August - Back to the routine

Ah...now it becomes so clear why July was such a dream. School started again August 2nd. Duhn Duhn Dunnnnnn. Miriam started 2nd grade and Vivian 1st. The girls LOVE their school, teachers, classmates...it's just so sad to see the freedom of summer slip away.

People often ask how Felicity likes it now that the girls are gone most of the day. She misses them a bit and is looking forward to starting Kindergarten next year. BUT. She has all the toys and all of Mommy and all of baby Simon. She has her preschool-at-home-activities (Mommy is teaching her to read!). It's a pretty lovely life she's got.

For example, one day she got to go with her older cousin Lydia and her best friend Olivia to the zoo. Imagine you're 4 years old and you're playing in the sun with a 16 year old who loves you to death and another 4 year old who just gets you.

And Simon. 

The boy quickly figured out a nap schedule that jives with our after school pick up time. THANK YOU, Simon! Plus he spends at least one day a week with his best bud/cousin, Elijah.

They're still learning how to play together...

...or maybe this is how boys play? Only time will tell. 

August did mean a little more lake time.

And Mommy and Daddy got to meet Scott Hahn, a brilliant Catholic theologian.

Vivian and Miriam learned how to sew for their Mini 4H projects. It was mostly sewing in a straight line on fabric and paper, but it was a great beginning. Maybe someday, we'll have a whole row of sewing machines going in our house and we'll all be working on our own projects. Mommy can dream.

One cool August morning, Miriam asked if she could go running with Mommy. So we went. There was some walking, but she did a good job! And it was nice to get some one-on-one time just hearing Miriam's thoughts about life. 

 Two of our favorite things in August: checking out the art exhibit all over downtown Auburn and the Parish Picnic. This year for the art exhibit, local artists decorated wine barrels. Sarah took the four kids downtown one afternoon to wander around. They loved it. Each girl chose a favorite and they were able to touch and interact with art in a way you can't in a gallery.

They could get up close and see the brush strokes, 

 feel the grooves left from the wood burning tool,

 even pretend to be a contortionist like the bodies pictured on this barrel.

 This one had a live garden growing on the top!

Their art teacher at school did a barrel so that was extra special for the girls.

 And we stopped to look at the mural they helped paint in town!

It was a good, good afternoon.

With a little bit of ice cream to make it even better.

Okay. Parish Picnic...we're biased, but ours is the best. Best. Friday night is the adults-only casino night fundraiser. Saturday morning is the color run.

Saturday night is Mass and a family party, each year with a new theme. This year was a hoe down with a band. Simon loved the band - he danced while he ate, while he played in the sandbox, while we carried him around. 

The girls were running wild - barefoot in packs of other children their own age. Bouncing in the bounce houses, taking wagon rides pulled by draft horses, loading up on candy from the "chuck wagon", ice cream from the self-serve soft-serve machine, root beer from the "saloon". Mommy dresses them alike for this party so she can count the three pink streaks of light whizzing around to make sure everyone is still going strong.

It's just the most fun with our church family. This year they added family adoration on Sunday afternoon. We loved every second of the parish picnic, but this picture still about brings Mommy tears. Fr. Tim welcomed the children up close to Jesus and told them how much Jesus loves them and explained how He comes to be with them at every Mass. It was perfect - these kids knew their parish family loved them and wanted to spend time with them because they had just experienced an entire weekend of it! But the most wonderful thing was that Jesus was there and loved them and wanted to spend time with them. They can come to Him at any time. No matter what the problem or their mood or what they may have done. He welcomes them always. Thank you, Fr. Tim, for planting that in their hearts.

So maybe August was pretty great after all as our faith got to widen and deepen in the goodness of the people we share the earth with, in the beauty God allows us to create, and in His unconditional love for us.