June 30

Our week of familial separation came to a close today as Abby returned from her mission trip. (I picked her up from the church office and then drove her over to a pool-centric get-together the rest of us had been enjoying, hence the swimming gear.)

She regaled us with stories of her adventure and I was happy to realize --fairly early on-- that she'd had a good time and connected with several of her peers. That in and of itself was a big enough blessing.

But then the evening took an unexpected turn as she reflected on how hard it was for her to see the sibling pairs interacting with one another on the trip. She got misty for a moment as she said she missed that bond she'd shared with Logan, and then got mad at herself for getting emotional over it. She talked about how she likes to share with friends and to cry on them because they're like her rocks, and I said that I knew what she meant because I can see the value in those friendships, too. God does, after all, intend for us to care for one another in a real, tangible, meaningful way that's driven by love. And then I admitted that I've not been very good at successfully cultivating those relationships, and then she surprised me by very curtly reminding me that people who aren't willing to be my rocks probably aren't worth my time anyway. We all deserve rocks; it's true that sometimes we're the supporters and sometimes we're the ones in need, but real, meaningful relationships ultimately feature equal parts give and take.

Wisdom from a teenager. Who'd'a thunk?

June 29

I was out at Starbucks with the Little Boys this morning when I thought I spotted a familiar face. I glanced in her direction a few times and then when I saw a mutual friend headed in said woman's direction, I mouthed "is that Kim?" and she said yes. So I went over to say hi.

I can't remember exactly when I became acquainted with Kim, but I know she was around when Logan was sick. I can remember her replying to my posts and expressing support for him and for our family.

She moved a few times and kind of disappeared from my Facebook feed for one reason or another, but it was a real blessing to me to meet her in person.

June 28

With the girl still away, it was just me and the Little Boys today. All day long. There were fights. (Theirs.) There were tears. (Mostly theirs.) There was frustration. (Ours.) So I was relieved when we had to pack up and head to baseball. It wasn't Brady's day for class, so he and I watched as Isaac hit and pitched for nearly two hours. (It sounds like a long time, but the incessant bickering that ruled the first part of the day made it feel like a spa trip.)

At one point, Brady pulled my sunglasses off their perch atop my head and slipped them over the bridge of his nose. He then did as he often does and made a rapid-fire succession of funny faces that made me laugh.

Nope, this life most definitely is not perfect. But little moments like these make it substantially more amusing. And for that truth, I'm quite thankful.

June 27

I've had better days. But the boys came back from their backpacking trip (because surprise! I was actually home alone from Saturday through this afternoon) and Isaac and Brady are both nestled into their beds upstairs right now. They're once again under my roof and in my immediate care.

Don't misinterpret my reality: I enjoyed my solo time. I don't even remember the last time I was home alone for multiple days (so it was probably before Abby was born). I loved my dinners out with friends and my leisurely afternoons reading and shopping and my evenings with "Murder, She Wrote" and "Hart to Hart." But there's something "right" about having them back home where they belong. So tonight, in spite of all that was wrong about today, I'm celebrating the right-ness of having a chunk of my family with me again.

June 26

I kept myself quite busy today with lots of shopping all over town (and the next one over). Then I finished the day by having dinner with Nikki downtown.

I've probably spent more time downtown over the last few days than I did over the last few years, and it's really something of a shame because we do live in a charming little place. So for yet more time with a good friend and the reawakened knowledge that we're blessed to live here, I'm thankful.

June 25

What can I say about today as I sit here with my glass of sparkling strawberry wine and a chocolate Twinkie? (Yes, I know. Weird combo. And yes, also weird that I'm in possession of any kind of alcohol. Let's move along.) Staycation day three was a good one all in all; I heard from Abby, who shared that despite her anxiety, she's socializing with her high school peers down in Arizona. (She's on a mission trip, since I probably failed to mention that before.) I also had a PTA-related chat with a former president, and spent a little time at Nikki's before finishing out most of the afternoon at home. Then this evening, I headed out for some shopping and dinner with this one:

In many ways, Kathy and I have vastly different personalities, which can at times be something of a challenge for me since I'm excruciatingly sensitive and prone to misinterpretation. But I genuinely love my time with her and am thankful that despite our differences, she continues to be part of my life.

June 24

Staycation day number two featured me sleeping in and missing church (oops), jogging intervals around the Sports Park, some time at Starbucks (because duh), and dinner downtown with these wonderful ladies.

Michele, Sherrie, and I first plotted to have dinner together sometime several years ago, so it was about time we finally made it happen. We had a great people-watching spot on the patio as we ate, chatted, and caught up. It was just so incredibly good to sit, relax, live in the moment, and enjoy time with friends without worrying about the next item on my to-do list.