July 9

We're in one of those milestone-rich phases of parenthood.

Abby graduated from college. Isaac graduated from high school. And this morning, Brady and I went down to the DMW and he secured his permit. (Which was called a learner's permit when I was a kid. At any rate, it means he can now officially learn how to drive.)

It's rather unnerving to internalize the reality that my baby is now legally allowed to drive a car (or at least he will be after he takes his first behind-the-wheel lesson next week). It makes logical sense of course, since he's 15 1/2 and 15 1/2 year olds are allowed to get permits. It just blows my mind that he's going to be 16 at the end of the year because I can so clearly remember him driving the little cars at LegoLand when we went about 10 years ago. I remember how cautious he was; how he stopped  completely at the stop signs and waited for traffic to clear before making turns, even though most of the other children drove like maniacs. Adam and I mused at the time that he'd grow up to be a good driver but back then it seemed like it would be so long before he'd be driving an actual car... but here we are.

Anyway, since I'm mostly rambling, I'll just say that though I'm shocked by how quickly time is passing, I'm grateful for the milestones. Because watching my kiddos hit each and every one of them is a blessing.

July 8

I rather missed the boys' shenanigans when Isaac was at camp. Given how raucous and just plain noisy they tend to be, that reality surprised me, but it's the truth.

So I was gratified this morning when, after running out for coffee and then on to the store for glue sticks (for Abby) and eggs (for Isaac), I came home to find them like this.

Well, not exactly like this of course, since this is just a representative still frame. But I found Brady pursuing Isaac and jumping onto his back, and then twisting himself around into what looked like terribly uncomfortable positions. But they were both amused. And they laughed.

And I could feel the love. So as always, I am thankful to God for their bond, even if its trappings sometimes look a bit weird to me.

July 7

I love it when my kiddos get along. And today, the sense of comradery they share at times was strong.

It began with Isaac's return from camp. It's not unusual for Brady to avoid hugs, but he readily accepted Isaac's embrace when we got home from the airport. 

Then later in the day, Abby meandered into the family room as Brady and I were watching the World Cup match between Switzerland and Colombia. After they exchanged a few of their typical barbs, she got up, stood behind Brady, and began playing with his hair. The curling wand even came out. And Brady just went with the flow.

So anyway, for the blessing of harmonious relationships, I am grateful.

July 6

It's been a fun, lowkey evening at home.

We started off by watching the US play in their World Cup round of 16 match-up against Belgium (you win some, you lose some) over Chick Fil A.

When that ended, Adam turned on an old episode of "Matlock" and we watched that while savoring slices of leftover pie. 

And to complete my culinary adventure, I poured myself a glass of pomegranate juice and prosecco.

None of it was particularly fancy, but it was fun. And I am grateful for the time with my hunny and Brady.

July 5

Church this morning was really excellent.

It started with a thought-provoking message on Psalm 23 that perfectly walked the line between humor and truth.

And it concluded with a few minutes with this gal right here. Jen moved away to Texas a number of years ago, but we spent several years prior to her move as across-the-street neighbors. In fact, she had the distinction of being my on-call person to take care of Abby, Logan, and Isaac when I went into labor with Brady. (The morning he was born wound up being a crazy-frenetic one, but we both remember it!)

She's a gem, and it's always a blessing to be able to catch up a bit in person.

July 4

Our great nation's 250th birthday was a quiet, calm one at our house. 

Most of our overt observance of the occasion centered around food, as we nibbled on red, white, and blue donuts and cupcakes; homemade apple and cherry pies whipped up by Adam; strawberry, blueberry, and banana fruit skewers by Abby; and of course, hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato salad. My girl even made herself a beverage she found online that featured Sprite, blue Gatorade, grenadine, and whipped cream. (I didn't taste it but it looked pretty cool.) And for good measure, we also had red, white, and blue M&Ms and fourth of July themed Sour Patch Kids (which were, of course, red, white, and blue).

We watched some baseball and World Cup soccer (sorry, it's soccer) on TV, and enjoyed a quick round of US History trivia (courtesy of Abby and Google) after dinner. It was all very chill.

But the calmest, quietest part of the day came as the sky darkened and Adam took Abby and Brady closer to downtown to watch the fireworks display at the fairgrounds. I'm not big on crowds and loud noises (even loud music is too much for me these days), so I opted to stay home. As the light outside grew increasingly dim, I donned my robe and flip flips and stole up the steps to the observation deck.

The sunset was of the pretty, muted pink and orange ilk, and I stood by the railing watching as the color faded to a steely gray and the lights of the valley below appeared, one by one, flickering like fireflies. I could hear the bang, bang of fireworks in the distance and occasionally, the fingers of one would briefly reach high enough into the sky that I could see it. None were particularly close, but I enjoyed the view nonetheless, because in that moment, I still recognized that it was a beautiful view, even without a special show.

But then something unexpected happened. After 15 minutes of squinting to see tiny spectacles on the other side of the valley, there was a bang that sounded much closer followed by a beautiful spray of white light off to the left. And what followed was the same stunning display that Adam and the kiddos were seeing from a different vantage point. I watched, mesmerized, as variously colored lights ascended into the sky, exploded, and showered the earth with their splendor. It was a display well-suited to a 250th birthday.

As I stood there watching from my perch, lots of thoughts flitted through my mind. One is that this country may have its problems, but it's still an amazing place to call home. And those of us blessed enough to live here are just that --blessed-- whether we truly realize it or not. We can watch fireworks and eat cupcakes and hamburgers and have parties with friends and express our opinions and dress how we like and worship as we choose. Life isn't like that everywhere. It's also a land of opportunities and second chances; it's a place where patience and perseverance can yield rewards that are bigger and better than we could ever have imagined. 

So today, I am grateful to God for 250 of this nation. And I pray that He will continue to have His hand on our leaders and that they will do what is right in His eyes, even if it's not always what is popular.

July 3

Abby's first summer term ended yesterday and since she didn't have any homework, she came with me to the Mother Ship this morning.

In honor of reaching a milestone in her program, I bought her a frou frou drink. (I don't remember exactly what it was, but it had blue cold foam on top and matcha in the drink itself. The important part is that she liked it and I didn't just flush $6.75.)

From there we jaunted through Target and then Grocery Outlet. Abby often expresses how she'd hyped for the fourth, so she wanted to get red, white, and blue food for tomorrow.

It was a pleasant day with my girl. We haven't had a lot of time to hang out since summer school started, so the outing was a blessing.