Here we come to the end of summer. Work and school loom their heads within our view, although I won't call them ugly. I look back over the past idyllic months and just love my family more and more as I sit and review our time together in leisure. Jack and Julia continue to grow into the beautiful people they are, and every day God uses them to teach me humility, patience, and a host of other desirable character traits. I pray that He uses me to teach them how to live in love and kindness. I've been fortunate enough to relive the summers of my youth through them; right as I'm in the middle of hard work, moving wood, clearing brush, or any of a number of other things, they run by laughing and singing and I remember what that's like. It also blesses my heart to feel a resonation within me as well, meaning that not all of that whimsy is gone or dead within me, either. I'm blessed with a partner who is in many ways much stronger than I am, and we support each other through the myriad changes and adjustments that life continues to bring. It's amazing that in the midst of all this, we get to enjoy seeing our children grow as well.
Click HERE for a YouTube video of our exploits.
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Friday, January 22, 2016
I've spent it in good company.
Today is a special day. For one thing, it's a snow day, which means that I've gotten to play with the kids today, read, relax, and generally catch up on whatever it is one does when one isn't working. Another reason today is special is because we received the paperwork giving us ownership of this house in the mail today.
And so another few dozen pounds of pressure are lifted from my chest. Life is absolutely a cycle of hills and valleys, and the valleys usually only end when you roll the stone all the way back up the mountain. It feels like we've finally got the stone up there, and are able to enjoy the view to some degree. I am able to sit down and look through the photos of the past few months and relive some of the wonderful things that have happened. We've seen family and strengthened the ties that bind. Seeing those you love is such a beautiful thing, and seeing as many as we did was truly a blessing. We've celebrated the holidays, gone back to school, and grown into our home here.
Our children, as always, are the centerpieces of our interest. To quote Bill Murray from 'Lost in Translation',
Bob: It gets a whole lot more complicated when you have kids.
Charlotte: It's scary.
Bob: The most terrifying day of your life is the day the first one is born.
Charlotte: Nobody ever tells you that.
Bob: Your life, as you know it... is gone. Never to return. But they learn how to walk, and they learn how to talk... and you want to be with them. And they turn out to be the most delightful people you will ever meet in your life.
And that's how it feels nowadays. Jack is such a funny guy. He's constantly coming up with jokes and sharing them with me. Yesterday he put his coat on while it was still on the hook and then kept pretending to try to run, saying, "Why can't I move? What's wrong?" and the whole time he was stuck on the hook. He was cracking himself up. He reads all the time, creates games, and reacts genuinely and emotionally to people. I adore him.
And Julia continues to be a can of Chelsea concentrate. She's just like her mom--beautiful, funny, caring, sweet, and kind--but it's all in this tiny little package that doesn't have to worry about bill payments or renovation or an annoying husband yet. She's just a wonderful little girl. Today was the first day she felt better after a 4-day fever and she just couldn't stop walking around hugging and kissing everyone in the family and telling us that she loved us. Her joy at health expressed itself as affection to others.
Chelsea and I have no regrets; a family is a cup that runs over. I've included some pictures below that you're welcome to peruse. I've also made a video with some music for you to enjoy. Here's to our loved ones.
Click HERE for the YouTube video.
Click HERE for the Vimeo version.
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