The Help: Alvin to the Rescue!

A few weeks ago my older brother Alvin flew out from Chicago to meet baby Anders.  To call his trip a "visit" would be an understatement: Alvin really can do it all.  From the minute he arrived he was busy playing and reading with the older boys, talking and interacting with baby Anders, and giving Mattias and I much needed non-kid related adult conversation.

We had good weather so we chose to go to the zoo one day.  Alvin could seriously be a manny (man + nanny), he's so good with the kids I felt like I was on vacation.

It turns out sea lions love him too!  Check out this awesome video of Alvin playing with a California sea lion. 

Later that afternoon we dyed eggs for our Easter egg hunt.  Besides Melissa, there's no one better to craft with in my opinion than Alvin.

The following day we went to Arlington National Cemetery.  Since our days here are numbered we are trying hard to see the area's major sights and attractions.   

The architecture and history around the grounds is impressive, but what was most striking was the visual reminder of the true cost of war.  We hear too much about budgets and years at war, I think we should keep track of the number of lives lost or deeply impacted by the conflict.  Perhaps we've been at war too long, because it seems like we've stopped counting.

Linus had lots of questions, about the shapes and sizes of headstones and who gets what kind.  He asked about what was inscribed and how they ended up on a hill in Arlington.  

Most surprising to me were the number of spouses and children that are buried here.  We forget and take for granted that there was a time in this country when many children just didn't make it--some not even out of the hospital as infants.

I had never really thought of it until that day:  cemeteries commemorate the dead but really serve to remind us of the value of life.

On Alvin's last full day here we had Melissa and family over for lunch and made DIY Vietnamese spring rolls.  Lots of people forget that Alvin introduced Melissa and me almost 14 years ago, and convinced me that we would be perfect roommates.  Since Alvin has been out of California for almost 9 years, we rarely all get together.

By Monday we were really sad to see Uncle Alvin go.  He helped me cook and picked up the kids' toys, and never once turned down an opportunity to read the boys a book.  After the kids went to bed each night we hung out and watched "The Walking Dead", drank hard cider, and joked and laughed like we did when we were in high school.  

Funny thing is, I always knew Alvin was good with kids.  I just didn't realize he'd be so good with my kids.