First Week of Summer

I could not have predicted a fuller, more joyful first week of summer. It's super late and I should be catching up on my sleep but this is so much more fun! Plus, Mike and Daphne leave for Mexico in the morning and we are pulling together loose ends to their trip.

Here were the high-lites: Daphne's tumbling Camp Monday through Thursday from 9am - 11am....sore little girl/proud (tired chauffeur) mama.

Had our friends Nick and Tiffany and their 4 kids over for a home made dinner, which meant cleaning my house and every dish in the house dirty. Fun had by all.

Two big swims at Carlton's outdoor swimming pool...warm pool, great weather, 1st swims with Henry...the summer excitement bubbled up in even this 35 year old's heart.

Two park play dates with girlfriends (first Jessi and then Amy) and their kids...one of them included water/sand/snow cones. Once again, I could almost feel myself going back in time to my youth and taste the thrill of summer in the air.

Visit with my cousin Charity and aunt Susie while the kids had a pretend parade and got each other wet behind our backs.

 Lunch date with my mom and my sis, Lesley and all the kids. Two other park plays with just me and the kids.

Family movie night with extra treats and a special guest, Ms. Riley.

One parade in the rain, with a dear friend, Darci and her sweet cherub babe, Addilynn.

 A baby shower with family that I barely get to see in person anymore.

 Preparation for the huge trip Daphne and Mike are about to embark on to Mexico again this year.

A million little chores and mishaps and cute kid-isms and pictures on my phone that may never get on the computer. AHHH, my life. I think we will take God's advice and rest tomorrow.

Weeks Like These...

Weeks like the last week in school before summer throw in every emotion that motherhood provokes. There's the excitement and pride of accomplishments. There's sadness and reflection on time speeding past. There's sleeplessness due to too many extra things going on, like teacher gifts and special parties, and last minute field trips. There's anticipation for fun summer days and fear of new important decisions that will mold their days. And you realize you don't just love your own, but you have this love for their friends on the same journey and your own friends, on this same journey too. Above all, for me, as Daphne wrapped up 2nd grade, and Maisie proudly finished kindergarten, the overwhelming feeling was that JOY. Blessed for all.of.it. As a final note for my memory keeping. Maisie cried alligator, heart broken tears on the way home from school her last day, because she hadn't gotten an award at the award assembly. My heart completely shattered for her. So in honor of my little girl who has grown immeasurably more than any of our other kids this year, I award her our Student of the Year...for challenging her fears with bravery and maturity and for learning a whole heap of school stuff too. Maisie, you are one beautiful, smart, talented little girl!

Following in our footsteps

This is the story about two little girls. A blonde haired beauty, and a curly brunette, raised up Lutheran, sharing time in the nursery as toddlers. The blonde is my long time friend, Jessi, and of course the curly one, me. Our journey goes WAY back as I said - way back to our youth. First, church, then our school paths joined in the 5th grade and on. On, into our freshman year and roommates in college. Then our teaching jobs in the same school district. Our similar, quick bonding husbands that we drug to ballets, beach weekends, and double dates galore. And finally, sealing us for life, was our entrance into motherhood of little girls in the same year. Daphne Rose, a curly brunette, born in September and Paivi Jayne, a blonde beauty born just 7 months later in April. The best part of this story, is our girls. They resemble us in appearance and in friendship. They are best friends and Jessi and I are constantly amazed at their magnetism to each other. You just don't encourage that kind of girlfriend love...it is beyond any play dates and trips we planned. The other day, I took them to retrace our campus days. They were very into it and soaked up the stories I had to tell. As I snapped these pictures I reflected on the story of these two little girls.