I have a new man in my life, he's 3 1/2 (Week 2)

Now that I've been here long enough, it feels like home. I love the place here, and have finally begun to feel like I have friends and I belong here. Danny has grown on me more and more, and the schedule has become  easier.

This week we went to the library, which is close to Danny's favorite restaurant, Johnny Rockets. This picture above is capturing our adventure. 

Another thing we did in our spare time was to make a fort out of a cardboard box that was given to us by our neighbor. This box was almost as tall as me! It was quite the fort! Danny wanted to eat all of his snacks inside of the fort, and brought in many of his toys. He loved that fort and we had a lot of fun making it together! In fact, he played with it almost all day. Eventually I got bored with playing with the fort after a really long time of being in it and tried to see if he wanted to go to the pool or do something else. But he kept insisting on playing in the fort. I even offered to let him watch TV for a little bit (which is something I don't like to do because I think that he should be enriching his mind---but I was desperate!) To my surprise, he even said no to TV! This goes to show how much he really enjoyed making and playing in his fort.

Bringing toys into the fort

We decorated the fort.

This week when talking with my good friend Ashton (who I have been sort of dating for a while) he told me that he was not ready for a relationship right now. This crushed me and I was really sad, because I really admire him, think the world of him, and have loved the time we've spent together.

Then I found out something really cute from Danny's mom that made me feel better and made my day. After they had dropped me off in the car one day at an activity, she told me that Danny had said, "Mommy, I love Heather. I love her! At least I think I do. My head is telling me no, but my heart is telling me yes." :) She said that this is a big deal for him to say that he loves me because Megan's boyfriend (who she's been dating for about a year) was just barely told by Danny that he loved him. Apparently, it usually takes Danny a really long time to tell people that he loves them. But this was really the best timing for me! He is really cute. Then later this week when playing with play-dough, I made a ring for myself. Then Danny asked me to make one for him. I told him that rings are for girls, but he insisted, so I made him one. Then he asked me if  I would marry him someday and said that these could be our rings. So I have a new man in my life...and yes, he is 3 1/2.

This has been a really good week, and everything here in Arlington has been great! Going to the pool and hanging out at the park have been a lot of fun! I am so excited to have my summer life here, and I almost wish it could be forever. It is nice to work here and be closer to home. And I want to keep Danny as my child. :) At least this is giving me great experience and practice for when I really am a mom someday. 

Just when I felt like this week couldn't get any better, I realized that there is opposition in all things....This week brought with it an unfortunate surprise. I kept waking up with mosquito bites on my feet, arms, and legs the past few weeks. I brought it up to one of my friends in church who had experienced bed bugs on her mission, and she told me I should have an exterminator come and look at the house. I talked with Megan, and they have a contract with Terminix, so it worked out perfectly. The bug guys came and found all kinds of bugs! I can't believe I had been sleeping with bugs!!! 

To help Danny have fun with all of this chaos going on, I gave him a bug box. We went on bug hunts outside to find fireflies and all kinds of bugs for his collection. It was just a week full of bugs! :)

Fortunately, Megan is wonderful and was upset by the whole situation to the point that she put me up in a hotel in the quaint town of Old Town, Alexandria for two days until the house could be exterminated. I feel like even though the bugs were disgusting, I was enjoying myself still in Virginia because of the adventures I was able to have due to a situation beyond my control. Old Town Alexandria is known for it's history. John Smith at one time landed there, and George Washington had a summer home there as well. There is also a square in the middle of town where markets were held and slaves were once sold. I was fortunate enough to take a tour here (since I had the day off) and then Carissa came and we went shopping down in all of the old stores and walked along the Potomac river. We also ate dinner at a very nice Italian restaurant. Old Town is beautiful! It has a boat dock, sand volleyball courts, beach-like path by the river, old stores, restaurants, historical places, and even free museums. It was a wonderful trip and good escape from thinking about all the bugs!

shops at Old Town, Alexandria

boat dock

Carissa and I found the most random things in some of the tourist shops.
This one advertises McCain for President...yes, it's a little outdated.

This is a replica of the Washington Monument
located on one of the trails in Alexandria.

This view was hard to capture with my camera, but in real life was breathtaking.
It was the ocean hitting the rocks with the city in the background, beach on one side, and trail on the other.

This week I was also lucky enough to get a ticket to go and see a movie that is not yet in the theaters. It is called "The Odd Life of Timothy Green." We saw it at the I-MAX theater for a premiere showing. It comes out in August, and is a very cute movie! It was about a couple who cannot have kids, but want to have a child really badly. One night they finally make a list of all the qualities their child would have if they had one. Then they get that child! Super funny, sad, and cute all at the same time!