Around Here: Week 30 {2018}

{photo credit: Roxanne}

Reading... and finishing The Perfect Mother.  It was good, but I thought the ending was kind of lame.  I am still working through Ghosted (my book of the month book), which is honestly a bit slow.  I just started Educated on audio and am really enjoying it thus far.

Hosting... book club with the boys on the trampoline last Saturday night.  We did some reading, but mostly the boys jumped and giggled and snuggled in their blankets, which was fine by me.  Happy memories, that's for sure.

Showing off... our beautiful pink blooms in the front yard on our dinnerplate hibiscus.  It takes my breath away every time I see it.

Walking... as many days as possible this week, sweating everyday in the heat; High 90's, low 100's. 

Feeling... much better emotionally after making a list of things I will need to do for the new school year to help prepare Logan & Wyatt's teachers.  (Sending emails, having meetings, getting a new inhaler for the nurses office, etc.) Meanwhile, I have been working on staying in each day, and reminding myself that each season has a time and place, and the school year will be welcome when it comes. 

Sending... Logan to Vancouver with Josh so Josh could help his parents on their house and I could have a slightly lesser workload (3 kids as opposed to 4).  Sending Logan was my sister's brilliant brainchild-  Logan could get some much needed alone time and attention, while I could have one less kid to worry about and still be able to go to the pool everyday with ease with the remaining three.  Logan had a fantastic time with his aunt and grandma's, while the other kids and I had a fantastic time here at home.

Wondering... if Logan's seizures are going to stop altogether.  In July he had one seizure each week, which I am happy about.  It's a definite improvement.  He's been completely off his old medication for two weeks now, and I am thinking that with a little more time, his seizures will stop completely.  I guess only time will tell.

Swimming... in both the pool and the lake.  We went to the pool 3x this week, which was lovely, and the lake once.  Tuesday my sister and her family joined us at the pool and that was super fun!  We went round and round the lazy river, my sister and I, with our baby girls.  We sat on the edge of the pool, watching our boys jump in and swim.  It was a really good day. 

Enjoying... my turquoise picnic table thanks to Josh.  He spent last week power washing both the table and our backyard fence, and then put the first coat of paint onto the picnic table.  It looks so great already.  I love it!

Cleaning... house with the twins on Sunday while Wyatt watched Carly in the backyard.  They have gotten so much better (and faster!) at cleaning house since we began nearly two years ago.  I am so grateful for their help and the fact that (most weeks) their attitudes are so helpful.  Many hands make light work.  

Watching... Carly fall asleep in her high chair during dinner after a long day at the pool and letting Jack get her out.  He loved every minute of carrying her down the hall, head lolling, heavy on his shoulder, as he made his way to her bedroom.

Meeting... with my local book club for taco salad and fried ice cream Thursday night and loving those ladies and that time away from motherhood so very much.  We just talk and laugh and connect and it makes me so grateful for each one of them.  I looked forward to it all week (all month, honestly!), and I feel so filled to the top now that it's over.  Love you, ladies!
The book we read (this month was my choice!) was This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, which I finished in two days- it was so good.  It was about a family whose fifth son wants to be a girl, but really the whole book is about all our parenting journeys- about how we have to parent and make decisions based on half information, and the only thing impacted is, oh, you know, our child's ENTIRE FUTURE. sigh. The whole time I was reading I kept thinking, "this is the perfect time for me to be reading this book" because I had been so worried about Logan & Wyatt and making choices for them and preparing their teachers for their special health needs next school year, and reading this reminded me that we are all in the same boat.  All of us, all mothers, are just doing the best we can, and wondering if it's enough.

Still... feeling so grateful for my washing machine.  Every time I start a load, I find myself feeling weak with gratitude. 

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Meditating on this gem: