back home

the Crystal Lake building looks exactly the way I remember it

We are back from a whirlwind of a Midwestern road trip. We logged over thirty hours in the car with three little boys. I feel as though I visited every phase of my life in the past weeks. I had a delightful dinner with this lovely college roommate here in DC right before we left on our trip. I then went to stay with Grandma and Grandpa Fredin, visited Crystal Lake where we saw good friends and I took Luke on a trip down my memory lane, and then headed up to Madison where it seemed like nothing had changed except for the satellite dish that someone put on my house.

I waded through all the emotions and nostalgia and came out feeling a deep satisfaction with where I am at now. I love all these places and people from my past. I've been blessed throughout this journey with great people to love me along my path. I have a life full of treasured memories and happy relationships.

It also makes me want to love and appreciate the right now so much more. I am sure a few years from now I will look back at this place and these people with the same love and nostalgia. I'll never get back this stage of my children's development. I'll never relive this Christmas season. Kindergarten will pass so quickly. Isaac will soon be chattering away like his brothers. Noah will leave me for preschool before I know it. We will move away from this neighborhood with all of its charms. When we get there it will all be wonderful and right. But for now I will just slow down and absorb Isaac's snaggle toothed smile, Luke's endless curiosity, and Noah's constant pretending. I will appreciate the trees that line the path to Luke's school. I will embrace our current proximity to Nat's work and the fact that he can sneak away to help me put groceries away on his lunch break. I will make time to spend with the people I love here. This is what I have and it is enough.

Here's to the blessings of right now.

Inspiration

We've been on the move lately. We have spent countless hours in the car, seen lots of states, spent time with good friends and family, and have put Linette, our trusty GPS, to the test. I have loads of pictures to sort through and eventually post but in the meantime this post was so interesting and inspiring to me. I am starting to think I might get some creative juices flowing in time for Christmas.

Brothers

I love these pictures and those two little boys. They fell asleep on each other last Friday during our walk. This relationship has been interesting to watch unfold. Noah loved Isaac as a newborn and loved watching him develop new skills right up until those skills got Isaac into Noah's space. There was a rocky stretch where Noah took Isaac way too seriously. When Isaac reached out to bat at Noah he was accused of hitting and when he crawled near Noah's toys-- just forget it. This was (thankfully) short lived and with Luke at school Isaac is now being groomed as a playmate. I hear Noah giving instructions like, "you are the ewok and I am going to be Han Solo," or "follow me over here, Isaac." There is still some frustration when Isaac's lack of Star Wars knowledge interferes with his ability to play or when Isaac has his own idea about how the blocks should be set up. For the most part, though, they are figuring each other out and well on their way to being partners the way that Luke and Noah have been since Noah was about nine months old. It's a privilege to watch this friendship emerge. When Luke gets home, however, he is still the boss.
Oh, brothers.

Monday morning, early

Monday morning always feels so full of promise. This week I might get pictures hung on the wall, stay on top of the laundry, and get everything done for my calling. Here's hoping!

In the meantime, here is a picture of the little man I am lucky enough to call my baby. You're welcome.

Family Photo and Sunday Night Thoughts

This is as good as it gets. We had a rare (for us) Sunday moment where we were able to sneak outside and have a neighbor take a family picture. I look old. I am saying that as a matter of fact rather than an invitation for you all to reassure me that I don't look like a haggard old momma. I even tried to retouch the photo and hide the eye wrinkles and the dark under eye circles, to no avail. This is just what you get-- me, tired old me. And I'm fine with it. I've earned those wrinkles and dark circles. I am trying to decide if Nat looks old too. He is still 30 after all and I am now 31. He is tired too though. He is currently falling asleep reading to the boys and it's only 7.

I keep looking at these children today and wondering how this happened. I am so often lost in the day-to-day struggle to keep the family afloat that I forget to recognize just where I am at. I am the mother to three (yikes!) healthy, bright, and beautiful boys. I have a wonderful marriage and a nearly perfect husband. It's surreal to reflect on these blessings.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

I love this boy and his mischief. He loves, loves, loves to climb into baskets, bins, and boxes. Then he sits there and smiles until he gets the desired response from his people. He also climbs. All. The. Time. Happy Weekend!