her inclusion. Last summer taught me in no uncertain terms that the girls have outgrown our backyard. It served as THE backyard in the neighborhood for seven years. Our tree house is a "tree house par excel-lance." It's pretty amazing; three stories it has, all made by Gordon. I miss the summer days of yesteryear. The girls were out on the swing set before breakfast and we'd have to call them in for evening baths. Rachael has outgrown many of her eccentric ways, but from 3-6 years old, she was nothing less than eccentric. She always wanted a ball cap on, a particular ball cap,... Read more →