This and That: Summer Edition

Hello, readers! When I determined, back before Valentine's Day to write up our courtship tale, I had no idea how many words it would take! Thanks to each of you who have encouraged me to keep going. And I will keep going, even when I have to take it slow.

Got home to find this beauty!

We are still unpacking from our week at the beach. Still finding sand we brought back to Kansas. Sunburns still peeling. Conquering the post-vacation laundry mountain while watching episodes of M*A*S*H. Catching up on the lawn, and the final episodes of Neil deGrasse Tyson's Cosmos, and pulling grass out of my flowerbeds. Visiting with neighbors and remembering why we love our neighborhood. Nothing like traveling to make home feel like "home"!

This is the first summer all the kids have the experience of being home from school. It is different to step into my full-time mom shoes again. We have been taking trips to the library, the orthodontist, the doctor, friends' houses for play dates, the optometrist to pick up a replacement lens, the grocery store to stock up on fresh berries for jam and pies. And with my daughter's help, I finally defrosted the basement freezer--a project that's been on my list for months!

Author Jeannette Walls
at Watermark Books

This week I had the chance to hear the beautiful and resilient Jeannette Walls speak here in Wichita. It was such a treat I didn't mind spending the hour standing in the back row. Though Walls is on tour to promote her newest book, she talked more about her memoir The Glass Castle, which I highly recommend! She talked about storytelling, about vulnerability, about healing and scars, and about speaking our truth, even about people we love. I drew so much strength and inspiration from Walls that evening and may have even shed a few tears.

Speaking of tears, I saw The Fault in Our Stars with a girlfriend last night. I was prepared for the story to be sad, but it was so sweet and lovely and rich at the same time. Now I want to read the book. As if I wasn't in the middle of four books already... But, hey, isn't that what summer is for?

On our vacation, we revisited a few places we hadn't seen since our honeymoon. We are such different people now! Funny the things that change. I didn't have a bikini back then; Chris didn't drink coffee. We felt daring for listening to Michael Card in the car. We had so many fears. Maybe someday we'll return sans children and have more time to explore the places and activities that would have scared us back then.

Working on our courtship narrative together has been special this year as we compare memories over glasses of wine, constructing a timeline of events, with me asking Chris questions and jotting down notes. Then I write at my leisure during the day, one installment at a time, and get Chris to look each one over before hitting the "Publish" button. It can take longer if I need to confirm history with friends or siblings.

If you don't see me posting here as frequently over the summer, you can figure it's because I am busy enjoying our family, or cultivating real-life friendships, or just taking time for myself.

Peace!

Colored Pencils on Vacation :)