PIECE by Mila Spangler

Mila improvises with toy piano and microphone with KP3 processing, collaborating with her daddy. So glad to be back home.

Summer Road Trip 2009

Traveling with an infant is not the easiest thing in the world- such I remembered from Mila's first months when we struggled with the drive from Cape Coral to Gainesville, Florida. This summer, with Drew entering his third month, we were looking for a challenge. Marie had a job-related conference on utilities regulation that would be lasting 2 weeks at Michigan State University. Just prior to that was the Schneider family reunion, of Marie's mother's side, in the area around Mount Pleasant, Michigan. In the days leading up to that, Marie's immediate family (Mom, Dad, brothers Brian and Tommy, with Tommy's family of five) were renting a house in the North Woods, near Mancelona (in the northwestern region of the glove). Following the family reunions and 2-week conference in Michigan, we also had an opportunity to visit our dear friends Paul and Garrett, with their newborn daughter Noura Hart, in Lexington, Kentucky- not chosen for its proximity to our initially-planned driving route. We were also fortunate to visit dear friends at the beginning of our journey- catching international musicians of mystery, Dana and Mike (newly engaged!), just before they left for their next year in Amsterdam.

In the middle of this epic journey was my initiation into all-day caregiving to both of my children while Marie attended her conference. While this was a challenging first immersion into my new role, it was a beautiful one which brought me closer to my kids- a fitting place to have my 33rd birthday. I'm glad that my own parents were able to drive out to Michigan from Iowa to see us in our new life as a family of four. Now comes the next stage as we return home and Marie phases back to a regular work schedule- the end of maternity leave. OK, I'm ready.