Birthdays and Life this Week

We spent Saturday in London, celebrating August birthdays. Mom, Theresa and Brennen seemed to enjoy being loved on with good food and entertained by one ornery four year old. It was such a good day. We missed Taylor, who also had a birthday this month. 

Not sure what he did to Kenna here but clearly she was not impressed.

Again with the facials. I have no idea where they get this. 😉

When they told Austin about the upcoming move to Hawaii, he was pretty excited. But then he had a question. "Do they have Buccee's there?" So Kenna stopped and got him some "beefer (translation: Beaver) nuts" and a tee shirt to express solidarity. PS. Beefer nuts are cinnamon coated pecans available at Buccee's.

Last year 

We had to retake this shot. I assumed last August, Ty would have been Grandma's height by Christmas. He grew four inches this year though.

He is sort of getting the hang of this whole blog posting business. Check out his astrophotography site 
https://rwaugh.blogspot.com/

While we traveled, Diesel stayed with a friend of Kenna's who also has a young, large dog. They played non-stop for two days. Diesel slept for twenty-four solid hours to recover. We plan to send him back again soon!

The week was rough. Makenna had to deal with a difficult personal affair that left us grappling with how to best support her. The future she imagined is anything but and she has been pretty busted up by the weight of it all. I will share more publicly someday but honestly still fail to find enough grace within me to tell her story without a significant amount of anger. She simply deserved better. But I can promise this, my girl is fierce and will not waste the pain of this season. 

We managed morning commutes in silence and lingering wake ups on the days I couldn't sleep. Diesel loved it despite the exhausted state it left me in every day. The school weeks have become more routine despite my kid's stomach viruses and phone calls from two different schools. Fortunately one can drive herself home these days and both are old enough to stay home alone with their saltines. It's a pretty sweet season despite the occasional drama of it all. 

Greg burned another vacation day cooking for the church. I'm beginning to think they are making up occasions to celebrate with smoked pulled pork. But he loves it and has people offering to get a food truck up and running for him. It's somewhat too bad we need health insurance or I'm certain he would embrace this full-time. I appreciate being the official taste tester; as quality control insists I always get the first bite. I don't make the rules. 

Giving me life this week:

• Austin sent me mail that exploded with confetti all over my kitchen. Austin was on the phone and doubled over laughing as I begged Diesel to stop eating it. 
• A sweet first grader telling me he wants to work with the principal someday because "all he does is watch the cameras to catch kids being bad." 
• Kindergarten hugs in the cafeteria and being treated like a celebrity when I encounter my kiddos from last year. 
• An afternoon nap at the end of a long week.

Mundane

The days roll together with the mundane routine of hot tea and vitamins before quickly packing lunch and waking the grumpy boy upstairs. He feels sick every day and accuses me of not caring when I fail to believe him. And so on...

He is now called, "Double D" because most often, someone is yelling, "Damn it, Diesel" when addressing him. As it turns out, Diesel is his second name. Sigh.

We move through each day and although the elementary building always has something unexpected arise, it is managed so efficiently, I often fail to grasp it's importance in the moment. My pace is quick so I am unable to fully process until after school, while waiting on Ty in the quiet of my car. 

Someone interrupted our quick weeknight date to retrieve a vehicle.

It's sometimes difficult to quantify the significance of relationships and situations but my role is valuable and I feel as though I serve a purpose. Whereas some days are longer than others, it's worthwhile. I have to stop myself from taking on more, as I see needs beyond my ability to fill. Thank God, literally, for the hearts that serve alongside mine who help close that gap or step up and remind me of my humanity. 

Kate made a friend at a local candle shop.

And so we roll through the days, monotonous and often uninspiring until a daughter casually mentions her intent to study abroad this winter in Africa. Could I watch the cat? Some of us are pretty causal about these things. I am not. Of course this is the same winter another daughter will be moving to Hawaii. Did I mention a third is graduating early so she can travel the world?

This is our third attempt at a basket to contain his toys. He likes chewing them up and uses them to carry all his toys so he doesn't have to choose only one. 

Parents of littles, save yourselves. Stop listening to the "experts" who encourage independence and servant's hearts. Those fools failed to warn us they would soar in the end. Away from us. 

Not tired.

The kids are no longer sharing cute stories or even things I can share publicly and of course, hide from my camera in their teen years. My ability to have my nest filled with all my flock is not possible often and I am trying to make peace with it all. What is there to say in this space, mundane week after mundane week? And yet, I worry that without the record keeping it provides, I will lose sight of the small gift of each day.  

He thinks we need to share my side of the bed once Greg gets up each morning. No amount of convincing removes him from laying on me, even lifting my pillows does nothing to convince him I need a little space. 

Relaxation Station

We have tried other cabins but always compare them to the solitude of this one. Nothing else comes close. I literally feel my body release tension as we make our way up the gravel road that leads us to this little piece of perfection. An entire weekend of peace without interactions with others is exactly what we crave each year for our anniversary. We booked the only weekend available before Christmas and prayed it wouldn't be too hot and steamy. It was incredible. It always is.

We keep dreaming of buying it some day, this little cabin in the woods. Retirement seems like a fairly irresponsible season in which to plan on residing away from civilization but perhaps after raising our family, slipping away is exactly how frivolous we should be. 

The kids faired well without us and left us believing another weekend in the coming months might be reasonable. As we re-entered the work and school week, though, there was some trepidation. And exhaustion. It's going to take some time to readjust to the school year schedule and hustle.

I was required to take a furlough day and used it to meet my parents in Lexington. Celebrating my mom's birthday was an excellent use of a beautiful day. Decision makers have no idea how difficult their policies make the average school day. Assistants galavanting around Lexington are not wrangling squirrelly kiddos and this is usually an issue.

We loved the drop in temperatures this week and found ourselves resting on the deck in the evenings long after dinner. We facetimed with our very excited grandson to hear about school and a bee with whom he shared his snow cone. How sweet was that?

Corralling Cats

I spent the week corralling Cats; also known as, returning to elementary school. Holy chaos, Batman, it was wild. I haven't yet started the role I signed up for, but I am busy and for the most part, having a great time getting to know our youngest students. Observing the new superintendent assisting with kindergarten lunch may remain in my top ten favorite memories of the year. 

Ty reluctantly returned to middle school to start his seventh grade year Wednesday. So far he likes all his teachers and hasn't had homework. We are calling it a win.

Kate started her final year of high school on Monday. She too, likes all her teachers and is for the most part, enjoying herself. Having English 12 followed by English 11 in back-to-back classes is not her favorite but the teachers are friends who collaborate on assignments so she may come out ahead in the long run. 

Her best friend had a reaction to the covid vaccine one year ago that landed her in a wheelchair, unable to walk or feed herself for months. Countless hours of therapy and treatment had her on the football field this week in the annual girl's turkey bowl, looking like an athlete again. We literally thank God for turning this around for her.  I mean, look at her!

Our grandson started preschool Thursday and loved it. He gave his mom nothing but shrugs and simple answers to all her questions about his day. I laughed, "you are a boy mom. Get used to it!" These guys cannot care less we miss them like crazy while they are in the care of others.

Saturday afternoon I took a nap. Both Greg and Ty took photos to show me what I slept through. I guess I needed the sleep, but this puppy has absolutely decided I am his person. I am as surprised as anyone else. 

Mom left without him and he was not happy.

On our first day of kindergarten, we had a situation where a child assumed the identity of another student. When the attendance office called home, the school went into lock down to find our missing student. She was there the entire time. She had decided she liked another child's name better and stuck to her story beyond reason. The child whose name she stole was not at school and no one had called her in so we were none the wiser. Once the parents and police entered our classroom to identify the ornery little girl and enough time had passed to see humor in the experience, I decided I'd also like at times to assume a new identity. Friday, I became the Sherri who takes a mandatory furlough day and created a lovely long, relaxing weekend for herself and her hubby. 

Soar

I have control issues. I always have. I plan, l prepare and pave ways for everything to run as smoothly as possible. But as my faith grew, my children did too, right alongside me, each of them coming into their own crisis of faith. They have floundered and soared respectively. Their stories aren't exactly as I would have written them and they are all better for it. I think we live in a world where we fail to be authentically challenged in our beliefs. Too many have been born and raised, surrounded by sounding boards that look and feel exactly like them. They fear what else is out there and keep things tightly wrapped. This is how we see so much outrage over the inconsequential and fail to see the same fury over issues that matter. The world is a mess. I see the future and pray over my grandson but time and experience are fully on my side here. He too, will soar because his future is beyond me and his parents. By faith, this child will also he released into the world. He too, has the potential to be a light in darkness. 

In my early parenting years, out of insecurity, I tried desperately to keep control, keep them close and protect each of them. Then the loss of a child, the accident that changed our family's trajectory and a move showed me how very much I had to release. My girls tease I am not the same parent to Kate and Ty I was to them. They aren't wrong. You see, I grew up. This is good news. 

All of this to say my beautiful children are all soaring, in their own unique way. Erin is in service to people most would look down upon. Lauren and Taylor are moving across the ocean this fall and as much as my heart breaks, they are strong and will make a new beautiful home in paradise. Away from me. I am not okay. But seriously, how amazing is this journey? Makenna is growing stronger daily through an extremely painful experience. Whereas we are close for support, she has created a beautiful tribe that has stepped in to hold her up. No matter the outcome in her personal life, our girl will love her new students well. It's simply who she is. Kate has nine more months in our nest. She plans a life of travel after her early graduation. As she narrows her options, it is clear she has no intention of staying physically close despite our tight bond. And then there is Ty who would move out today if he could find someone willing to let him skip his final six years of public school. We certainly haven't gotten it all right in this parenting and life journey, but we are pretty darn impressed with people our children have become.

Since adding Diesel to our family almost two months ago, we have sacrificed lamps, fragile decor and coasters. Things are fairly stripped down around here. Both of my pretty blue lamps have been shattered and because his sudden-onset cases of the zoomies are so unpredictable, the gorgeous, not broken lamps at Home Goods are still at Home Goods for their own safety. I guess he is the only pretty allowed in these parts. Sigh.

Life is full of hard and beautiful moments, often at the same time. So I'm wrapping the week with Austin, my favorite beautiful. He has decided his daddy's gaming microphone is perfect for rehearsing all his favorite songs. I cannot love this more. 

Heat Wave

Mail from my favorite little man and a typical summer day lunch.

We spent the week mostly indoors; the heat stifling. Makenna finally got access to her new classroom and walked into a construction zone. Duct work was on the floor, ceiling tiles were stacked on broken down furniture and unfinished walls fill the corner she needs for stations. In addition to the dusty mess, it appears most believed the room would be used for storage so we spent days clearing it out before starting to arrange and decorate it for her open house this coming Thursday. We have quite a bit left to do so her Monday birthday will be spent cleaning and organizing. Adult birthdays are that grand. 

We achieved little else. Naps were taken and the mundane tasks achieved. 

Sunday was Greg's Superman Day so we slipped away to use an anniversary gift card for lunch, two rounds of bowling and ice cream for dessert. We love celebrating the life we've continued to built together despite the catastrophic accident twenty-two years ago.