blessed beyond measure

And so adventure season begins. I'll start by saying, I'm not sure how adventurous we will be this year. With the state of the nation, I'm gonna be pretty choosy about our destinations. Which is sad and pathetic considering how grateful and peaceful Americans should be. But I digress. The first two weeks of school seemed to drain the life right out of the boys, so we all agreed that staying close to home would be best. I heaved the bikes and scooters into the car and we trekked moments down the road to the boys' school. An expedition already conquered a bazillion times over, but also a great excuse for some much-needed exercise on a classic late-summer day. Warm breeze and no humidity. Passing clouds and a sunset creeping ever earlier. A mama thankful for open skies and short legs pumping out another two miles. Two boys who are sometimes-friends. Not much excitement, no exploring, but a gift nonetheless. We trudged our wobbly legs home, curled up in the li...

It is one of those maybe once-in-a-lifetime things. And having been fascinated by space science and aeronautics since I was a kid, we weren't about to miss out on this one. They called this past Monday the Great American Eclipse. Also known as The Day It Was Cool To Be A Nerd. I ordered several sets of glasses months ago, long before their unit cost increased from a dollar to a thousand. Read article after article, advice and how-tos, accounts from those who had lived it before. Counted down the days. We weren't in totality range, but ninety percent ain't bad for just stepping outside and avoiding nature's black Friday a couple hours south of here. And being a Monday afternoon, of course, we were all in different places. I received the following from Brandon at school, with the caption "I even look good in these..." Of course he does. Good lookin' spent his planning period staring skyward. At work, my fellow IT geeks and I went back and forth...

We returned for a second year with our ever-growing Sunday school class to the creek near the Peaks of Otter. Compared with the icky-sticky mid-nineties below, the mountain's deep woods were breezy and cool. The water was freezing, and to be true to myself, I wished I could throw aside the expectations of adulthood and wade right in there with our dozens of kiddos, who no longer cared about age differences or cooties or whatnot. They worked together en masse to build up rocks and tree stumps to try and stop the flow of water. And when that didn't work, they went into explorer mode and play-acted a bear hunt. When the kids were afar off and the grownups seemed at their most distracted by storytelling, I did too so step into the frigid waters, reveling in feeling so very much alive. The boys had an amazing time, even if (or perhaps because) they mainly steered clear of each other. We'll take what we can get. Good, clean, cool, fun summer memories.

During the countdown, many would ask them if they were ready to go back. Stock answer, a resounding no. School could never compete with the summer these two have had. However, as the day neared, one of them would grow quite excited. He's now the big dog, and the thought that this is his last first day ever at the familiar place he has known for the last five years didn't faze him in the least. Fifth grade. Deep breath. The other would not grow excited. At first it was the thought of less play time, which he takes as a personal insult. Then last night he tried hard to hold himself together, saying he was going to miss me too much during our long days apart. Second grade. Exhale. There are just no words for how much I love them both. How thankful I am for their health and opportunity to learn and explore and be kids, just for a while longer. My babies, off to school again. Lord Jesus, please grow their minds, guide their steps, and guard their hearts.

I'm 36 today. It's not a special milestone or one of those landmark divisible-by-five birthdays. And true enough, I feel about the same today as I did yesterday when that number was lower. But the shift that accompanies age has found me. It can no longer be ignored. Sitting down to apply my makeup, I hold the hand mirror close to my face for the sake of my slowly waning eyesight. It's a different person who greets me there. She looks tired. Already. Still. Bright eyed and bushy tailed died long ago. Dry, red eyes screaming for drops that only enhance the imperfections. Bags and black circles in it for the long haul. A crow's foot. Just one, on the side that smiles bigger. Raised eyebrows now relaxed, a few crinkled-forehead lines hang around. And oh, the brown spots. They have taken over, enough that the cheap minimalist makeup no longer has a fighting chance. Everywhere, almost like freckles, except bigger and splotchier and ugly as sin. The skin-col...