weekending

Busy.  Hard.  Good.  Busy. 

Did I say hard?  And good?

This weekend reminded me so much of what the amazing Glennon describes as "brutiful." Brutal and beautiful.  Those seemingly disparate qualities coming together to make complexity and nuance and texture of this one life.

I spent the weekend vacillating between these feelings of beautiful and brutal.  Recognizing the very good taking place, like this, and the opening of registration for gladsome.  But also feeling deeply the tough stuff going on.  Some challenges coming up, some decisions to be made, much work to be done.  And doing so amongst the pulls and pushes of parenting a lively tribe of kids.

Then I look closely at some of the pictures I took.  The one above is part of a series of photos of these sweet siblings as they tried to swing and hold hands at the same time.  Their laughter was loud and their attention focused as they reached out to one another.  So often missing, but continuing to try, smiles splitting wide open even if just their fingertips touched.

And I want to be like them.  Laughing.  Reaching.  Focused.  Smiling.


~~ Joining Amanda in weekending. ~~

90 minutes

This morning:

And this is a bit of what it looked like:

Bypassing the dirty cups on the counter.  Making a fresh pot of coffee instead.

Shower and drying my hair.  Uninterrupted.

Stepping over dirty laundry.  Going outside instead.

Some inspiration I've been savoring.  (And some tears which means it is hitting home.)

Listening to the birds.  And trying to spot them in the trees.

A walk on the trail.

Discovering the unfurling of plants all along the way.  So many I didn't know would show their beauty this spring.

Adding a twig to St. Seraphim's nature table.  And a prayer of gratitude for his watching over our woods.

Placing a prayer for today at the base of the Peace Pole.  Feeling the breeze like the soft hand of God.

Refreshing my coffee. Breathing deeply.  Clicking "Publish."

 Ready for them to return.

this moment {in town}

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

this moment

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

this moment

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

this moment {worn out}

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

two years, where does the time go

This boy.

This boy.

This boy.

I love him so.  Achingly.  He's into everything.  Persistent, independent, self-assured.  He figures it out, helps out, goes after exactly what he desires.  Climbs on my lap and lifts my shirt when he wants breastmilk, climbs into the fridge when he wants yogurt.  Not so much a boy of words, but a boy of action.

This morning I spilled some coffee on my pajama pants.  He climbed on a stool, got several napkins, came back to me and patted at the wet spot on the fabric.

While he did so he placed his other hand on my forearm.  So gently.

This boy.

I've been thinking about his entrance into the world two years ago.  The anticipation we felt.  The news.  The amazement that followed.  The nickname chosen. (For the record we've called him Squirmy since day one, and still do.  Apt.  See picture above.) 

As I watched his hand on my arm this morning, I felt so deeply that this is my boy.  No longer my baby, but my boy.

Happy Birthday Squirmy.  We are so glad you are here.

this moment {cabin fever}

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

P.S. Yes, I totally know how close his little head is to that iPad!  Don't worry, I moved him after the picture!

this moment

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

remembering Tuesday

It happened yesterday, it was our first day.  Outside more than in.  Let's celebrate!  Bring on the party hats people!

I didn't once think of the vacuuming not getting done or laundry not being washed or even making dinner on time. The hour upon hour outside, adding up to many (7!), smoothed out the raw, rough edges of a very difficult Monday.  Tuesday, instead, was a continual sigh of remembering how glorious fresh spring air can be.  Darn you winter for layering on forgetfulness.  Or thank you.

Toys, chalk, bikes spilled out of the garage, as if in a big yawn, awaking from winter.  Squeals of play echoed about the neighborhood as kids gathered in short sleeves.  Mud was sloshed, stubborn ice broken apart with baseball bats and golf clubs were swung at remaining piles of snow. Gardening tools were handled, and handfuls of pachysandra was pulled up to show lovely hardscaping underneath.

Party hats for sure.

This morning the whir of the washing machine is our background music, I am noticing floors in need of sweeping.  This morning it is raining, and we are waiting for the wintry mix that portends the big storm to come.  A foot of snow, they say.  We'll see.

In the meantime I am remembering yesterday.

weekending

Friday afternoon

Saturday afternoon

Sunday afternoon

Outside, inside
Sun and snow
Play, play, play
A morning cup of coffee and magazine reading
Family movie night
A mid-winter bonfire
And watercolors
A mama as calm as I've been in weeks (thanks to that luxurious solo fresh-air hike)
A visit from a college cousin, along with her, um, special friend who is a boy
Cookie baking
Tackle and tickle
Basketball playing for hours in the makeshift court in Munchkin's room
And sledding in shorts

A weekend full of play and connection and tenderness.  Easy from tip to tail and wrapped in a calm go-along-ness that reminded me of exactly what a weekend should be.

~ ~ ~
weekending with Amanda.  Join in, won't you?

this moment {a new belt}

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

this moment

Joining SouleMama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

Wishing you a weekend full of goodness!

weekending

Not busy, not unbusy.  Good in productive ways.  Good in relaxing ways.

I abandoned my phone for most of Saturday and really felt the weekend in ways I haven't in a long, long while.  I've been reading Hands Free Mama, and I know that it will change me, is changing me.  Slowly and well.  Returned to my phone just in time to get an invite from a close friend to go to the theatre with her.  Nothing like a lively musical to fully feel the day.

Pictures, that had long been propped and piled up, were finally hung in the sun-room/sewing room/play room/art space/hideaway - easily my favorite space in the house.  Luckily we can use the room year-round, though it does trend toward chilly these short days of winter.  The hooks and frames are hung so I can easily move and change photos, add art, hang creations, highlight a sewing project.  I might just fall in love with how this space will reflect creating of all kinds.

I said hello to my sewing machine that has not been touched since before Christmas (!) and to the overflowing basket of things to be sewn.  I still didn't touch it, but did say "hello."

There has been Legos and drawing and boys adventuring in the woods.

Later today is a long-awaited phone call for some gladsome brainstorming.  Soon there will be details for 2014, soon I promise!

Tonight, we'll drag the TV upstairs one last time and watch the closing ceremonies for the Olympics.  There has been some serious cuddling, and falling asleep, in front of the TV for kiddos these past couple weeks.  A definite treat for us all.  The Downton Abbey finale will have to wait for tomorrow.

Weekending yes, busy, unbusy, productive, relaxing.  Certainly all good, very very good.