Just Talk

Sorry for the recent blog silence...I don't know what it is about this time of year when summer is speeding to a close & I am trying to hold on tight. It is strange, I am busy, but I somehow do less, or accomplish less. This past week was our last week of summer break & instead of making grand plans, we really laid low almost all week. Lazy mornings, staying in PJs, kids playing...one day Sophie built an elaborate Thomas the Train track in our entire foyer area. (I need to take a picture, it really is great!) I think she built it on Tuesday & it is still there...it has been like a meeting place & all of the kids (well, except for Lucy) have enjoyed playing with it. Yes, there has been some screaming because Drew is in a Thomas phase right now & so even if he was not playing with one (or all) of the trains first, when he wants it, in his eyes it is his & he will scream until one of two things happens: 1) his siblings cave in & give him the train(s) after much yelling "Dreeewww!" or 2) he reaches his boiling point & hauls off & hits the offender with the nearest piece of wooden track. It's 50/50 what will happen, but there is often screaming either way. But I still smile every time I walk by that track.
Jeff has been playing softball in our church co-ed league this summer on Wednesday or Friday evenings...this week was the tournament & I actually survived 3 nights of softball in one week! I'm working on a blog post of pictures from all the softball nights...kids playing in the dirt, duck-duck-goose, chase, moms socializing while keeping one eye in each direction to make sure no kids run in the street, not to mention trying to watch a softball game & cheer on our team. I've got to hand it to our team, they played a great season. Tonight was the championship game & we were up against a team that was undefeated all season. We lost 12-13, but I know we were all SO very proud of our team for playing hard & not giving up!
We also had open house at Jack & Sophie's school this afternoon. The kids got to meet their teachers & drop off school supplies...yay, no more stacks of folders, binders, paper, pencils, markers, tissues, etc. on my table. I've filled out forms & more forms...and I know there are more to come. Oh, and now in place of the bags of school supplies, there is a honkin' big musical instrument case sitting on my kitchen table. A trombone! Actually, I'm rather excited to see how Jack will like learning to play a musical instrument, and I am very thankful that he chose one with a nice sound.
And here I am, back to realizing that school is starting on Tuesday. Summer is wrapping up, football practice starts Monday...and so it all begins again...the running, the scheduling, the practices & meetings & events. At the start of this week, I was soooo not ready to bid farewell to summer. I still wouldn't argue if the summer break fairy wanted to bestow us with a few extra weeks, but I am realizing that we were made for seasons. Right now I am hovering over a precipice between the memory of a nice summer and the excited anticipation of a great year ahead. And, really, both places are good. I kind of got stuck there in the middle this week, unwilling to let the idea of summer go, mourning the end of lazy days, play-dates & outings, not quite ready to embrace a new school year, new teachers, new classroom dynamics, new routines...but somewhere over the course of today, an imperceptible shift, and I am ready now...for the new routines, for the new friendships, for the new lessons, new teachers, new activities, a new season. Thank you God for knowing what I need & making it happen!

God was faithful...to bless us with a restful, fun summer.

God is faithful...right now, during the transition, as I pack up the slip-n-slide & break out the school supplies.

God will be faithful...always, so I can trust in His plans for the school year ahead.

And like the title says, sorry, this one is just talk...but stay tuned, I have lots of posts coming up with all the pictures from the many fun summertime activities!