Part of Me

A couple of weeks ago we spent some time up at Grandma's.  The countryside there is rich with history, our history.  A lot of it I don't know but some I do.  I have a lot of memories linked to the people and the land, and there have been stories I've heard that sometimes feel like memories.  Only they are someone else's, not mine.  I like to think of  them though, grandparents, uncles and great-uncles, aunts and great-aunts living life there.  Traveling familiar roads to work, tending gardens, hanging out clothes to dry, going to town.  There are stories of hard winters, loss, and even run-ins with the "law."

This old house rests in Cherry Lane.  My dad likes to tell about spending the night here, at his grandparents' home, when he was a boy.  He said when they woke in the morning the layers of blankets on the bed were striped with snow that had fallen through slats in the roof.  It is so hard to try to be there, to get a sense of people going in and out, kids running around.  My dad as a boy, visiting his family here.

Part of me wishes there was some way to walk here, on this grass, through that door, with them, to know them. And then to have my own memories.
People I knew, people I didn't know.  Somehow, all a part of me.

A Couple Stories

My kids are back home, going through grandparent withdrawal.  They had a great week- thanks Mom and Dad!
The boys have given me some material today.
Sammy came in with a captain's hat on and a bag.  He said he was running away.
"Sam.  I would miss you so much."
"That's ok mom.  You can just come with me."
Thankfully he's still here so I guess he changed his mind.

Jack sent me a letter this morning after having been denied this request once.  This is what is said:
Dear Danielle,
The president demands that the Waters children have a popsicle!
Sincerely,
The United States Congress

It didn't work.

Back to Normal (soon)

The slower pace has been really nice.  I won't lie.  But I think we are all ready to get back to a little more of this.  I'll have these guys back soon!

12 Years

The summer was hot and dry.  So dry that we were in a drought.
That morning there was a warm, blue sky.  It was a perfect day.  Perfect for a wedding.
Ours.
Mom had made our cake.  Beautifully.  We took it to the reception hall.  That was a little intense but it got there just fine.
We all got ready at the church, one that was somewhat out in the country.  It was really lovely.
Not long before the ceremony was to begin, someone told me a storm was blowing in.
Really??  We're in a drought!
But storm it did.  It poured the rain.  The wind blew.
You know what?  It didn't matter one bit.
Because he was waiting for me. 
Rain or no rain.
The church was cozy with the dark clouds outside and the candles inside.
And I married that man, 12 years ago today.
I'd do it all again in a heartbeat, with the rain and the storm or with that blue sky morning.

Saturday

We've been down to one kid for a little over 24 hours now and so far, so good!  The kids seem to be having a really nice time at Mimi and Papa's.  Lucy's enjoying the attention she's getting although every once in a while she wonders where the "guys" are.  She's so easy to take along on our outings.
Brian and I found a gift card we'd forgotten about and went to dinner last night then to the Goodwill bookstore.  Top find:  a like-new hardback copy of Marilynne Robinson's Home for just $1.  I already have my own but am looking for just the right person who will appreciate it.
This morning we went to the farmer's market for coffee and fresh veggies that aren't growing in our garden (which is looking much better by the way).  Then we met up with Brian's parents on a whim for breakfast.
We ended with dinner at our house with some of our "young" friends.  I'm sure there will be an engagement soon and I cannot wait.
I can't decide what to do now but I am trying to take some good advice and not do much of anything.  There's plenty that needs doing but all I'd like to do is sit outside and read a book and listen to the thunder in the distance.
Sounds good to me.

Not Too Sure About This

I just said bye to Jack, Kayla, and Sammy as they left for a week or so with my mom and dad.
Not sure how I'm feeling about this right now.
Actually, I do.  I feel a little sad, a little lost.
Someone remind me of this the next time I'm about to pull my hair out...

Keeping Cool

The kids have figured out several ways to keep cool this summer.

Lucy's baby pool at the end of the slide is one of them.

The sprinkler at the top of the slide is another.

Waiting for the splash.

Sometimes the littler ones take back the pool.

Staking her claim.

Taking a popcorn break.

First Green Beans

Samuel and I got out yesterday to see if we might have enough green beans ready for our first pot.

We found some!  

It wasn't a lot, but enough for everyone to try.  They were sooooo good!

Garden Thoughts

I spent the last few minutes before dark cutting away at our squash plants, which, by the way, seem out of control- there's a lot of squash and we're not exactly crazy about it.  But that's not why I was cutting.  A friend pointed out little eggs on the leaves that will turn out to be squash bugs and ruin our plants if we don't, well, squash them.  Surprise.  Who knew?
So I went out and got busy checking all the leaves and clipping the ones that had eggs on them.  It was kind of nice to be out and to have some quiet time to myself in the cool of the day.  Today has been a good day but a busy one, and I haven't felt the time to just be still and think.  And all that thinking led to a connection between gardening and parenting.  I've decided I don't think they are all that different.
You start out the best you can, doing what you think will "work."  Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes you do all the "right" things and something still goes wrong.  You work and tend, care and watch.  Give what's needed, pull back on what's not.  Pray.  (yes- I even pray over our garden sometimes!)
In the end, you are faithful with what you have, knowing that the end result is ultimately not in your hands, but the Creator's, God's.  Is it not He who gives the harvest?
That gives me hope.  And rest in my heart.  At least for now.

One Thing

We just finished watching "Open Range" and I should really be asleep.  Today has seemed so long.  Not sure why.  Everyone worked hard this morning and got chores done- although there's still plenty to be done.  I think it will always be that way.  It's been so nice and cool out.  We've been able to have the windows open and that's a treat.  I love fresh air in the house.
Let me just leave you with one thing.  One minute Sammy was in his superman costume, belly swinging like he's flying.  The next, he's running around the house mooning the neighbors.  Seriously.  He says they didn't see him.  Let's hope not.

Just Life

Last night's dinner was so good:  grilled chicken, roasted vegetables (some from a friend's garden), and fresh corn on the cob.
The corn on the cob got me thinking.
When Jeff and I were little, we always spent a week or so with our grandparents in the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia.
My Grandma Lucy had several brothers and sisters that lived within walking distance and often they would gather on Papa and Grandma's carport after supper (which was pretty early-4:30ish).
It would be warm out and it smelled of fresh mountain air.
What I remember is a circle of chairs full of sisters, maybe daughters.
Working together.
Snapping green beans.
Shucking corn.
Chatting about their "stories" (soaps), people, their past.
Sometimes we would take a break from swinging or playing to join them.
Jeff, Crystal, Nicole, me.
Listening, sneaking bites of corn that had been cut off to be frozen for the winter.
Maybe helping, too.
There is a part of me that wishes for that back so that I could be part of their conversations now, not as a child but as a mom, a wife.
The best thing about those memories is that we weren't doing anything other than living life with them.  No bells and whistles.
Just life.  And it was good.

Thankful

It is one of those evenings that doesn't seem to come very often.
Maybe it does, and I miss it.
But I want to remember it.
The heat of the day has subsided and it is quiet.
The breeze is warm and calming, like a soothing stream of water.
The clouds are dark and there is lightening in the distance.
I watch for deer.  There are none tonight.
The scent of the petunias drifts by.
Fireflies twinkle like Christmas lights and entertain my eyes.
Not that I need entertaining now.  I can barely see the swings, the baby pool by the garden but I rewind the day, remembering Sammy going oh so high on the swing, by himself now.
Lucy splashing the water while Kayla and Jack chase each other down the slide, through the grass.  I edit out the squabbles.  It was much hotter then, a much busier place.
Now it is still.
And I am thankful for the day, for this.

Who?

Sammy and Jack were on the phone last week.  (Brian and Jack were gone for the week.  More on that later.)
After about 10 minutes on the phone, this is what I heard:
S:  "Are you my brother?"
Quiet
S:  "Are you my BROTHER?"
Quiet
S:  "Oh good.  I didn't know which Jack I was talking to."
(He does not know any other Jacks!)

Rainy Day

It was just the little ones and me for a while today.  We went outside after lunch.
They were swinging.  I was putzing around in the garden.  It was cloudy and dark for the middle of the day.
Then it was raining.
BIG drops. And lots of them.
Out of no where, it seemed.
So I grabbed Lucy and we all made a run for it, her laughing all the way as she bounced on my hip.

The darkness from the storm made it cozy in the living room so we got a pile of books and read.
Several books later I put Lucy down for her nap.
While I was still upstairs the door slammed shut.
Oh boy, I thought.  Sam's outside.
And do you know, he was having a great time.

Three Things

Just three things today:
1.  Today is National Chocolate Day.
2.  Tomorrow is National Sugar Cookie Day.
3.  Even more importantly, tomorrow is Cow Appreciation Day at Chik-Fil-A, which means free food if you put together some sort of cow costume.  And we will.

Crazy Morning

Three kids and I ventured out to the library and grocery store this morning.
Three.  Not four.
And it was about all I could handle.
Lucy has her own ideas about how things should go (for her) when we're out and about.
My ideas are a little different.
I did get a good stack of books for myself.  Several more Miss Read books and some education/parenting books: E.D. Hirsch and John Rosemond.  I'll see what they have to say.

The grocery store was a little crazy.  A hungry mama, an antsy toddler, and a rambunctious four year old did not make for a good combination.
Which must be why I bought things I NEVER buy, like Cheetos and Poptarts.
Thank goodness for free samples.
Also got lots of good fruit which was a good thing because that's about all Lucy wants to eat these days.

So, now for a quiet afternoon and then Geneva comes to babysit and I'm going out.
Alone.
(Can you hear me smiling?)

Lake Weekend

Does this picture speak summer to you?
It does to me.
We spent a better part of the weekend up at Claytor Lake with Brian's family, most of it in the water.
There's something about the kids laughing in the water that I loved.  Even while we're hollering at them to get back a little closer to the dock or trying to make sure Lucy didn't fall in.  My little birthday buddy Caroline has a great infectious giggle.  And that's what it is.  A giggle.  I'm sure she has a good belly laugh too but giggles are such happy sounds.  They just keep going.
We had several "firsts" that are worthy to remember.  And other things that might not have been firsts, but were still fun.

 Here's Caroleena Pastalina, aka the Giggler

Not Sammy's first time driving the boat but definitely one of his favorite things to do

Not Brian's first time water skiing but my first time watching him.  Pretty funny.

His sister skied, too.  Impressive.

First time tubing behind the boat.  Can you tell how Kayla is holding her breath, just in case she got knocked off?  I wasn't sure what she would think of this adventure but she loved it.

Jack went by himself then with cousin Mary.  He was hilarious back there.  I think I've got more of a comedian than I realized.

This picture just makes me smile.  

Sometimes you just need a break from it all.

Sammy's first time to hold baby Joel.  What a cutie.  Sam had so many questions about this little guy.  

He's a sweet baby.

Garden and Fireworks

The last week or so has been pretty busy around here!  Fun, but busy.  The little ones are wiped out and sleeping (hopefully) right now.  Posting will be backwards again because I want to get a few pictures up for the guys to see sooner rather than later.

Our garden is finally producing!  Maybe not a whole lot yet but we sure enjoyed this first cucumber of the season.

I think we will have squash coming out of our ears soon.

Doesn't everybody?  

We all enjoy the watching and then the spotting of something new.

Sometimes that can be hazardous- Lucy already plucked our first tiny watermelon from the vine.  Maybe we'll get more?

Fireworks were great last night.  Geneva came with us and was a huge help.  It doesn't hurt that the kids all love her!

Uh-Oh

This morning:
"Mom.  The tooth fairy didn't come last night."
Uh-oh.
I don't even know what to say.
I am scrambling to come up with a good explanation for this.
The funny thing is, I thought everyone here knew who is behind the tooth fairy.  We've been pretty clear.  It doesn't seem to matter right now.
Not sure how I'm going to get out of this one...