Normal Days

It is summer! I am so happy about that fact. The days go a little slower, and it is nice to take a break from the school routine. And no homework! I am so grateful for that! So far, I have had multiple appointments and places to be everyday. It is just the nature of the children growing older, the pace of life -- even in summer -- goes a little faster than in past years. I think I might have to start purposefully scheduling days to relax and have fun, especially since we do not plan to travel much this summer. It is a get-stuff-done kind of summer, because, well, these kiddos of mine are entering the world of increasing responsibility and activities. For Sammi, this includes learning to drive! Yikes!

I really do need to document day-to-day stuff better. That is what the kids love to look back over on my blog. Someone needs to remind me to take more pictures!

Here are some pictures from normal days...

There was a meeting for Daniel's choir to prepare for the new year. He is super excited about the new year, though he is going to miss his old choir comrades.

This is random, but I came across this picture of Daniel and Clayton when they were little guys. They are standing next to each other in the choir picture above. So cute.

Daniel ran for ASB. He gave me one days notice so we slapped together some posters last minute, and he was voted Vice President. That will be a fun addition to our school year. 

Sammi is always playing the piano. This girl just loves it, and Zoie loves to sit and listen.

 Zoie is getting super fluffy. She is a good dog, but it is still very much an adjustment. The world of owning a puppy is not for the faint of heart.

 She does provide some good laughs, and cuddles.

Just a random trip to the store... it seems like I go to the store almost daily. What is up with that? I used to go just once a week. 

 The last day of school. Sammi went to iHop with her Simply Jazz choir, as a treat from her teacher.

I snapped a picture from my therapist's office. I made sure no one was in it. But it is always interesting to see who is sitting in that waiting room. There are people from all walks of life. I was asked to bring pictures of Charles so we could talk about him. We did that for awhile but got sidetracked with other things. The last session was a very good one, it was the kind where I would recommend therapy to everyone. It has been a very interesting journey of self-discovery. I am always on that journey, but having feedback from a trained professional makes the process that much more interesting. I have enjoyed it for healing, but even more so just as a learning process. I am coming to terms with who I am more, and learning that the way that I am as an introvert and analytical thinker is actually a blessing, and will be even more so as I embrace it, and stop worrying about not being the peppy, social, cheerleader type -- I can't even fake being that kind of person. I have been given my set of skills for a reason, and I intend to discover more about that reason. 

The river is still so flooded. It is really sad, because that is so much of what we do for fun. We cannot even go throw rocks in our normal spot, because our spot is likely eroded away. The trails by the river are not useable, and it is just a real bummer!

There are these trees that smell SO GOOD, especially at night, when the air cools and the smells of summer really come alive. They smell like banana candy. My heaven will be full of these trees, just for the smell.

Even the neighborhood trails are flooded. It is crazy!

William has been excited about summer, he is so happy to be free and able to play outside all day with friends. Though he is not free from responsibility -- you know how kids promise to be the one to take care of a puppy? Well, I have made William follow-through with that promise. He is responsible for Zoie, including waking up whenever she does (sometimes really early). He has done a really great job with her, and I think taking care of her has been good for him. Of course, I do a lot of the work too, like bathing her, taking her for walks, and making sure she is OK. But I do leave a lot of it to him, and he does it!

 These trees... I mean, really, so YUMMY!

 Seriously, I wish I could bottle this smell!

I have been spending time outside in the evening, in the dark. I find it so peaceful. I have always enjoyed nighttime, it is the best time of summer, in my opinion.

 Henry joined me for some tiki light enjoyment.

Sammi was so tired on Sunday this is how she landed. She stayed there for a long time before she moved to a more comfortable spot. She has not been feeling very well the last few days, poor thing. I think the school year finally caught up with her.

 We went for a Sunday night walk with our friends. Henry got to ride up high on Tyson's shoulders. That is always a treat and a thrill.

 There was a beautiful rainbow, and the night sky was really something.

Daniel took Zoie out for a morning run. We have to take her out early morning, or late night because of the heat.

I took Charles' old little car to the mechanic, it will hopefully become Sammi's car. I had to laugh when I saw this sign on the wall at the mechanic's office, since I had just written those very words on my blog the day before. I mean, what are the odds?

I went to the hospital to get hooked up to a heart monitor. It was the kind you wear for a few days to test your overall heart rate, etc. That was exciting. I actually love going to the hospital. It is weird, since that is where Charles died, and it is the last place I saw him. But for some reason, the hospital is like hallowed ground, and I just love the peace I feel there. It is a beautiful building, and I just feel such strong sense of love for the people who are walking through there with illness, or visiting, and especially those who work trying to heal the sick. I feel a strong sense of connection with those who are there; because you never know what people are experiencing; what emotions they are feelings, and heartache they are enduring. Or perhaps there is joy too, from healing, or birth of a new baby. It is just such a special place. I am so grateful to have such great medical care so close to home. (A picture of the parking garage.) 

I got to wear the monitor for 48 hours. I was so grateful to take it off, because I could not shower for that amount of time, and I did get very itchy where the patches were located. They are just testing to make sure my heart is healthy and sound after all the virus and anxiety stuff. If we can rule out all the physical stuff, then we will know I am purely mental. ;)

 Enjoying scriptures by the firelight.

 Peace, be still. Yes, please!

While at an appointment, I came home to find Henry's artwork on the kitchen cabinets. (I will not say who was watching him.) It is hard to see, but it was so funny, all I could do was laugh and take a picture. Of course there was a discussion about what canvas is appropriate for color crayons. Though I can see why drawing on the white cabinets would be very enticing.

 Hello? I see you in there. Let me in!

Playing with cars.

I watched the new Beauty and the Beast for the first time. I really loved it. It was a beautiful movie, very magical. The new music is amazing, and I have the songs stuck in my head. I wasn't sure how I would feel about Emma Watson as Belle, but she did it. Her singing was not impressive, but it was good. And the rest of the movie was so lovely it was easy to overlook somehow. I allowed myself to believe she wasn't Hermoine, just for a moment. I cried a lot during the movie. I was in good company though, because Sammi was crying too. (The kids like to pile all the stuffed animals on the floor and lay on them.) 

 Life is good.