...and swinging oh so hard and fast!
GOSHHHH it's been a minute or ten since I've posted here; and truly, I don't even know where to begin! Life has been hap-hap-HAPPENIN' at its normal pace of: way.too.fast, and I'm kinda sorta maybe definitely just clingin' on for the joy ride. I was ready for a big *siiiigh* long breath of relaxation and peace once the big kids started back into school in mid-August [because did I mention the summer got a little long? ...a little full of bickering and nit-picking and arguing? ...a little too drawn out in terms of not having enough structured activities planned on the daily and some family members -- including but not limited to ME -- nearly going off the deep end a time or two? ...NO! Of course I didn't mention that, because the last post I penned about our life events aside from "back to school" was posted in mid-July!]; but, so far we're rat-racing right along through December and I'm still waiting for said coveted breath.
I digresssssss.
Through the organized chaos of the past spring, summer AND fall, I have gone through a spiritual conversion [of sorts, to be explained in more detail in a future post] and then a spiritual crisis [again, "of sorts" and to be explained in VERY MUCH detail in a future post maybe written by 2025], and then just a settling of the soul with the "little way" of St. Thérèse of Lisieux as the goal. Through this series of life events combined with one very intimate session of spiritual direction with a priest, I've come to realize that the "little things" ARE the big things! This season/"era" of family life is so important, and if I don't get this portion right RIGHT.NOW, then nothing else matters. There are approximately 16.2 minutes of Juliette's nap time/Mommy's alone time left today, so I'mma leave this post with photos of a few of the things that have made me smile lately/since my last blog post ~5 months ago:
- relaxing on the beach during family vacation in Michigan a couple of weeks before school started:
- renting an old dairy barn with my very best college friends and their families for the second half of said family vacation ^^:
- enjoying the last bitty bit of warm summer nights:
- visiting the greatest "great" grandmas:
- praying the rosary as a family before bedtime:
- having unexpected weekday breakfast dates:
-watching the big girls teach Juliette how to ride their old balance bike:
- volunteering at 3rd grade school library:
- cheering on our favorite soccer players on Saturday mornings:
- teaching the big girls to sew:
- celebrating Brian's parents' 50th wedding anniversary:
- attending the parish Blue Tie Ball with the best friends:
- growing my Etsy shop/small biz:
- celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary:
- watching Harper in her first ever season of volleyball:
- getting a head start on Christmas shopping the day before Thanksgiving:
...and knowing all the while, again, that the "little things" ARE the big things! These moments aren't always easy, but I know all too well that they are fleeting and precious; and I want to soak them all up and treasure them forever!
And so! Maybe I'll be back to tell you how our Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas and everything in between was, or maybe I won't... But if not, it's 'cause I'm busy loving hard and savoring each and every "little thing" as it comes!!!
