This morning I took a friend’s son to school while his mom and big sister attended an orthodontist’s appointment. I hadn’t spent time with this kiddo at all recently and I marveled at how much he’s matured in the last year. Only in third grade, he’s already sounding so smart and knowledgeable—and both Livia and I enjoyed having him with us in the normally hairy before-school hours. Turns out he was just the motivation we needed to look like cool, calm, collected normal people this morning.

In the hustle and bustle of life—of school and work and extracurricular activities and foster care training and, oh yeah, trying to sell a house—I wonder if I’ve forgotten something very important: my friends’ kids.

I was once a part of a group of women that got it right. They loved each other’s kids incredibly. By example they showed me how to love someone else’s children. We had a long-running Bible study/accountability group; it lasted for almost a decade. If you walked into a room of these ladies, they’d always reach for your baby. And what an amazing blessing that was to me, to have someone who would love my child when I was really tired of dealing with teething and drool and poop, etc. Because we studied the bible and held each other accountable to God’s call in our lives (or at least we tried to), we knew each other really well. Which meant we knew each other’s kids well. Talk to a mom and you’ll eventually learn about her children! I was the godmother to one friend’s children and, in pre-Liv days, bought a pack-n-play just so another friend’s babies could sleep or nap over at my house. We celebrated each birthday with excitement. We threw each other baby showers when a new arrival was expected. Or, in my case, they threw me a baby shower once we had adopted and brought Livia home. I could go on and on, but the point remains that these gals taught me how to care for each other’s children.

Life does get to moving at a fast pace—that’s not just an excuse. I live in different circles from many friends these days; I have an elementary school kid while they still have little ones at home. Still, I think it just means we have to work harder to make time for one another, to make time to get to know each other’s kids. Maybe it requires a bit more creativity, a little less “me time” and a little more reaching out.

Older folks say these growing up years go pretty fast. I want to soak up this precious time, for me and my friends, before it shoots right past me.

Something kind of magical happens when a few very creative people get together. And crazily enough, when those artistic types get their friends, and then those friends get their friends, well, you end up with something like X Files the Musical—and over 1000 people will give up a weekend night to be entertained by you.

Last weekend the Colonel Mustard Amateur Attic Theatre Company debuted X Files the Musical to eager crowds at 9th & D in Lincoln, Nebraska. Several thousand people from all over the world turned on their computers and watched the live stream. Mulder and Scully, the Smoking Man, the Lone Gunman, Skinner… everyone was there. And because it was the Colonel Mustard version, there was also Mr. Tumnus, Dr. Thoreau, a tree chorus, and a Terrible Thing.

The show—hilarious, irreverent and witty—was more than just musical theater, it was about community. And the community here, as well as X Files lovers around the globe, loved it. I hope it inspires others to jot down a few insane ideas, grab a few friends, and make more art.

**Last year the Colonel Mustard folks put on Dr. Quinn the Musical in our backyard. We had to replant the grass after it was over and couldn’t host again as we’re trying to sell our house this year. Needless to say, all things worked out for the better with the change of location. There’s no way 1000+ could’ve fit in our collective back yards.

**X Files the Musical was written and produced by Aaron Holmes, Lindsay Kerns and Phillip Malcolm. I’ve known Lindsay since she was a little kid, and I’ve known Aaron for the last several years, but believe me when I say these guys are amazingly talented and deserve great kudos for their work. Phil, who composed the score, blows me away—the music and lyrics of X Files were fabulous. I’m still humming the tunes, and having to make up my own words because I can’t remember the correct ones.

Despite the wonders of I-80, it’s rare that anyone just “drops by” Lincoln, Nebraska. Lucky for me, my dear friends Bryonie and Josh Moon were on their way home from vacation and stopped in for an hour of coffee, muffins and conversation last Tuesday. Know what that meant? I got to see JUDAH again! After visiting this little guy once in April and again in May, I was in something of a Judah withdrawal. What a treat it was to kiss his chubby cheeks again.

Bryonie once noted that Lincoln seems like a hub for connection. Case in point, the Moons knew Chad and Kacy Steiner in England where both couples were pursuing graduate studies. Fast forward a few years and I meet the Steiners back in Nebraska. I love those it’s-a-small-world-afterall connections, and it was fun to have everyone hang out in my home last week.

Yes, it is really hot outside. The egg-frying part is debatable.
No, these photos were not taken recently. But they do seem fitting for a hot summer afternoon.
Yes, it is really hard to avoid looking at Facebook.
Yes, I might blog a lot more until I get Facebook out of my system.
Yes, I do miss reading about the minutiae of everyone’s lives.
No, I am not giving in already.
Yes, I am loving Summer 2011, hot weather and all.

Question #1: Do you like hot weather or cold better?
Question #2: How often do you check your email or Facebook or Yahoo News each day? Are you as obsessive as I am? Is this a problem for you, too, or is your level of online activity totally fine for you? Just curious.

As promised, more pictures from my time with friends Joie and Jake in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Ever have a dream, and wonder if you can say it out loud to people? Well, here’s mine: I want to photograph women and their children. As in, for the rest of my life.

These images of Bryonie and Judah are not the first Mother & Child shots you’ve seen on the Prairie Box. I thought I’d let you know that they certainly will not be the last. What a joy it was to capture such maternal love in the Moon household last week.

Any words I throw down in this blog post will be insufficient to express my amazement and joy for this baby boy. In fact, I’ve deleted this second sentence three times now because I can’t figure out what to say and how to say it. So for now, let me note that I got to meet Judah last week for the very first time—and he is a remarkable and delightfully squeezy 14-week-old baby. His mama, Bryonie, has been a good friend of mine for 16 years now (right, girls?). I stayed with Bry and Josh last week during my Minnesota trip, so yep, I do have more photos of Judah to show off.

My beloved friend Joie is getting married this June! So last Friday I was presented with this trifecta of loveliness: spend time with Joie and get to know Jake, explore downtown St. Paul, and fire up the creative juices by shooting their engagement photos. They also bought me lunch at Mickey’s Diner where I stuffed myself silly with hash browns and eggs. It was a good deal all around. More photos coming soon.