Beginning and Ending... All at Once

September has always been one of my favorites.

I love all of the months that are beginnings. September is the beginning of a schedule after the free spirited summer. It is also an ending I suppose. A time to wrap things up and tuck away for the winter. I actually enjoy tucking things in for the winter. Knowing that I'm about to enjoy a period of rest, so to speak. A push indoors where we will need to be more creative to avoid cabin fever. Board games, art, puzzles, and more. I love the cold season.

Usually September is a very productive time for me. I typically go through the house room by room, clean, purge, and organize to refresh our indoor spaces, since we will soon be spending more time in them. I also go through and tidy outside, pick apples, clean up the flower beds, and whatnot... get it all ready for the winter.

 But this year has been different. 

I have been sick for half of the month now. Very low in energy and spirit for these things. So, my rest season began early I suppose. I have been taking more time to rest, and the beauty in that is that I found time to work on a very special new piece. The largest I have ever carved. My first block print. It is a heart (possibly my heart, I haven't decided) with plants growing out of the veins and arteries, roots, fungus, cobwebs and spiders, music, a bird in flight, and a moon full and bright.
I have had this piece in my head for months so it felt amazing to actually get it out on to paper and then finish it so quickly. And now, I have more and more ideas popping into my head. I really enjoy this form of art. I have never found a simple way to share my love of carving. I love creating and carving the piece, and then I can roll out print after print to share. It's quite perfect. I am hoping to create a design to print my own Christmas cards this year. Won't that be fun!?

The Speed of Life

This life.

Sometimes the speed of it all overwhelms me.

I am blown away when I stop and look back and realize how much has changed and how fast.

I have two middle schoolers now... how did that happen?

My eleven year old daughter is leaving in a week to travel Europe with her aunt and her grandmother. She will be gone for seven weeks. My son, 13, has a summer job lined up with his grandparents that live here. 

This summer is going to be very different than the summers that I am used too.

I am holding on to two things... facetime every day with my traveling daughter, and how wonderful the quality time with my two little ones will be. They have never had my full attention like this before. It will be a special opportunity for connection.

I always thought that life would slow down as the children got older. It seemed that as they needed less help from me physically that things would wind down. I certainly have more freedom now. I don't have to share my body. Instead of cleaning up after them, I remind them to clean up after themselves, etc. I never anticipated the commitments though. I didn't think about the fact that they would develop their own social lives and all have their own separate schedules. Sometimes it's absolutely maddening. Our schedule right now... Drop kids off at school, go to work, get off work, pick kids up, run around to different practices (different schedules every day, track, soccer, and gymnastics) and then take everyone home, cook dinner, clean up after dinner, bed routine with little ones and then fall into bed and pass out. Every. Day. It's exhausting.

BUT, it is only a season and it is already beginning to change again. AND as I watch them excel in their different areas I realize that the commitment is completely worth it 

(although it does still drive me a little crazy). 

But now, summer is right around the corner.

That beautiful season always begins with a special stillness. 

A span of weeks where time actually does slow down, the commitments wane, and the days are very long. Our summer will begin in just three short weeks. In that time, our commitments to school, sports, and my commitment working at the montessori will all end and we will have days that are wide open with possibility. 

*That is playdough on the tray with the rocks. It's my mom's recipe and I will share it.

Nana's Playdough Recipe

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup water

Mix ingredients together in a large pan and stir over medium heat for a few minutes (until the dough thickens and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan). Turn out on to wax paper and let cool a bit. Knead thoroughly.

Big News about the Big Dog

Ezra, the Great Pyrenees, is back at home with his original owner.

Looking through these old photos almost made me cry, but I do honestly think this is for the best.

We had Ezra for eight months, and although we enjoyed our time with him, a few things came to light that made me question if this was truly the right long term home for him. 

His original owner has been back at home for some time now (all alone) and seems to have recovered very well from his surgery. When i called to talk to him about my thoughts he said "Jenny, It's not a problem. I can come pick him up today." 

I was not expecting that. I was a bit shocked to have it all happen so fast. I had merely questioned if he should stay here, and then suddenly he was leaving. BUT, I felt this enormous weight lift off my shoulders after he left. A weight I didn't even fully realize I was holding. A weight I have been carrying for eight months.  That weightless feeling, combined with the owners eagerness to take him back, and Ezra's eagerness to go with him, AND the kids were completely okay with it all (that shocked me)... anyway... all combined... it really feels like the right thing. 

And we are still his top dog sitters.