Lake loves the zoo and as you may well know, or could have guessed, his two favorite types of animals there (not including the family farm which he’s equally crazy for) are the primates and the felines. No surprise there! This week, when asked what he wants to see at the zoo he replies “Lola” for “Yola” and “sit big cat.”

Clarence got him this plush jaguar a few weeks ago which he has since named “Clarence Cat.”

[Photo taken July 27, 2018 Harborview Medical Center by Clarence Ladd]

And now, Lake’s gotten the idea it’s fun to sit on big cats. He’d be in to an pretty big zoo adventure there that might end us up back at Harborview! So we’re happy we were able to make a compromise on the bronze snow leopard.

so he gets to manifest his dreams to “Sit big cat!” on August 2nd pictured here. Also, “sit dragon lizard” and play with some friends!

Before Michael and I went on our first official date (10/10/10), the one that ended with a kiss, we went on a short series of ever-increasingly frequent and intimate pre-date dates. The one just prior to our “first date” was a tennis date on Thursday (10/7/10). Prior to the tennis date, Michael had come out to a Mariners’ baseball game the week before on Friday (10/1/10). He knew he would find me attending it since it was a pharmacy school fraternity event, and he came with the intention of creating the opportunity to ask me out. So, we chatted at the Mariners game and he invited me to meet at the University of Washington courts after class one day the next week to play some tennis. I still remember wearing my tennis outfit to school that day, carrying my red tennis bag very excited to be getting to play tennis, and cautiously thrilled to be playing with Michael. That was Fall 2010.

This is now.

Still excited to be playing together! This week we met some friends at the very same courts at University of Washington to play doubles. Lake was inadvertently playing the part of the tennis court rodeo clown. He was so funny! And so good! Who knew he would love tennis so much? Well, it does include most of his favorite things: running and ball and friends.

We all had a great time. It was a perfect day, I’m glad I’m spending my life with you!