Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo!

While we were in Virginia for Omi June's memorial service we decided to take the girls to the National Zoo in Washington D.C.. Well, it seems like everyone else in the DC Metro area who has children decided to do the same thing. It was Labor Day and the weather was gorgeous and the zoo was beyond packed. It was so crowded that I’m not even sure the girls were able to actually see a single animal, but they seemed to enjoy the people watching from their stroller, and the company of Omi K, Aunt Inken and Uncle Andy!

Since our National Zoo experience wasn’t quite what we expected we took the girls to the Cincinnati Zoo on a beautiful Sunday in September. It was much less crowded and this time the girls got to see a number of animals. We took them to see the bigger animals that we thought would be easier for them to actually notice at this age; the elephants, giraffes, monkeys. But what really captured their attention the most were the little penguins that were flipping around in the water and the goats and sheep at the petting zoo. Lexi enjoyed touching the animals in the petting zoo, while Kenzie preferred to watch from the other side of the fence.

I’m not sure how much the girls got out of this zoo experience, but we had a fun time! We bought a family membership to the zoo, so I’m sure we will be returning many times and that their excitement will grow as they get a little older.

June T. Skole - June 2, 1923 - August 30, 2010

June T. Skole, 87, passed away peacefully August 30, 2010, at Lewis-Gale Medical Center, Salem, VA after a brief illness.
She was born Amy June Tishendorf on June 2, 1923 in Anoka, Nebraska to Elmer J. and Clara Bengtson Tishendorf. She grew up in Niobrara, Nebraska and moved to Washington, DC at the age of 19. She attended Strayer Business School and upon graduation embarked upon a career as a secretary par excellence. Working in the Pentagon while it was under construction, her employers included the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She later moved to Capitol Hill to work for former U.S. Senator Hugh Butler, and the former U.S. Congressmen Ralph Beerman and Dave Martin. She ended her professional career at age 67, spending the last 15 years with the Washington law firm of Steptoe and Johnson.
In 1951, she married E. Guenter Skole of Berlin, Germany. Together they raised three children and lived in DC, Winchester, VA and McLean, VA. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1996. In 2007 she moved to Roanoke, VA .
June was an active member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, McLean,VA. Volunteering for everything from President of Church Council to sewing quilts and providing meals for the homeless, her involvement with her church took her from helping organize a co-op for sharecroppers in Halifax, VA to touring the palaces of St. Petersburg, Russia.
Mrs. Skole is survived by 2 daughters, Karen Skole of Morro Bay, CA, and Deborah Rakestraw of Fredericksburg, VA; a son, Rev. K. David Skole of Roanoke, VA; their spouses, James Rakestraw, and Diane Skole; 13 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Mavis Heidemann of Fremont, NE, Gwenn Holmlund of McLean, VA, and Mary Burdick of Lenexa, KS; 2 brothers, Robert Tishendorf of Sidney, NE and David Tishendorf of Tieton, WA; 7 nieces and 14 nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:00 pm, at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 1545 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA with the Rev. Dr. Robert Driver-Bishop officiating. In June’s memory, contributions can be made to Christ Lutheran Church, 2011 Brandon Ave., Roanoke, VA 24015

Omi was so excited for our visit just 3 months ago. She was excited to see Inken, Randall and me, but I think she was most excited to meet ‘The Twins’ (as she always referred to them) – her first two great-grandchildren. And when we arrived she did not disappoint. She met us outside with her radiant smile and warm hugs. She was dressed stylishly, her makeup was perfectly done, her apartment was beautiful and spotless as always, the table was set for our meal the next evening – in pink and green to match the girls’ nursery colors, and there was a rocking chair set up in the corner of her living room. When Omi found out that we would be coming for a visit she was determined to find a rocking chair so that “we would be able to rock the girls to sleep at night.” Though I told her that wouldn’t be necessary she went as far as to call the finest furniture store in Roanoke to see whether they had a rocking chair that she could purchase that could be delivered in time for our visit (thankfully David was able to track down a rocking chair that he could bring over and she didn’t spend $900 on the one from the store.J). When we arrived I realized that the reason Omi was so determined to get the rocking chair was because she wanted to be able to hold and rock her great-grandbabies. And I’m so glad that she had that opportunity and I will never forget the smile on her face when she did.

I am so glad that my daughters had the chance to meet my Omi June because she has always been such a wonderful role model for me and was such a special person in my life. I have always been amazed by Omi’s bravery to board a bus as a 19 year old girl in 1942 and head to Washington DC. She showed me by her example that anything is possible and she also always believed that her children and grandchildren could accomplish anything. I always felt great about myself after a phone call with my Omi June – she just had that way. But beyond being a great role model she was such a loving Omi. She was a woman of great integrity, strong faith, great style, and quick wit – until the very end. I am so lucky to have had her in my life for 32 years and I can only hope to have inherited some of her many wonderful traits. I am so glad that I got the chance to hug her just 3 months ago and am so happy that she got to rock my daughters – her great-granddaughters. I will certainly be sharing many wonderful stories about their “Uhr Omi” with my girls as they grow up. And through these wonderful memories Omi June will always live on in my heart.

I love you Omi June. To the sky & back, forever. Your first granddaughter, Antje

6 Months Old!

The girls turned 6 months on September 3rd. I can't believe they are half way to their first birthday and I can't believe that my maternity leave is coming to an end. I thought that six months would seem like such a long time, but it has flown by! The girls just keep getting cuter by the day and their personalities are really blossoming. Randall said that it gets harder and harder to go to work each Monday because they are just becoming more and more fun to hang out with on the weekends. Oh, Thursday (my first day back at work) is going to be a hard day.

Highlights from the past month:
- We attended our first Gymboree music class this month and you both enjoyed it - although it took Lexi a little while to get warmed up to all of the new sights and sounds.
- You have both been eating one solid food meal per day for the past month. Your favorite foods so far are apples, pears, carrots and butternut squash.
- Daddy installed swings on the back porch and you both love to swing in them (thanks Jinny!). We have also started going to the playground up at Ault Park on a regular basis this past week and you both love the “big girl” swings too.
- Your hair has really started to grow. Lexi – yours sticks straight up. So cute! Kenzie – yours was really fuzzy for a period of time but now that it is a bit longer it lays down more.

Lexi: You weigh 16 lbs 15 oz (75%) and are 26 1/4 inches tall (70%). You started sitting up when you were 5 1/2 months old and you are so proud of yourself. You have been a bit fussy the past few weeks - not sure if it is because you are teething or if you are just anxious to be crawling and you get frustrated because you aren't quite able to get moving yet. You make the cutest little “stink face” when something is bothering you. You continue to know exactly what you want!

Kenzie: You weigh 16 lbs 5 oz (55%) and are 25 1/2 inches tall (50%). You started sitting up about a week after your sister. You are still a bit wobbly and tip over easily if you get distracted. One of your favorite things to do is to jump in your jumperoo – you are usually more reserved, but when you get into that thing you are a wild child!

You are both developing such wonderful personalities and are such a joy to be with! I love watching you interact with one another and the world around you. Happy 6 Month Birthday my sweet girlies!