The Canadas

2002 Winter Snow Days Esprit’s Fourth Birthday Spring Will’s Baptism Flat Rock, North Carolina Williamsburg, Virginia Summer Indiana Will’s First Birthday Will’s First Steps Fall Big Sister, Little Brother A New Home . . . Someday Updated January 5, 2003 © Canadas 2002

Birthdays, Baptism, and Family Dates Over the years, the Canadas have developed a love—perhaps even a reputation—for traveling. We spent our share of time on the road this year, as well, taking student trips to Flat Rock, North Carolina, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as well as a giant family trip to Indiana in June and July. Some of our best times as a family this year, however, came in and around our home in Laurinburg, North Carolina. In January, for example, we experienced the rare treat of a substantial snowfall—a particularly delightful experience for Essie, who joined me in making a snowman and snow angels in our yard. Later in the month, we celebrated Essie’s fourth birthday with a blowout at Chuck E. Cheese’s in Fayetteville. In the spring, we welcomed 11 of our relatives—including grandparents, aunts, and cousins—to North Carolina for a celebration of Will’s baptism, which took place on Easter Sunday. Throughout the year, meanwhile, we enjoyed “dates” of various kinds: “reading dates” in Essie’s bed, for example, and “play dates” in the backyard, at the park, at the library, and elsewhere. The summer was an especially joyous time, since I was not teaching summer school for the first time in years and so spent practically every day at home with Lisa, Essie, and Will. We managed to get a bit of work done, as well. Lisa catered a number of big and small events, including a wedding for 170 people in May and several parties in December, and I continued teaching courses in literature and composition at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, as well as an online grammar course for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Meanwhile, Essie’s home-schooling education with Mom and Dad was in full swing, as she began reading and writing, created stories and paintings, and explored a variety of subjects from addition to zoology. Will took his first steps in July and began building a vocabulary of words such as “uh” (“up”), “dah” (“down”), and “mah” (“more”). Finally, we ended the year with a bang as we closed on a historic home, where we plan to move our family and Lisa’s catering operation.