Beach Reunion

It has been a while since I have spent any time on a New England beach! I was in high school the last time I spent the majority of a day at a beach. But the 2010 Cousin Reunion began there.

Ten cousins spent the day jumping waves and digging in the sand. Eight boys and two girls. Quite a sight.

Yet, it is different, being at the beach as a teenager and as a parent. All the things my kids were wanting to do - body surfing and swimming underwater made me somewhat nervous as a parent. Sure, I want them to experience it.... I just want them to experience it NEAR ME.

They are very comfortable in the water, but naive to the ways of the sea. So, together, we body surfed "Wave-zilla" and sat on the beach. I opted out of the full-body burial, but managed to swing by for the final touches to the sand mermaid body one of my nephews had created for my daughter.

I'm grateful for the day and the opportunity to be with family. I am quite sure it will be another year before we are able to gather all the cousins together again.

Thank You God for a beautiful day, and safety for all.

The Water Party (aka the mud puddle)

I've got no explanation for this boy's fascination with the mud. But he sure loved it.

There was a slip n slide (that created the mud) and water balloons, but clearly, here is where he derived his greatest joy. Time and time again, he returned to the sogginess of the yard to squish it through his toes and lather it up on his body.

I had mixed feelings about the whole thing. Clearly, he would shower afterwards, so REALLY what did it hurt? (aside from the little mud pit in my yard - that was there anyhow - thanks to the aforementioned slip n slide). But... Seriously? It's just not "right"... (meaning conventional).

On the other hand, women much older than he pay lots of money to smear their faces and bodies with mud. So again.... what did it hurt?

Maybe it's a kid thing... Maybe it's a boy thing...

I don't know

What I DO know: Somehow (clearly the grace of God), he managed NOT to track it into my house!

Thank you God for friends and summer fun!

Preparing for Camp

We head to camp in the next few days. I've been pulling aside things for the kids to wear, writing their names on everything they intend to bring, and wondering how it will all get done. Packing, preparing, being sure everything on the list makes it into the "trunk".

Camp is an incredible place - friendships, growth, adventure. Swimming, boating, horseback riding.

I think back to the summers I spent at camp. I wonder if my kids will work their way up through the ranks from camper to counsellor.

I look forward to a little change in routine - kids in cabins, and me in the nurse's station.

I begin praying now for the kids that will arrive over the weekend. May they be up for adventure, low in the area of homesickness. I pray for safety and for fun. And I pray the rain that is forecasted for most of next week doesn't interrupt the days....

To camp! Viva la compagnie!

Speechless

I am tonight, speechless. It's not that God's not at work in my life, He is! I just don't know where to begin with it....

My brain spins at the thought of it being JULY! I love July! It's the month that brings the most traditional summer-y events. Fireworks, camp and our trip to visit family.

But, July is also like a roller coaster. June has been the slow and steady click to the top of the upward slope. We are now in the momentary pause before the great adventure!

May I find those moments of rest between the "to do" 's. May You redeem the time, so the things that need doing actually get done.

To July.... to the great family adventure!

The Wind and the Rain and the Dirt

The day started hot and humid. Even at 7am, the temperatures neared 80 degrees. I leashed the dog and we headed out. One lap for him, two more for me. As we walked, I noticed the clear blue sky overhead - and the roll of thunder in the distance.

During the time I was showering, the sky was transformed, and enroute to my martial arts class, it POURED. It rained the duration of my class. Periodically, I looked out, thinking how refreshing the cool rain would feel on my hot, sweaty face. By the time I returned home, the sky was blue again, and the rain had stopped.

I had been wanting to experience the rain on my face - to dance before God in the cool warmth of a summer rain. Apparently, I'd have to wait a little longer.

After lunch, I headed out to "Tend the Earth". The flowerbed at the mailbox was overgrown with grass, as was a part of the vegetable garden. I headed out and sat by the mailbox. Gentle melodies and prayers formed together in my head as I pulled the slender blades of grass from between the zinnias.

The temperature had risen again, following the storm, and the humidity was climbing again as well. Sweat dripped from my brow as I pulled and sang.

Heading to the vegetable garden, I kicked off my flip flops. The soil was warm and giving beneath my feet. I continued to sit, pray and sing as I pulled the grass from between the tomatoes and the herbs. The two yellow pear tomatoes that had ripened made it into my mouth.

Before long, the wind had picked up, blowing the hair out of my face. I took my sunglasses off as the sky darkened again. I heard the gentle rolls of thunder beginning again in the distance. "YES!" Before long, I hoped to have my opportunity.

The wind continued to blow, and I continued to weed and sing and pray - this time with grateful anticipation.

Finally, the first drop fell. I continued to weed until it was a steady shower. Then, I stood, and spun around like a little girl.

"Thank You, God for the rain on my face...."

"Wanna Dance....?"

Winding Down... and around....

Another school year is coming to a close. It's hard to believe. It goes so fast.

I've got to admit, I'm pleased to not have to set the alarm every morning. I look forward to a few later mornings, and some days by the pool. I look forward to a week of camp and some time with my family.

There are things coming to a close - my kids' second grade year, and my PTO presidency. There will be a little reprieve from my prayer group. There will be a little more space in my brain for things to rattle around.

Hopefully, there is some more time in the yard and some time to get my nose into a book.

And then, there are the big changes coming to my family this summer.... in the form of diet and exercise. We all need it. We'll all feel better.

So, things are winding down.... sort of. Setting the summer pace, anyhow.

I like that.

Sun, Water, Kids, Rides and God

We had an awesome day. One that I'm sure we'll talk about for months and years to come. My friend and I drove our kids two states away to a WONDERFUL water park. (Don't let the "two states away" part get you - we drove through the skinny parts so it wasn't bad!)

It was definitely a God Day: the weather was perfect, four of our five admission tickets had been given to us. We saved $5 on the last ticket AND received $5 each family (toward a meal in the park) for donating canned items for the food bank.

The kids were all patient, the rides were AWESOME and everyone agreed that we had chosen well to spend the day there. We also decided that we need to turn it into a "Tradition".

At one point, the girls wanted to play in the wave pool, but my son wanted to play in a water-slide area. We adults split up, divided and conquered. I ended up at the water-slide area.

There were several slides and several places where water just dumped on our heads as we tried to navigate our way up the rope mesh netting ladders to get us to the top of the slides. At first my thoughts were "oh! this is COLD" and "OH! that was my HEAD!" But then - after my first trip down one of the slides - the grown-up had been replaced by a younger version of myself. We had a BLAST.

As the water-park was closing, my son asked me, "Mom, what was YOUR favorite part of the day?" I thought through each event. It certainly wasn't the fact that I ALWAYS seemed to end up facing backwards on the tube rides... always... It wasn't that I was able to "catch some air" on the mat race event... Those were both cool, but....

I looked him right in the eye and said "It was the Mom-and-boy time we had today." His face lit up as he said "MINE TOO!!"

Thank You, God for yet another opportunity to connect with my kids, for keeping us safe, for hours of laughter and memories for a lifetime!!

A Full Summer Day

Ah, the fun-filled days of summer! We certainly had a fun one this week! The day started at the pool. We ran into several friends there and stayed several hours.

The kids love to swim and play and do hand-stands and collect things underwater. For me, this has been the summer I've been waiting for.

For the past several years, as I have taken non-swimming infants, toddlers and preschoolers to the pool, I have reminded myself that ONE DAY, my kids would be able to swim well enough that I didn't have to have a constant eye on them. My friend and I still do the frequent 'eyeball' to be sure they're all playing well and above water. I have never believed it is the lifeguard's responsibility to keep my children safe in the pool.

But this year - they both passed their swimming tests, and have full privileges for pool use. This year, I get to balance my time between playing with my kids and talking with my friends. It is delightful!

From there, we went to Wal*mart to pick up a side for the church cookout, and drinks and snacks for the gathering of friends they're having early next week.

Just enough time for a quick shower and change before we headed to church for an evening of family fun. Burgers, hotdogs, pot-luck sides and desserts. The adults sat and talked or watched the excitement on the hillside.

Our church sits at the top of a hill. The immediate surroundings are grassy, with an edge of trees and shrubbery. Down the grassy hillside it was unrolled: A thick, wide, LONG slip n slide. A sprinkler and baby shampoo assist the youth in their journey down to the bottom.

Laughter and cheering, and the sound of comfortable conversation. Certainly, a wonderful day!

Thank You God!!

Remembering Moments of Joy

As I sat down to write this, I was in a foul mood. It had been a long day - including some pool time, which is great, but the sun-drain had hit... By the time I was ready to sit and write, I had just realized my boy didn't have the required kerchief for his Cub Scout Uniform... that of course we needed for the morning.... EARLY morning.

Why I worry, I don't know. The situation worked out, thanks to a ridiculous commute, a telephone pole and a willing dad.

It was as I messaged a friend that I remembered the joy of the day. We started the morning with the kitten eating her first solid food meal (no bottle!). From there, I packed for the day - lunch and towels - and we headed first to school to pick up report cards, then to the pool a the local Y.

There are new rules there this year. Good rules. Rules that promote safety and parent/child interaction. (for example, the parent of a child who cannot swim, must stay with the child who cannot swim - or put the kid in a life jacket).

So, my kids took their swim tests. My daughter passed, no problems. My son, not so much. He was told he could practice and take it again. So, he and I went to the shallow end of the pool, and together, we went through what he was doing and how he could improve his strokes, and thus his endurance.

Within the hour, he wanted to try again. I thought he could pass it, so he asked permission to try again. He had to wait patiently for about ten minutes for another life guard to be available to test him. We walked to the deep end, he jumped in and began to swim.

About 3/4 of the way across the 25 yards was the moment of truth. I could see the look in his eyes. He knew he had to finish to be able to go on the slide (his FAVORITE thing), but there was some doubt beginning to creep into his face.

I had been walking along the pool edge with him. At that point, I walked to the end, looked him in the eye, and said, "you are ALMOST here... keep swimming, you can do this!" The doubt left him and his smile widened. It was all he could do to contain his joy as he exited the pool.

Mid way through typing this out, I realized that the same thing happens in my own life. I get a chance to try again. At that moment of doubt, when I'm not quite sure if I'll be able to accomplish the task at hand, someone shows up and cheers me on. God sends someone or something to stand at the end to encourage me and give me a 'high five' when it's over.

He asked me if I was proud of him for passing his test. I told him "yes, I am. But I am more proud about your perseverance!"

God, grant me the perseverance of my son.... And thank You for those along my path who remind me of these wonderful, wonderful moments when my mind is too focused on the new problem that has surfaced before me.

A Midsummer's Night... in February...

My family has a tradition.... every summer, we return to Massachusetts to visit with family. While we are there, we travel to my sister's cabin in Maine.

My kids love her property there, and ask throughout the year, when we will return. It's a weekly version of the "are we there yet?" conversation that inevitably occurs traveling in a car.

This past weekend, my sister and one of her boys has been visiting us. We have had wonderful adventures, and a few minutes of downtime - sister time, cousin time.

So, when the kids asked "Can we have a fire?" it reminded us all of our s'more evenings gathered around my sister's fire circle. But, hey... the day was warm and the evening cool - just like Maine - so we agreed.

The kids roasted marshmallows and the adults watched the glowing embers, and allocated marshmallows to sticks.

It is one of the many moments we will treasure from this visit.

Thank you God, for family, for fun and for tradition!