Fun things about the weekend...breathing time machine

Break this tired old routine...and this time don't make me leave
I am a breathing time machine, I'll take you all for a ride

With the 1st of 2 weekends away under our belt, all of us were in a bit of a fog this morning.  Needless to say, there was nothing underwhelming about the weekend at all :).  Anything but.  With the four of us carrying out a mostly divided existence, I have to confess that I miss my 3 better halves something fierce today.  The time outside each other's presence - trying to be here, there & seemingly everywhere in between - yep, not my fave.  Conversely, knowing that Ella & John got to enjoy the company of family we get to see not often enough - makes me glad even in my "missing-ness" of today :)

Following from that, the moments that were shared, the best parts of the weekend...as bright & beautiful as that oh-so-blue October sky :)

Some of the fun things, some in mental pictures - looked/felt a lil' like this...

Enjoyin' a serene ride in Friday night...a car full of week ending exhaustion coupled with weekend excitement...the babies sleeping soundly in the back - the tell tale of what won out (insert Mama & Deddy baby envy)

Saturday morning greeting us bright & early...earlier for some :)  Waking up to the warmth of Nana's kitchen, lovingly full of all things Saturday morning...breakfast smells, gentle melodies playing, togetherness.

And so truly begins the day...

Fun w. cousins

Early birthday surprises for Ella Bella

Putting on my Betty Crocker "hat" and baking doodle's strawberry cupcakes for her party.  If nothing else, they will taste full of mama's love - haha.  They've yet to be iced, thus, not yet picture-worthy :)

Time on the back porch finishing one of those "my life is better for having read" kinda books.  Red stripe in hand, tears in eyes, warm sun on my face, constantly having to pause & bookmark with finger the paragraph I was reading to be "interrupted" by my deddy...absolute serenity.

The book, if interested Wrapped In Rain, Seth & I have both now read.  One of the main characters being named Miss Ella - got immediate draw from us.  Marinating the reader in moments of faith, love, grace, hope, forgiveness and the power/resiliency of the human spirit - yep, just good for the soul.

Then this, the longed for pinnacle of the weekend...only hours away...

Finally, at long last - Avett bound (DEEP SIGH)

Topped with a farewell kiss from the first born to send me on my way (more DEEP SIGHs)

My out-in-the-parking-lot-face :)  That sun setting behind me - just a hint of the warmth to be felt...

I can't tell from the pic which brother this is, what song was being sung, but speaking about the whole night...being under a beautiful October sky almost shoulder to shoulder with approx 8000 people who seem to love these brothers as much as we do...one of the most lovely, ethereal nights of our lives.  The flickering tiki torches scattered throughout the ampitheater were mere symbols of how that show warmed and filled the night for every soul blessed enough to be there in the presence of such beauty, love and harmony.  Yeah, it was that good.  Our heads hit the pillow smiling Saturday night :)

 

Sunday came bright & early, but that was ok - having missed the littles evening routine the night before (thanks Nana & Pappaw - as always) to be away, anxious to be in their presence yesterday morning.  Enjoyed breakfast, enjoyed coffee, enjoyed just being :)

After Nana & Pappaw got home from church, the boys had a little fun in the yard

Followed by an awesome lunch ~ the centerpiece being Moravian chicken pie (yummy)

Spent a lot of time between the yards of 3270 & 3280 Fraternity - John almost burned up the grass between Nana & Pappaw's & Granny "Worrelly's".  He about ate her out of orange juice & orange slice candy as well.  Guess all that back & forth worked up his lil' appetite :)

I also enjoyed some good time there on the porch with my granny & pappaw.  For more on what that means to me, you can read this, the first paragraph of this, look at this picture - I could continue this list for a while :)  That the other side of that yard still finds my granny & pappaw there on that porch - the silhouette of their heads visible as you round the house into that carport (big sigh).  My Ella and my pappaw will share birthday #2 on Thursday (bigger sigh).  The blessing of knowing that my home and the very extension of all memories associated with that is still intact and just a short walk through that grass - albeit a lil' older, a lil' slower - that my children are knowing the joy of closing that gap in between those houses just as I did growing up (biggest sigh). 

That was a little digression, but I do have a point.  I mentioned at the outset that we felt like a family divided at times this weekend.  And while I see the necessity of that (varying schedules for our children, lots of family to try & see), and I know the efficiency of the "divide & conquer" mindset, it's still selfishly hard to give away parts of the sacred weekend to not just being together.

I say all that to say this - we made the decision around lunch yesterday to not spend the better part of the afternoon making the trek home, but rather to enjoy our Sunday there w/o whatever distractions/tasks were surely awaiting at home.  We kind of threw the decision to John after he ate, saying "Buddy, do you want to nap here or in the car on the way back."  I don't hardly remember him answering, but after slingin' his blanket over his shoulder and making the way down the hall to his bed...looked like we were stayin' :)

While John napped, Seth took Ella to Meemaw & Pappaw's to see some of the Fisher family.  I'm told Ella was clingy - we think there's some teething that caused all the extra clinginess of the weekend, but I think Seth enjoyed being so "needed" :)

While there, he did get to meet sweet Cooper - I too, am anxious to see this sweet boy

As the afternoon wore on, we finally found those moments of "us" - that time to just be together and it was divine.  God's way of smiling at us and saying "here you go..."

This time well wasted found me & my buddy "exploring" in the barn

We discovered a croquet set probably from the year the sport was invented (circa late 1900's) - we've had it as long as I can remember, and from what I could tell, we're down to one ball

A lil' croquet lesson for the 1st born :)

Followed up with some improvising on some other "equipment" - a badminton raquet & a plastic (falls apart mid-air) soccer ball...file under, "ways to play red-neck yard games with your children" (seems the "redder" it gets, the more we enjoy it, ha)

Adding to the joy ~ barefeet (good day earmarks if you ask me)

And of course those cute feet belong to this oh-so-sweet face

Spent plenty of time holding down the grass - adult bevs in hand...not able to say enough how beautiful of a day it was.

Carport "embellishment" encapsulates nicely...

Wrapped in the warmth and joy of a Sunday afternoon...the busyness, the time divided, the not enough hours in the day feeling - vastly overshadowed.  Put in perspective, if asked what I was thinking of - I know I would say love.  The "view" certainly helps...

Add to above joy the tingling feeling I have, the waves of excitement bubbling up, yet another point of love to be thinkin' of...

It's coming & though surreal, such an amazing blessing to look forward to...



Happy week!