Zoo, take four: Des and Anne at zoo with aunt Megan, Liam and Viv
True to form
Visiting dad at work
Zoo, take four: Des and Anne at zoo with aunt Megan, Liam and Viv
True to form
Visiting dad at work
Morning nap with dad while mom is at yoga
Meeting Tim and Tita Jones at the farmers market
I’m too sweaty for this shirt (even at Bed, Bath & Beyond)
Hanging out with great-grandma Jan
Sunday with family
Des and grandma Mike
As mom and dad are helping aunt Megan move, Des spends the day with Grandma Anne. Dad just happens to drive by as the two are out on a stroll, destined for the hidden land of “Dundee.” Oh well, one day perhaps.
Des and Madison
Des and Seraphim
Special dinner at Dixie Quicks
Meeting Rob
Is Desmond his father’s son? Doubt looming… exhibit 1: blonde hair. exhibit 2: eating fistfuls of broccoli.
Three generations: David Irving, Desmond Irving, Irving Anthony
Pit stop in Ankeny, Hawkeye Park
Driving by 1311 W. 1st St, Dad’s second house until age five and moving to Council Bluffs
…shared a room with great Aunt Molly, helped put her belt on, dug a hole through the basement room wall with the door stop (Mom patched for the umpteenth time before moving), walking to the library with pond, my dear blanket, drank koolaid and ate popcorn w/ ketchup while mom was pregnant (and mint chocolate ice cream), met my sister, learned how to ride a bike, Mr. Good, watched Dan Rathers while eating Mac & Cheese, corn and fish sticks, picnicked out back with Kellie and wicker paper plate trays, eating frozen grapes, big wheel parade, annual broadcast of the Wizard of Oz on TV, Kellie stuck under the TV cart, first Halloween costumes, vacuum cleaner, bouncy rocking horse, picking grapes from the bushes, played with Jason England’s Star Wars figures (“lost” during the move to CB), rode several blocks west to Jason’s house on a big wheel, asking mom if we were taking a nap to determine the feasibility of sneaking upstairs to watch TV while she was sleeping
A boy reunited with his dog
Words cannot express what visiting our grandparents at the farm–a few acres nestled between limestone cliffs with the incredible house, cave, creek, pond, meadows and pastures–meant to us during childhood. Before dinner on this visit, we journeyed over for a few photos with our own children too.