WayfaringStrangers

These October days are filled with baby smiles. Samuel can sit up now, and his tiny tuft of hair stands on his head and he's so beautiful my heart explodes. God is good. These October days we 4 -Graham, Patrick, Samuel, and I- walk home slowly from the bus stop at the end of the road. Everyone else drives to get their kids, but we walk and breathe in fresh (warm, this week) air. We check on the trees as they change color. Sometimes we detour into the woods. Yes, some days, there is whining, but it is always worth it to walk if you can. God is good. These October days, the house smells like pumpkin spice granola. I'm bagging it up to send to each of the hard-working teachers who have made my boys' transitions to school so seamless. Graham especially is thriving in the structure and all day learning. God is good. These October days I cherish my parents. I love that Dad is here with us this fall, and hearing what God has placed on his heart. I love callin...

Another great trip that happened this summer was when Graham, Samuel, my Grandma, and myself flew to Oklahoma to visit my brother's family and celebrate his graduation from flight school. We are SO proud of Isaac and Elizabeth and I am very grateful to have been able to make this trip. It was Graham's first time flying! And Samuel's, too, of course. We were a funny little group but everyone did great. Southwest Airlines are awesome. The next day was the graduation. It was a little difficult with a baby and a 5 year old but we managed to see most of the ceremony. Afterwards, we took pictures. Absolutely love this picture! Pinning his wings! Elizabeth is such a wonderful support to Isaac. Proud to have her as my sister. After lunch, we went to see airplanes. Such fun! Fun until Graham's ping pong ball got away from him and blew across the Air Force tarmac. Kid in tears chasing a ping pong ball for 200 yards across a legit dangerous space while I'm...

In an attempt to catch up somewhat on all that happened this summer, here's the first recap. Williamsburg, 2016. Behn and I booked this little 4 day trip to the Williamsburg area in the spring, in anticipation that we would need some sort of kid-friendly getaway in the summer. Took a while to arrive, but it was finally late July and we got to go to Williamsburg. We stayed at King's Creek Plantation, which was great except for their hassling us to go to their presentation about buying a timeshare (we are so not in the place to do that, nor would we if we could). The great thing about a resort is they have a bunch of pools, which worked out because it was 100 degrees the whole time. We did a lot of swimming. We also braved the heat one evening for a round of mini- hockey  golf, also at the resort. Of course, we also went to Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown. Behn's a big history guy and we all enjoyed it, when the kids weren't melting in the heat. ...

Y'all. I'm still here. Synopsis of my typical day (Mon- Thurs): 6:00..?? Patrick up at o'dark o'clock. Why?? Tell him to lay still and cuddle with us as long as possible. 7 a.m.- 8:50: Breakfast, getting everyone dressed, pack 2 lunches, general maintenance of bodies and souls. Looks like a bomb went off by 8:50. 8:50- 9:30: School drop-offs. 9:30: Finally home. House is quiet, except, oh yeah, the baby. But still, mostly quiet and I take a deep breathe. 9:30- 1:40: Everything. Clean up the bomb that went off from 7 a.m.- 8:50: laundry, meal planning, grocery store, meal prep, Bible reading, journal, sweeping, dishes, call actual adult humans for social contact, walk on treadmill, try to do squats/crunches (funny), shower. Oh yeah, and caring for the little human (breastfeeding, diaper changes, holding, playing). I have to pick and choose what to do each day. 1:40- 2:15: pick up Patrick 2:15- 4:00: play with Patrick, care for Samuel, maybe start dinner if I...

It's mid-September and for the first time in days (weeks?) it is cloudy. Cloudy days, cooler air bring out the dreamer in me. I feel restless. One way I outlet that? Writing. I just told Behn that I'm so lucky to have him. He's steady and solid while I'm always dreaming and scheming. The summer felt long and hot and tiring. There were lots of good times and trips and sweetness but the endless idleness and all the needs of young kids left me weary. Now the two big boys are back in school and I have time- not much, but a little- to breathe. I have so much I want to record about the summer...how can I even catch up? I'll probably just do a big photo dump post. I better do it soon, before I forget it all. So easy for tired, busy mamas to forget. I don't want to forget the little things they said, tiny fingers, memories made. I kind of want to forget the long days, the tantrums, the nights we had cereal for dinner again. But it's all life, and it's all gr...

-2011- I slumped down wearily onto the couch in the quiet of the room. My counselor introduced herself and we began our session in prayer. I wasn't even sure why I was there. I was mostly just tired and felt like I needed to talk to someone, but I didn't know about what. After a session or two, she told me something I'd never heard about myself before. "I think you're feeling angry, Megan." Angry? Me? I had a happy childhood. I'd lived peacefully with friends in college and never had a major fight. I waited patiently in lines and in traffic. My husband and I had a solid relationship. And now we had a cute, happy little baby boy. Was I tired? Yes. Frustrated that I had to babysit full time so that we could make rent? Sure.  Anxious? Sometimes. But I didn't really think of myself as angry. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get too deep into it. I went for the 6 sessions that my church paid for, and I was too shy to ask for more money to contin...

And we move into August. I have read a few books this year, this summer. I wish I'd read more, but my quiet time is so limited. Still, priorities, right? Here are a few things I've read in the recent past: Roots and Sky by Christie Purifoy I read this a while back, in the late winter when it was published. I did really like this book. It's subtitle is "A Journey Home in Four Seasons" which appealed to me because 1. I like the idea of 'home' and 2. I love the 4 seasons. The writer has a poetic way of writing. The book follows the first year of her family's living in their historic brick home in Pennsylvania. It is full of pretty quotes, spiritual lessons, seasonal nostalgia, motherhood, and little stories along the way. I especially liked her writing about the gardens they plant. Bonus: follow her on Instagram (@christiepurifoy) for beautiful photos. Favorite quotes: " What is God doing in my life? In the mornings, I wake to ...