watching clouds...

I only do this until I get dizzy & then I lay down on my back & watch the clouds, she said.  It sounds simple but you won't believe how many people forget the second part. ~ Story People

Working on my "cloud watching".  Stopping, being still, lookin' around, soakin' it up - being in the moment, whatever the moment may be...

Moments with babies...babies who aren't really babies.  John, my gentle soul searching for every critter in sight.  His fascination, excitement, joy - contagious.  His love of bugs and things with too many legs - not so much :)  Ella, my tenacious spirit (smiling as I type) - girl, you truly light the day.  Your laughter, your singing, your busyness - we revel in it.  The screaming at moments for no reason - not so much :)

The lil' Seth and lil' Traci we see before us - whew, big ol' heart be still at that.  The joy in being your parents and having this privilege and challenge of shaping your lil' lives - there are not words.

Moments with sweethearts (sigh).  Spent some time with Seth the other day reading through old love letters we wrote and the documented "history" of our transition from friends to sweethearts.  Reading aloud a letter I wrote Seth in Dec '02 - I couldn't even get through without choking up.  All the things he meant to me then and all the hopes I had for us - well, none of it has changed.  The sweet dream has come true and continues to grow with each day.  The blessing in the truth of those words then & now - what we still mean to each other...heart be still.

So, to my babies and my sweetheart - I love you all so much.  Days get busy, time is ever fleeting and the moments are so many - in all of it though, my heart swells with pride at the life we've been blessed with.  The love, the laughter, the joy, the togetherness - reminding me constantly, certainly my best life ever. 

In my going through stuff the other day, I found that Family Circus comic - that lil' boy still swinging so high, being pushed by his dad, saying "this is my best life ever".  Seth, John & Ella - you make me feel like that lil' boy - flying high, sun on my face, love pushing me on...best life, for sure :)

xoxo ~ Me

a Fun Things (shock, gasp, awe)...

yes, I know it's been a while :) I may be a little rusty at this...

(mental pic) Friday night surprise bday parties :)  Guests of honor being surprised, laughter, dancing - earning my Saturday hangover and sore legs!

Saturdayin' with the babies (yes, I know they look less and less like "babies")

Butterfly watchin'

Scrunched nose precociousness - hand in hand traits :)

Deddy enjoyin his chair, his reading, his coffee (fleeting moments!)

Gettin' our creative on 

 

Preparing for upcoming golf trip :)

A lil' "takin' the view"

Sometimes even the best "animal whisperers" need a lil' help

Creature capture ~ bees knees for this one

The before...

Post-face meeting pavement (fun thing here was the popsicle)

close up of damages incurred - ella, 0...sidewalk, 1

getting money's worth on costumes, worn every other, if not daily :)

dodging webs :)

good snacks...real nilla's

tunes ~ always

enjoyin' my lil' "corner of the world"...the love in this - chair by nana, prayer blanket by nana, sighs by me

reading lots of this in that loving spot - takin' to heart as much as possible...

looking around at other affirmations...like, "keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows"

or this,

and so reminded of this

days for laughter

for playing

for shorts on your head and rockin' costumes

for remembering

for celebrating

for noticing

(sigh)

Have a happy day...I hope that you do ~ love & blessings :)

(insert placeholder)...

I plan to make a "real post" tomorrow :)

2 holdover tidbits...

This Story People in my inbox this morning - same print hangs in my kitchen (coincidence...don't believe in those):

It is not what you think, this reaching across the generations. There is no effort of will, no fierce glare in the face of the sideways dance of everyday. There is only the quiet house each morning, filled with soft breathing while you hold your tea in the cool air & always that moment when your love spreads a cloth upon the table & invites the whole day in again.

(sigh, heart tug, bigger sigh - thankful for loving reminders of what it's all about)

And this...also a loving reminder...thundering beats (big ol' sighs at this):



Happy lil' Friday :)