Around Here | Late Summer 2018

The transition out of summer and into fall is upon us here - just barely in terms of the weather - but I can totally feel it in the rhythms of our day and the preparations for endings and beginnings. 

I'm thinking about how we measure our days by calendar and seasonal rhythms. I'm thinking about how much I have always loved the start of the school year - for myself as a student, for my kids, for myself as a parent, for myself as a working Mom. I'm thinking about my One Little Word® "space" and the role it has played in my life overall this year. I'm thinking about how little time I spent at the pool this summer and wondering what in the heck we did around here instead - mainly it's just that the kids are getting older and have different activities. I'm thinking about how much I have continued to learn about people and wholeheartedness and loving kindness and worth over the years. I'm thinking about needing to get out in the garden and clean things up as we move into the next season. I'm thinking about all the books on my to-read list and how much I love books and am so thankful for people who put their words out into the world. I'm thinking about how much easier transitions are for Simon as a young man than they were when he was little. 

My head and my heart is full of the stuff of life as we move from one season to the next. 

Here are some of the transitions happening around here right now: 

• This year all five kids will be in different schools. Two in 4th grade (one at a charter Montessori school and one at a Catholic school), one in 7th grade, one in 9th grade, and one in 11th grade. It's not as crazy as you would imagine it would be if they all lived here in this house all the time, but it's still amazing that they are all in different schools. Aaron generally drives Audrey, Elliott, and Issac to school because they all go to school on the south side of town (their Mom lives on that side of town) and I drive Anna and Simon to their schools in the central and north side of town.  
• Chris & Tiffany have been building a house within a mile of us and we are excited for them to move in and get settled. This summer they have been living with Chris' parents and the kids have been spending time with them on weekend adventures. I think we are all looking forward to getting back to a more regular routine with the start of school and their transition into their new house. A few years ago Chris and I joked/talked about him buying the house next door to my house. We both figured that would be very convenient but also probably too close. A mile or so away feels good. It's close enough for the kids to walk back and forth or for a quick stop by on the way home to pick up or drop off. 
• Work-wise I've been doing a lot of design work for next year's Day In The Life™ kits (excited to mix it up a bit for next year) and another Story Planner release (both those products will come out in 2019). Also, it's all December Daily® all the time behind the scenes right now as we get ready for that launch. I'm also working on a new Hello Story workshop for this fall. 
• Last month we adopted a new orange kitten named Ernie. Technically this is Isaac's kitten but he's definitely keeping all of us on our toes as both an entertainer and as a menace. He's basically a mini-version of Sam with a whole lot more energy. 

• Anna has decided to skip soccer and participate in a children's theater production this season with the Rose Children's Theatre. I love that she was pretty clear on that choice and I'm excited to see how she likes it overall. She's done summer camps with them the last two years so this will be her first time participating in one of their bigger productions. This year they are doing Honk Jr. and casting week starts this week. She's a bundle of all those things when you start something new. 
• Aaron and I are getting ready to go see Dave Matthews Band at The Gorge. I am so excited because they didn't have concerts there last year and the year before Aaron went on his own after I had blood clots. You can read my posts from 2014 and 2015 here. This is absolutely one of my most favorite adventures that I look forward to all year. I love being outside. I love Dave. I love spending time with Aaron. I love meeting new people. I love the landscape and the view. 

Embracing. Loving. Breathing. Listening.