Twinfatuation

Pomp and Circumstance - Celebrating He-Twin

2025-01-27T20:52:00.003-05:00

Can hardly believe our He-Twin has been a college graduate now for a month!

Unlike covid-impacted high school graduation, VCU's Class of 2024 was able to have an indoor, walk-the-stage department experience, and a full-on, full-class, Siegel Center ceremony.

Graduating cum laude with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Philosophy, Darren will be exploring opportunities in research---perhaps maximizing his undergraduate work and study in AI governance.

The pictures speak volumes.

Our hearts are filled with joy, love, pride, and excitement for Darren, and for all that lies ahead of him.

We're excited to see what his future will bring!

Twinfatuation ongoing! Love you and so proud of you, Darren---
My precious He-Twin, always.

-Mom

Twenty-Three

2024-09-07T12:24:00.003-04:00

How it started.

How it's going.

Double Daddy's social post September 5, 2024 sums it up. How incredibly blessed we are.

Excited to see what the next 23 years---and beyond---hold in store.

Love you both---and your Daddy---so.

Forever Twinfatuated----
💚💚

Pomp and Circumstance - Celebrating She-Twin

2024-05-26T12:33:00.001-04:00

Last weekend was a whirlwind!

While we never heard Elgar's strains amidst the celebration and ceremonies, thanks to the Honorable John Charles Thomas, we did hear with enlightened ears William & Mary's alma mater multiple times.
Hark Upon the Gale, indeed!

The pictures speak volumes.

Our hearts are filled with joy, love, pride, and excitement for Sarah, and for all that lies ahead of her.

This fall, she'll begin the pursuit of her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology under Dr. Steven Benning, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Twinfatuation ongoing! Love you and so proud of you, Sarah---
My precious She-Twin, always.

-Mama

Way Back When-esday - Healthy Helpings and a Hoverer

2024-03-06T13:59:00.006-05:00

Dateline: July 2010
Twins' Age: 8

Less than a month earlier, the furry face in the middle had joined the Lage family. Clearly, he fit right in!

Double Daddy just reminisced yesterday, "Larry was the perfect dog at the perfect time for our family."
Still miss that sweet boy every day.

This sweet trio of smiles warm my heart this mid-week.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Cuties with Cakes

2024-02-28T13:19:00.002-05:00

Dateline: September 2006
Twins' Age: Freshly 5

Presidential placemats. Pointy birthday hats. Declarative ribbons. Cakes adorned with current fave characters. Is that a tell-tale bit of icing on He-Twin's upper lip? Who's the featuree on She-Twin's cake?
Can you tell?

Memories of birthday glee warm my heart this mid-week.

So much love for them---and Double Daddy---then, and so much now.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Foregrounds and Backgrounds

2024-02-21T11:19:00.001-05:00

Dateline: October 2007
Twins' Age: 6

Stumbled upon a e-folder long-unopened, a treasure trove of days-gone-by glimpses.

In the foreground:
Sparkly-eyed siblings, sporting big grins with baby teeth.

In the background:
Darren's poster project prepared for his kindergarten class "Get to Know Me."
Sarah's pink and purple---and rarely used---pocketbook received for our review as "twinfluencers" (before the term was coined).
Stadler and Waldorf, no doubt cracking wise, from their make-shift balcony, atop the sofa back.

Loving the breadth of memories spurred by this simple candid...and most of all, the kiddos therein.

Happy Mid-Week, Wonderful Ones.
-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Represent!

2023-10-25T10:30:00.002-04:00

Dateline: November 9, 2016
Twins' Age: 15

Our duo decked-out in their unauthorized high school regalia.
This year, US News and World Report ranked their schools as #2 & #3 in the state of Virginia.
Imperfect to be sure, but Richmond Public Schools for the win!

Who believes it's nearly been 7 years?
This spring, new regalia...college diplomas.
So proud of them then. So proud of them now.

-Cheryl

These Little Lights ....

2023-09-06T16:36:00.005-04:00

As of yesterday, at 12:34p and 12:41p respectively, He-Twin and She-Twin turned 22 years old.

Seems as though that should qualify as a "golden birthday" for babies born in twos.

With all away at college, separate celebrations were mandated.

So many candles, but far brighter lights within them both.

Double Daddy and I couldn't be prouder or more excited to see how they let 'em shine, let 'em shine, let 'em shine.

Twenty-two years, and we're as twinfatuated as we were from the first minutes.

We love you so, Darren and Sarah.

-Mom

She-Twin's Last First Day of School

2023-08-30T13:35:00.002-04:00

Her first day of 16th grade, She-Twin graciously accommodated my request for a back-to-school photo.

Traditional backpack view? Not forgotten or ignored; sleeping roommate's rest honored.

Wishing you a wonderful senior year, sweet girl.
We love you, and are so very proud of you.

-Mom

He-Twin's Last First Day of School

2023-08-22T17:52:00.001-04:00

His first day of 16th grade, He-Twin graciously accommodated my request for a back-to-school photo.
He even remembered the traditional backpack view.

Wishing you a wonderful senior year, sweet boy.
We love you, and are so very proud of you.

-Mom

Our Beloved, Beautiful, Velveteen Van

2023-07-24T18:59:00.003-04:00

"You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby.
But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.

He didn't mind how he looked to other people, because the nursery had make him Real, and when you are Real, shabbiness doesn't matter."
―from Margery Williams', The Velveteen Rabbit

Dented and dinged on every quarter panel....

With a biographical back-end...

In January, thieves robbed her of her original 2004 catalytic converter.
We got her a new one, and had it painted proudly with her VIN to ideally prevent another gross violation. Shortly thereafter, her transmission became irreparably slippy.
Her trusted doctors, the mechanics at Mercer and Woodson, shared the news tenderly. It was time.

For weeks thereafter, she sat outside our home. Silent. Unmoving, until this afternoon.

Her spirit of service and self-sacrifice will go on.
Her parts will be parceled out to help Habitat for Humanity.
She's The Giving Van.

She-Twin (home from college for the summer): "Mom, are you actually misty?"
Me (a truth-teller): "Yes, a little."

Good-bye and thank you, you banged-up beauty. You served us well. You were Real.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Daddy's Duo

2023-07-05T10:50:00.003-04:00

Dateline: June 18, 2023
Twins' Age: 21

Father's Day memory with these fabulous, full-grown favorite people.
How doubly-blessed their Daddy and I are.

*If given the opportunity, we recommend Pig & Brew. Delish...for dads, and everyone.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Pair at Play

2023-06-14T19:24:00.001-04:00

Dateline: August 2002
Twins' Age: 11 months

Tiny photo of a tiny twosome.
In the early days of digital photos, I naively shrank pictures to share online, and saved them.
Unaware that they'd forever be "small"----the photos, not the kids.

Memories of our duo in the den (since transitioned to Double Daddy's home office), warm my heart this mid-week.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Fancy Fraternals

2023-05-31T21:06:00.000-04:00

Dateline: April 2016
Twins' Age: 14

Suddenly, they both seemed so grown.
Heading to the 8th grade formal with a group of lifelong friends...so grown.
So gorgeous, the both of them.
They continue to grow more so---inside and out---every day.
Color me grateful.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Double Bubble Blowers

2023-04-05T17:26:00.003-04:00

Dateline: April 2008
Twins' Age: 6

Spring days. Simple joys. Happy memories.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Tie-Dye Twosome

2023-03-01T19:06:00.001-05:00

Dateline: March 2007
Twins' Age: 5

When She-Twin and He-Twin were wee, we frequented an in-mall photography studio that regularly sent "free 8x10" coupons. Some of my favorite images of them were taken in that small, spartan space...the one above may have been the last before they closed the location. (And no, I didn't alway just take the free 8x10 and run!)

Now, not only is Picture People closed, the entire mall has been shut down. The times, they are a changin'.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - It's Official

2023-02-22T14:49:00.005-05:00

Dateline: August 2013
Twins' Age: 11

After responding, "Seven minutes," when a double-stroller-eyeing Walmart shopper asked "How much older is your son?" with some agitation, she fired back, "But they are NOT twins!"

Smiling, aware their size difference might be the source of her confusion, I assured her, "Yes, they are!"

Not smiling, she verbally stomped, "They most certainly are NOT."

If only we'd had the Nintendo DS ten years earlier. Maybe she'd have been convinced.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Playground Pals

2023-02-15T10:43:00.009-05:00

Dateline: April 2006
Twins' Age: 4

Breezy day in Richmond's Bryan Park. Smiles atop the slide. Moments that make memories.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Send Out the Clowns

2023-02-08T11:06:00.002-05:00

Dateline: February 2006
Twins' Age: 4

He's smiling sincerely. He seems warm and welcoming. He's graciously posing with our pair.
But, he's still a clown...and clowns...well, they're kinda creepy.

Love He-Twin's grit-teeth grin, and brave both thumbs-up.
Love She-Twin's clutch at her brother's hand, and havin'-none-of-his-hand-on-her-shoulder side-eye.
Seventeen years later, both our babies are still brave, and boundary-setters!
(Thank you for providing an early opportunity to develop those skills, Steve the Clown.)

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Snoozin' + Strollin'

2023-02-01T22:32:00.001-05:00

Dateline: January 2003
Twins' Age: 1

Sweeties sleepin' in the sun. Seems like yesterday and a million years ago at the same time. What a gift the twenty years since have been.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Balloon Buddies

2023-01-25T22:04:00.004-05:00

Dateline: January 2008
Twins' Age: 6

Memory fails in attempts to remember the occasion meriting home helium tank acquisition. No matter---the happy holders warm my heart this mid-week.

-Cheryl

Way Back When-esday - Off to School

2023-01-18T12:18:00.006-05:00

Dateline: January 17, 2008
Twins' Age: 6
Fifteen years ago this week, flakes were flying on the way in to two kindergarten classrooms.
This week, as He-Twin begins second semester of his junior year in college, and as She-Twin enjoys her last few days of winter break before returning for the same, no snowmen are on our radar.
Here's hoping the joy that spurred the sprinting to learn in 2008 is equally---surpassingly---present these coming days.

Way Back When-esday - Tickled Twosome

2022-12-07T19:02:00.003-05:00

Dateline: December 2008
Twins' Age: 7

As we count the days to Lagefest 2022, we remember a glimpse of Lagefest 2008.
Meeting Elmo during a day-trip to Legoland made our memorable time in Carlsbad, CA even more so.

What are you recalling from "Way Back" this Wednesday?

-Cheryl

Twinfatuated for 21 Years...and Counting

2022-09-05T11:59:00.002-04:00

Happiest of 21st birthdays to our precious pair. Adore the young adults you've become.
Love you today, and always.

-Mom

Way Back When-esday - Fresh First Days

2022-08-31T12:35:00.002-04:00

Dateline: August 24, 2022 & August 31, 2022 (respectively)
Twins' Age: 20 + 360/365ths

These sweet scholars are officially college juniors, and were both kind enough to indulge their folks with traditional "first-day of school" photos.

Including our annual "backpack" view...

Wishing them the most wonderful of years---until next year, which we hope is more wonderful still.
Love you both so!

-Cheryl