The Cunningham Family: Around Here: Week 34 2022

{August 21-27th}

Play Doh fruit kabob

I stole this from Phoenix' mama. I think of him (and her) all summer long.
I wish so hard he was still here with us.

My monthly migraine shot.

If you need help getting excited about autumn,
might I suggest Lore Pemberton's Instagram account.

Rejoicing... that the dinner plate hibiscus we transplanted from our first house last year did not, in fact, die like we thought, but sent up some shoots this spring/summer! We don't think it will bloom this season before our first freeze, but it makes us hopeful that next summer it may just bloom!

Nebbing... Wyatt for some night coughing that came along with his runny nose. Thankfully we never had to start his steroids. His asthma really does seem to be improving as he ages.

Blooming... dahlias are popping up in my yard and oh it brings me such joy! I grew them starting last year, then pulled up their tubers and stored them for winter, replanted in the spring, and just now am seeing flowers. So much work, but somehow it really does make the reward sweeter when it comes.

Registering... Wyatt at the middle school. We got a copy of his schedule, paid for his chromebook insurance and get him some PE clothes. It's really getting real!
I also ran to the elementary school to check Carly's first grade class list and was overjoyed at both the teacher she has and the classmates who will be with her, including her sweet friend Kamden whom we've known since he and Carly weren't even one year old.

Running... errands like I do every week, but this time I did them by myself, which was quite lovely. I listened to more of The Shell Seekers as I ran around town.

Making... zucchini bread with Carly, wearing our new aprons (hers a flamingo, and mine covered with strawberries). She was so happy to help me in the kitchen, and the bread was delicious. I even got Jack's friend Ainsley to try some, and he said he liked it!

Honoring... Rainbow Baby Day and thinking of the sweet babes I lost before being blessed with Carly. That night, I was talking to Carly about my miscarriages at bedtime, and that sweet little girl had tears in her eyes as she contemplated who those babies would have been (boys? girls? what would their names have been?). She's such a tender soul.

Spending... all the extra moments in the pool, knowing that schedules, routines and fall will be upon us in the blink of an eye, and I want to relish every moment until then.

Sending... Josh off on to his first day of school. He works in a different district than our kids attend, so we have a few more days before we get started in earnest.

Celebrating... good news from Josh's parents, and hosting an impromptu get together to mark it. It was so nice to have everyone over, sharing slices of pizza and ice cream as we swam and visited. It was a much needed smile-filled day after the rough week we endured last week.

Thinking... often of my beloved student Phoenix whom I worked with in 2006 before I had children of my own. He died two years ago, and for some reason summer brings him to the forefront of my mind. Oh how I wish he was still here with us.

Giving... myself my monthly migraine prevention shot. I can give my Ajovy shot in my stomach, arm or leg, but almost always put it in my leg as it itches for 2-3 days afterward, and on the leg that is the least annoying.

Learning... of multiple types of enneagram sixes. It's called stacking. I didn't know about these distinctions, but it helped explain how some people who are also sixes are so different from me. I learned that I am a self-preservation/social six. (This video especially helped me to understand.)

Laughing... as Logan carried the small safe with his phone inside upstairs for me to unlock.
We keep the boys' phones in a gun safe when they aren't using them so they don't mindlessly pick them up and start scrolling when we want them to be enjoying screen-free time. The safe lives on the kitchen counter, and can only be opened by a finger code that Josh and I know.
I was painting my finger and toenails on my bathroom floor and Logan knew that, but he wanted his phone. So he brought the safe to me to unlock for him. Haha!

Reading... On Tyranny for book club this month. Gosh, I did not expect this book to be such a great read.
Quotes I loved:
"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."

"Where elections end, tyranny begins."

"We're free only if we control what others know about us."

(*specifically on the internet)

-this makes having a blog feel dumb... haha!

"A nationalist says, "It can't happen here," whereas a patriot says, "It could happen here, but we will stop it."

"Be as courageous as you can... If none of us are prepared to die for freedom, then all of us will die under tyranny."

Damn!! See? Pretty powerful stuff.

Making... fresh fruit kabobs with the kids. These are a HUGE hit not only with my kids, but also their cousins (on Josh's side) and they always ask for them. I buy the kabob sticks at our grocery store for a few bucks, and then I cut up/set out whatever I have on hand. Apples, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, blueberries, bananas... They love them!

Sitting... in my feels the other night after a phone call to my grandparents house resulted in grandpa not knowing who I was. Grandma was on a walk and grandpa answered the phone, and he didn't recognize my voice, but also, even after I told him who I was, he couldn't recall. That's the first time he hasn't known me, and it hurt my heart. Alzheimer's is just so, so hard. It is a drawn out losing of our loved ones, and it sucks.

Gathering... sad songs between my sister and I so that when I am trying to get in touch with my emotions, and let that sadness out, I have a means of doing so. I created a sad playlist on YouTube music, and while most days I won't play it, I am glad to have it there to turn to when I need it.

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