Gentle Reminder

Isn't that a beautiful sunset?
Well it sure didn't happen tonight.  They're calling for snow.
Snow.
I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Got back earlier this afternoon from our women's retreat.  It was a wonderful time of encouragement and refreshment.  Played 13 rounds of nerts- very fun.  Then stayed up talking with a dear friend until 1:00.  So I am tired but gladly so.
Brian's parents graciously helped out with the kids- they all had a great time it sounded like.
I have to say it was a bit hard for me to be "all there."  I missed being at home.   I was so looking forward to a little time away and I did enjoy it but it just doesn't feel quite right to be away from my family.  That was somewhat convicting.  I thought about how often I grumble about having to do this, that, and the other.
And while I was away, I just wanted to be able to do this, that, or the other.
It was a gentle reminder to strive for contentment and thankfulness in all things.

Spring?

Well so much for warm spring weather.  It's chilly today!  But, that didn't stop us from picking up milkshakes on our way home from CC to celebrate today- last day for the year!  (We'll keep working at home but for this year, CC is done.)
Lucy had her first real trip to the park earlier in the week.  By real I mean she was actually down exploring and playing instead of watching from the stroller.  No more watching from the sidelines for me for a while!

She and Sammy don't always agree on what is "helpful" but today she allowed his "big brothering."

The Peepers

I love having the windows open.
I love seeing the curtains blowing gently in the breeze.
Tonight I was upstairs folding some laundry and listening to the peepers through the open windows.
What a pleasant sound they make.
The funny thing was, all at once, they were silent.
And I have no idea why.
I stopped what I was doing to just listen and in a few minutes, I heard one, then another, then they were all singing again.
Does anyone know why they would all fall silent at the same time?

Listening to them reminded me of being at my grandma's in the summer time.  I don't know if we were listening to peepers or cicadas or what but I always liked listening to them make their songs in the trees after the sun went down.
There was no air conditioning but I remember the evenings always being nice and cool so the windows were open.
It was kind of like a lullaby, sending us off to sleep each night.

Waiting Her Turn

Soccer Saturday

Spring soccer started saturday- how's that for alliteration and I didn't even try.
We have a new soccer player in the house- Kayla.
I expected her to be a little timid on the field.
I was wrong.
She was fast.
She was fierce.
Well,  not really.  But she was a little more aggressive than I thought she would be.
She did have a great time- that's what's important.

My "green shark" is number 4.  That was my field hockey number in high school.

Love this girl.

Jack and Lucy watching the game.  It's a little hard for Lucy to be at the soccer field and not be able to have the "ball-ball."

Could he be a little tired of these soccer games already?

All tuckered out.

Butter and the Moon

I'm not sure where to start here because I have lots of fun pictures and stories to share.
I'll start with two words.
Brown.  Butter.
I cannot even begin to tell you how good it smells.
And when we mixed it with brown sugar and vanilla, it made me smile.
The finished product, brown butter toffee blondies, is in the oven now.  I'll let you know how they taste but I can't imagine that they will be anything but delicious!  Not healthy in any way, but delicious.

I guess the other thing for now is the supermoon.
We loaded everyone up in the van last night at dusk to drive about two minutes from our house to a spot where we could have a clear view of the horizon.
Cloudy.
We watched and waited.
We passed the binoculars around- not sure why- it was supposed to be a super moon, right?
But, no moon and everyone was getting tired.

It was getting past bedtime for the littler ones so we decided to head home.
As soon as we got home, I took Lucy up to her room to put her to bed, looked out the window, and there was the moon.
So, everyone got back in the van and off we went.
I have to say, it did not seem all that much bigger to me.
But, it was beautiful.  And I am so glad we were out there to see it.
Maybe in thirty years the kids will say, "Remember that time mom and dad took us to that parking lot so we could look for the supermoon..."

Dads and Daughters

photo by my young friend, Geneva H.

A "young"friend of mine put together a slide show of some of her favorite photos and set it to music.  Loved it.  Of course some of my cuties are in it but even without them, it was really good.
It got me to thinking about dads and daughters.  At first I was thinking how proud her parents must be.  Then I noticed a picture of her dad looking at a little one whom I'm guessing is his niece.
Then I thought of Brian with his girls, me and my dad.
I remember at my wedding, seeing the tears stream down my dad's face.
I've seen how Brian is sometimes overwhelmed as he watches his daughters.
I've heard stories of Brian's dad just about moving heaven and earth for his little girl.
I've watched how my brother quickly was wrapped around his baby girl's finger.
Fathers, daughters.
Grandfathers, granddaughters.
There is something precious about those relationships.  Of course a dad's love for his boy is no less strong, just different.  They are both sweet things.
And how sad when it hasn't been a sweet thing.
The older I get, and maybe partly the older my children get, the more thankful I am for my own dad and his love for me.
I have been so blessed with a wonderful mom and dad and grandparents.
I know that gift has never been a small thing, but now I begin to see just how big it is.