Countdown to Cleveland - Day 7

TUESDAY MORNING (6/7/11) JEFF DID NOT HAVE ANY CASES, SO WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND A WEEK DAY TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, WHICH IS ALWAYS EXTRA SPECIAL.  HE SUGGESTED WE EAT BREAKFAST AT A LOCAL MADISON FAVORITE, MICKIES DAIRY BAR, A CASUAL AND CLASSIC HOT SPOT FOR THOSE MADISONIANS SEEKING SCRAMBLERS, FRIED EGGS, HASH AND PANCAKES THE SIZE OF YOUR HEAD (LITERALLY...HEAVIEST LEFT-OVER STYROFOAM CONTAINER, EVER.).   BY NOW YOU KNOW I LOVE THE TREAT OF EATING OUT, AND SO DOES OUR SOCIAL LITTLE LADY.   AND, THE LITTLE MAN...WELL, HE JUST LOVE EATING.  PERIOD. 

OUR FASHIONABLE LITTLE LADY LOOKING THE PART OF AN ECLECTIC MADISON-BORN TODDLER.  (NOTICE THE SCARF.  A NEW ACCESSORY FROM OUR DEAR FRIEND, AMY.)

EVEN WATER IS BETTER AT A RESTAURANT.

"I DON'T KNOW WHOSE IDEA IT WAS TO EAT OUT THIS MORNING, BUT THIS IS GREAT!"

WE WERE DINING A LITTLE LATTER THAN USUAL, AND THIS GUY BECAME QUITE LOUD AS HE WAITED FOR HIS FOOD.  THANKFULLY, OUR KIND WAITRESS PROVIDED HIM WITH A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF SALTINE CRACKERS.  I DECIDED JELLY WAS THE APPROPRIATE THING TO SPREAD ON THEM...WHAT A DELIGHTFUL AND SATISFYING MESS!

THESE TWO REALLY HAVE THE SWEETEST OF BONDS.

I REALIZED AS WE WERE WALKING BEHIND THEM THAT JEFF AND I WERE HOLDING HANDS, TOO, WITH ME ON THE LEFT AND HE ON THE RIGHT.  I'M GUESSING WE LOOKED PRETTY ADORABLE AS WE WALKED THE STREETS OF MADISON. (hehe)

WE KEPT THE GOOD TIMES ROLLIN' AND HIT UP STATE STREET, FOLLOWED BY A QUICK TRIP THE UNION.

I CAPTURED A SIMILAR MOMENT LAST YEAR ON STATE STREET -  A FAVORITE.

IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THE LITTLE LADY HAS REALLY BECOME JEFF'S SIDE KICK, DESIRING TO BE IN HIS PRESENCE AT ALL TIMES.  SHE LOVES TO TAKE "DADDY WALKS" WITH HIM AFTER JOEY GOES TO SLEEP AND COLLECT ROCKS.  THEY CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO MUSIC TOGETHER, READ TOGETHER, AND LAUGH TOGETHER.   SHE CONTINUES TO BE THE (SWEETEST) APPLE OF HIS EYE.

WE WERE TREATED TO A LOVELY DINNER OUT COURTESY OF DR. DOYLE, A BOISTEROUS AND LOVING DOC IN HIS SEVENTIES, WHO APPRECIATES A STEAK DINNER AS MUCH AS I DO AND A SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS AS MUCH AS JEFF DOES.  (SCOTCH...A RIGHT OF PASSAGE FOR ALL SURGEONS IN TRAINING.)  WE HAVE COME TO LOVE THIS MAN, AND ENJOY HIS AMUSING ANECDOTES.  WE CAME HOME TO A PEACEFUL SUNSET AND DECIDED TO SPEND SOME TIME ON THE PORCH ADMIRING OUR VIEW, SOMETHING WE DID OFTEN BEFORE OUR SWEET ONES ARRIVED ON THE SCENE.  WE BEGAN REMINISCING OF OUR TIME HERE IN MADISON, NOTING HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED, THE BLESSINGS AROUND US, AND HOW OUR AFFECTION FOR THIS CITY  HAS GROWN. 

IT WAS A SWEET TIME.

I LOVE THIS MAN.  SUPPORTING HIM THROUGH RESIDENCY HAS BEEN ONE OF MY LIFE'S GREATEST JOYS.  WE HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT OURSELVES AND ONE ANOTHER OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. AND, WE ARE BOTH GRATEFUL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT HERE IN MADISON, IN THIS HOME, WITH THIS VIEW.