Eno,

Are you reading my blog on a regular basis?

I sure hope so.

I know you’re a bishop and have a lot of Yankee games to watch, but I hope that your priorities lead you back to your sister’s blog.

Why?

Because you will be rewarded if you are a regular reader.

That’s why.

Behold!

Poor Brynn (who I know is a regular reader) got cut out of this photo, but YOU, not you.  Check you out in that hat!!

That hat is pure sweetness! You look like a little Rastafarian with bangs.

Allison, are you reading your sister-in-law’s blog? (Actually I know you are because you told me so on the phone today- Cheers, my sis-in-law.)

(That’s right! Everyone is getting called out today.)

Alli,  if seeing Eno sporting this hat and clutching his dirty teddy bear doesn’t make you wish you were holding a little baby Eno of your very own – I don’t know what will.

Good memories.

Good times.

Peace out, my friends.

So, how is the Bronx treating you? Are you having fun with Ian and Allison? Allison is a swell homemaker. She is going to take such good care of you.

I never got to say a proper good-bye.

I’ve said some mean things about you, in the past, but I just wanted to thank you for being our couch for the last five years.

You know, because you heard me say so often, that I am not a fan of the sectional (I am sorry if that hurt your feelings) and I am also not a big fan of microfiber (- again, sorry).

But OH! remember how wonderful you looked in our little Boston apartment. You were made for that place.

Good times, you rocked that little apartment.

Remember how we turned you into a  nest the first night we moved in and slept on you. That was kind of fun, huh? You held me up while I was sick for months when I was pregnant with Millie. Cameron slept on you a bunch when he came to stay – he told us you were pretty comfy. We sat on you when we watched those darn Red Sox pound our team – I think you’re a Sox fan, I could tell you were pretty happy. But you kept it to yourself. Kudos for that.

Then we moved to NJ and you never looked right in our new house. We both felt it. But you were still a faithful couch.

Then the moment came for you to go and I got a little sentimental. You looked so pretty after we had you spruced up for your new home in Le Bronx. It made me excited to think of you doing what you do so well – letting people place their bottoms upon you and rest a while – at Ian and Allison’s home.

And we had one last final HOORAH playing on you and dancing to They Might Be Giants. That was fun, for us – not quite sure if you loved it.

You’ve been true blue.

Thanks, old couch.

We’ll come and see you in the Bronx. I am sure that Clara would happily spit up on you again when she next gets the chance.

oxoxo,

Lize

Allison Cutler Kelly, perhaps you are lucky enough to know her?

She is different these days…

Not only is she smart as a whip (and we’re talking Magna cum laude smart, suckaz!)

Award winning (recipient of one of four awards given at graduation)

And drop dead gorgeous (that’s not new).

SHE IS OUR NURSE KELLY!

I think her man is pretty proud of her, what do you think?

I was thinking about her mom and dad, Vickie and Keith, they must want to shout from the highest mountain top, “This darling girl is OUR daughter! Once we rocked her to sleep at night, helped her learn to read, taught her to love asparagus – and now just LOOK AT HER!”

(It’s too bad the Cutler family couldn’t be more attractive, you feel kind of sorry for them, don’t you? NOT!)

We met up with these cutie-pies right after Allison’s graduation ceremony and had a lovely meal with them. It was such a treat! (Thanks, Keith!)

Here is the thing that makes what Allison has accomplished so remarkable:

[WARNING: If you don’t want to hear me gushing about my sister-in-law’s accomplishments then you’d better stop reading, because GUSH I MUST!]

Allison was accepted into a very competitive program to begin with. She got straight A’s while she was… teaching early morning seminary, serving in the Young Women and Primary auxiliaries, playing the organ, attending all Youth Stake activities (including trek and girls camp) supporting her husband, Bishop Eno, making their house into a beautiful home, cooking dinners, cleaning the bathroom, killing the bugs that infested their kitchen, rescuing furniture off the side of the road and refurbishing it etc, etc, etc.

And she is only 23 years old!

You get the idea.

The woman is a marvel.

And I for one am BURSTING WITH PRIDE!

Way to go, Alli!

P.S.

She is also the proud owner of some sweet graduation gifts!

(Millie picked out the rose clip, not bad – eh?)

Is a handsome (don’t need to tell you that if you’re reading this post, you’ve got eyes and can see for yourself,  he’s one good looking cat), talented, funny, bright, kind, a true friend,a joy to be around and happens to be the best birthday present I ever got.

(me holding the best present I ever got)

He came to world on May 10th, 1981. On that same day, four years earlier, I joined the human race. Which is to say we share a birthday. And without a doubt he is a gift. To me, to my family, to all who know him, to the world at large.

Let me tell you just a little about him.

Ian is a love. He really LOVES people. When he was made a bishop the Stake President said to me with tears in his eye, “Ian has bishop love in his veins.”

And the person he loves the very most is his wife, Allison. He’s completely devoted to her. He is so deeply connected to Allison it sometimes is hard to separate them in my mind.

He is 100 % true, through and through, to her. He loves her so much. And she loves him right back. His love and devotion to her is one of the many things I love  about him.  You know those couples who just make you happy because they are so happy. Well, that is Ian and Allison. When you are with themyou can just feel their connectedness, their happiness, their love for each other, their enthusiasm. They are both so enthusiastic. They are like little kids! And you just want to be NEAR  them. They are so much fun.

He loves his nieces and nephews and boy do they love him! He is an off the charts, so cool you can hardly stand it uncle. He is just such a blast. He puts his whole heart into his relationships with the little people in his life. He gets down on the ground and rolls around with them, he listens to them, sings with them – he does it all!

Uncle Eno loves his little peeps and he is loved in return.

He loves baseball and is particularly devoted to a certain ball club.

He took Jan to his first Yankee game when we moved to the States five years ago. They now share the “Yankee bond” and have been to more games than I can count, including flying to other states to see their boys in action. People, we are talking devotion. True devotion. I remember one year for his birthday he went to a Yankee Red Sox game and I actually prayed that the Yanks would win so that Ian’s birthday would be a delightful one.

Ian is real, he is down to earth. He lets you know what is on his mind and in his heart. You don’t have to wonder with Ian.

He is a tender hearted fellow. He is not ashamed to show his emotions. He cries at movies and doesn’t feel the need to hide those salty wet things that fall from his eyes.

He loves the Lord and is devoted to His work. Ian knows how to serve. The man works hard to do what is right.

Ian is FUNNY. And when I say funny, I mean F – U- N- N – N – Y! Few people can get me laughing harder than Ian.

Ian is shiny.

What do I mean by this? I will tell you a story to illustrate: Ian, Cameron and I took a writing class together last year in NYC. The class was full of really wonderful people. They were a bunch of New Yorkers, but they weren’t super crusty & cynical (like New Yorkers can often be). This was a group of  kind people. But even amidst a crowed of top notch, good people my brothers stood out. Once I remember sitting across a table looking at all the faces of the people that I really loved in this class. When I looked at my brothers their countenances were shining. There was light coming off of them. (BTW, Ian is an excellent writer and is writing a swell screen play. He is a man of many talents).

I think Ian’s light is generated by his very good heart.

He is honest (ask him to tell you about the 47 inch TV at Sears story sometime).

He is kind.

He cares about the needs of others.

He is a good, good man.

And I love him.

Happy birhtday to us, my little Bro! I am so glad you were born!

As many of you will know it was Opening Day at the new Yankee Stadium on the 16th of April.

Jan and Ian can tell you all about it.

If you want to know what un-diluted, pure happiness looks like – just check out their faces. (And this was despite the score Indians 10, Yanks 2)

Well here in our quaint town of Madison, NJ we celebrated opening day for our little league.

It was stink’n awesome.

The boys and girls paraded through our main street. It was the only parade I have been to where the people in the parade who throw the candy are also the ones who grab up the candy. Riddle me that one, if you can.

We had great, curb side seats (as in right on the curb) where we cheered on some of Madison’s finest sons, Porter and Braxton Rich. Their lovely mother, Emily, is seated beside me, in her lap is my future son-in-law, Hudson Jack Rich. (He likes the middle name mentioned, thankyouverymuch.)

Afterwords we headed home to play a little ball of our own.

Clara was more of a spectator.

Millie took time out from playing to give the camera some “attitude”

Eno, does this one slay you as much as it does me?! Check out that sisterly affection while wearing the world’s greatest baseball team logo.

Jan doesn’t need any sons to fulfill his baseball needs…

And yes, I was there too