Here Comes the Rain
The Sorensons came over tonight for some leftover pear and cherry crisp (and vanilla ice cream). After we had just taken our seats around the kitchen table, we noted that it started to rain outside... in fact, rain was pouring down.

It had been threatening to rain for the better part of the evening, but the rapid amount of rain that gushed down still came as quite a surprise to us... because, 1) it hasn't rained for quite some time, and 2) when it does rain, it is rarely such a heavy downfall as it was tonight. I propped the back door open and we ate our dessert while chatting and listening to the rain fall down. I love the smell of the fresh air during a rainfall.

Later, after the Sorensons retired to their new home, Kristy and I played with the kids before putting them down. It was still raining and Eliana was fascinated with the sound of the rain falling on the house and the plants and trees outside. In fact, she led me to an open window upstairs, pulled on my arm and indicated that I was to sit down. She then commenced to chatter on about what I can only assume was the rain, since she kept pointing outside. After she went on for about 10 minutes, I decided that I should really try and preserve the moment in picture. So I called down to Kristy, beckoned her bring up the camera, and snap some video.

Eliana chattering about the rain

Too cute!

(Update Wed Aug 31 23:24:08 PDT 2005 // fixed a grammatical error )

I'm Making a Train for Berkeley Berrett
Berkeley's favorite pastime is, without a doubt, playing trains. Specifically, playing trains with his Thomas the Tank Engine trains and train tracks. Though he can make his own train tracks and play with his trains by himself, he strongly prefers having either Kristy or myself assist in train track construction and then linger to participate in the train narratives he creates.

A couple of months ago, I was ripping some of our older CDs into mp3 format (most of our CDs are pretty old actually). After I would rip an album or two, I'd queue up the songs and listen to a few of them. For whatever reason, the song "Sweetness Follows" on R.E.M's Automatic for the People stuck with me throughout that day. Later that evening, as I was assembling a new train track layout for Berkeley (with Berkeley present of course), I ad-libbed the following song to the tune of "Sweetness Follows":

I'm making a train for Berkeley Berrett
I'm making a train for Berkeley Berrett
I'm making a train for Berkeley Berrett
Just a little one, so he can play with Thomas
Whoa.... whoa....

The song became an immediate all-time top-10 request ("Daddy, sing the Making a Train for Berkeley Berrett song"). Not too long after my original improvisation, Berkeley started singing the song to himself (complete with the "Whoa, whoa, whoa"). It is quite humorous to hear his rendition.

Not long after I made the song up, I loaded up Automatic for the People in the ML's CD changer because of Berkeley's repeated requests to hear it. On the way to church today, out of sheer coincidence, "Sweetness Follows" started playing.

"The Making Train Tracks for Berkeley Berrett Song, Daddy! The Making Train Tracks for Berkeley Berrett Song, Mimi!", Berkeley exclaimed.

The sudden declaration made by Berkeley came as quite a surprise to both Kristy and myself; the volume of the audio was so low that we had both presumed that the stereo was off completely. But it was audible enough for Berkeley's very sensitive ears to pick it up. And so, for the remaining few minutes it took to drive to church, the three of us sang "I'm making a train for Berkeley Berrett" with the requisite "Whoa... whoa... whoa".