This Moment

Playing along with Amanda today... in her words: 

{this moment} - 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.

Summery Things

We may be in the last handful of August days, but around these parts that doesn't mean much as far as summer is concerned. It won't start feeling like autumn for quite a while yet, and we're still in our move-slowly-stay-inside-it's-too-hot-to-do-much rut.

The only thing that has changed recently is our timing; now that school considerations are in play, we find ourselves saving some of our usual summery things for when Sissy comes back home. Like sprinklers... on the shady side of the house... with a little brother who tries to stay as close to his sister as possible as soon as she walks back through the door.

We always welcome fall with open arms each season, but this year we're feelin' fine about the summer lingering as it always does. At least this time around, it feels like we still need a little more sun-baked, barefoot, shaded moments before we move along.

Seeking Rhythm

School Day #2 is in the books.

Audrey's teacher says she has really "come out of her shell," and has already blown the socks off everyone. Audrey's reports when she comes home are all smiles and sparkles and excitement.

"What was your favorite part?" I ask.

"Art class." or "Music and recess." she says.

"What part did you like the least?" I ask.

"Nothing." she says.

She tells me about the parts of her lunch she liked best, and how many grapes she ate. She says she's glad there are teachers that help her through the parking lot to our car when it's time to go home. She says she doesn't go potty until the teacher declares it time for a potty break.

The relief of a good start has brought more tears to my Mama eyes than the letting go did in the beginning.

But now that the seal is broken and we have some momentum, it's time to find a new rhythm. Everything is totally off kilter at the moment.

We get up an hour earlier than we're used to.

We loose an hour off Henry's nap time so we can pick Sissy up, and when Sissy gets home it becomes obvious that we are in desperate need for a decompression plan.

We also need to start going to bed earlier.

Side note: how is it possible that I'm up and dressed earlier than usual now, but I seem to run out of time to get things done... worse than before? 

Anyway, my point is we need a new rhythm. One that allows for the comforts of home- time outside, in the garden and with the chickies, time to make, time to clean (!), time to be- and also leaves room for all this newness. On the verge of a seasonal change as well, it seems like a very zen moment to re-evaluate and adapt.

And so we will.

Right Now: We Did Survive.

Right now, I'm waiting for 2:40pm to roll around so we can go pick up our Kindergartner from her first day of school! I can't believe it actually happened... and that it's almost over! So we DID survive...

...it was hard, though.

I can't wait to hear all about her day!

This Moment

Playing along with Amanda today... in her words: 

{this moment} - 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.

Change is Hard.

We're in the middle of a countdown over here.

Audrey is counting down to the first day she gets to use her backpack, lunch box, and new shoes.
The first day she gets to have all the special snacks we've been stashing.
The music, art, and playground time she'll get to have every day, and her special dual-language classes.
The new friends she'll make.

Henry is counting down to when he finally gets to start gymnastics.
The time he'll get to spend playing with whatever he wants without competition.
The chance to "ride Sissy's Jeep and tricycle whenever I want!"

I, on the other hand, am counting down to some slightly different things.
Having to drop one of my Littles off and trust their well-being to the hands of- basically- strangers.
The influences of other childrens' habits, behaviors, and vocabularies on our new student... and her bro.
The shift in morning routine, afternoon 'quiet time,' and bedtime rituals.
The letting go.

The kids are restless and edgy right now, I'm sure in part from the feelings they sense and the anticipation from everyone around them as the start of the school year looms. It helps to remind me that there will also be good that comes from this change: one-one-one time with Mama and Henry, separation of siblings for hearts to grow fonder, other strong-willed leader-type kids to teach Audrey that she's not the ruler of the universe. (and of course all the learning and stuff, too)

This August has felt like one thing after the other every. single. day. There has be lots of errands, travel, making, prepping, meetings, parties, and visitors. There have been unconquerable to-do lists and things simply left undone. There have been things neglected and new things started, and as August draws to a close and we get over the hump of ending the summer, the month, and starting the school year, hopefully things will calm down for us all and we'll find a new, adjusted rhythm.

Until then I have doubled my efforts to focus in on all the simple, magical moments in the remaining days of our 'usual,' capture them, savor them, and try my darndest not to let them speed by with the chaos of this transitional time.

Change is hard, y'all.

Right Now, In Photos

Right now, we're loving...

...all this. This is what we're loving right now, even though we're back home, where we belong. We missed our place, and I think the creatures we left behind missed us, too (hello cat, can I please have my esophagus back now, thank you).

Five days of surf and sun, five days for sand to penetrate everything we brought along, five days to get our fill before we're back at it, landlubber-style.

Still, it was fun to belong at the beach for a little while...