Sagetribe- Adventures From Our Village

A Week...

This girl

This girl, who is so brave,

and perhaps quite in love with her doctor, due to the number of times we've been into see him recently, has now, in a matter of one week, had

a nice dose of poison ivy which spread all over,

and

a chin that needed to be glued,

and 

a busted head in need of a staple,

oh, and a croup type virus with a lovely chirpy cough that makes her eyes tear and my heart jump in my throat.

I'm thinking she should be done with sickness and accidents for the year, but of course it doesn't work that way, and with this one, my adventurous, does her own thing, and "doesn't have to" do what she doesn't want to do, 

I'm guessing it's only the beginning.

Meaning we can never move or we'll be packing Dr. S and his fam. up with us :)

So thankful for good doctors and friends! So, so thankful!

Sunday Still Life

Sunday Still Life is an evolving mindfulness project; an weekly invitation to pause the busy of our days, to re-center and celebrate the beauty and depth of life. 

"Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... 

and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful.  

Everything is simply happy.  

Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance. 

 Look at the flowers - for no reason. 

It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are."  

~Osho

Be a Mountain

A tradition has started- one I'm wanting to break with this trip- with someone from our tribe throwing up on the day we arrive to our vacation spot. This someone- this time- was me- and if you haven't flown on two quite bumpy planes, quite sick, perhaps you really haven't lived...

Perhaps...

It's taken me three days to feel "me" again, and as I sit here, letting the sister sleep off her own exhaustion from trying to re-create a new life in five days, the snow and sun are playing tag in this quiet, sweet town where everyone seems to know each others names and people wave when we turn the wrong way down a one way street instead of flipping us some nasty gesture.

There are peace signs on hills and a rod iron man holding a sign that says "Be Nice", and it seems that these reminders do in fact work here, because everyone we've met seems quite unlike so many of the strangers one can encounter so many other places in this country- really- so many seem...sadly... just not nice, making it hard to be nice in return, and so on an so on... 

Here- humanity seems to remember how to be human. In three days we have witnessed many acts of kindness- not necessary- but, YES, necessary- rent dropped because it was needed, change given when purchases were just a tad more than they had, coffee brought out steaming before "Joe" could even sit down, his regular order already placed. 

Being here I can't help but think about our years in Virginia's mountains- where kindness was important, and people remembered to hold doors and be patient when the light turned green. They said, "Good Morning," and "Thank you" and smiled at people, even if they'd never seen them before, and especially when they had. 

Maybe it's the mountains...

Maybe the size of something so great right at one's doorstep is a good reminder for how very small we are in this circle, but how combined- together- we can be quite a force, and how very small things- while not to be dwelled on- are actually what can make things quite big. How saying hello or smiling or handing over a dime, is small, but BIG.

Maybe handling waters alone are just too treacherous, and maybe we need community to remind us to be nice and take care of one another. 

Maybe we don't need to be near mountains to be remember to be something beautiful in someone else's backyard. 

A VERY

we did have. The big guy and I even escaped to the beach, happened upon this (above), a couple moments to just stare

off into the abyss that is so so magic, and reminisce about the days when it was just

good days, but these days are so much better, and so full (in the let's not fill them too full type of way).

Full of

a little girl in love with this giant sandbox,

and the freedom to run after being in the car for two long days.

Full of a little boy so glad to have a Pop to hunt for sharks teeth,

build with, and snuggle. 

Full of 

a great grandma we didn't have to share.

Full of

bouncy houses and pirate ships, 

houses brought by Santa,

Legos!!! Oh the legos!

cinnamon buns with EXTRA frosting (twice!) after stockings,

a crazy Wii racecar, 

and the best sis, who drove 45 minutes six separate times to spend three days with us!

It was a whirlwind through the East Coast- ten days FULL of too much good food (5 lbs too much for this mama), humbling generosity, and a lot of time to just chat and spend time with the people we love. 

Here's hoping you had a VERY merry Christmas as well!

 

A Weekend of Dirty Boys

Recently I saw my four year old son rediscover sticks and dirt, rocks and bugs. After two months of living in a city, there has been little true outdoor play. Sure we've ventured into multiple parks and played in oceans and backyards, but despite all our fun, we haven't had time for good dirt.

I didn't realize how much he missed it.

He made up for lost time last weekend with a new friend and a lot of outside time.  

Time building fires

Roasting marshmallows

Eating a smore or three

Time shooting arrows

And canoing

Time with sparklers

Time in caves

We ALL had a great time "camping" in a nice cool house, eating home-cooked meals, watching our babies do all the cute things babies do, and just being.

We had a great time reuniting with an old friend and meeting new friends who instantly felt like family.

Clark got his dirt fill- he smelled like river for days- despite multiple baths, and we can't wait to do it again next summer.

not pictured: snoozing Sophie Lynn
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Summer's End is Coming

with mixed feelings- the kids and I are entering our last week East- enjoying more weeks with grandparents and weekends with the hub.

Summer's end will bring sleeping in our own beds, cooking in our kitchen, and playing with toys we haven't seen in 2 months. It will bring us back into a routine, put the pack-n-play away, and we'll get our clothes out of a dresser (or a laundry basket- who am I kidding!).

Until then- we'll keep enjoying the joys of summer.

Just in the last couple weeks- We've bounced in bouncy things

Cooked with Grammie (and had more sugar than we've had in our lifetime! The response- "Oh Grammie- we don't have these things in Indiana!" (ahem...)

Gone back to our mountains- who we miss- picnicked, faced swarms of gnats who loved Grammie's ears a little too much, and thought... it's time we return.

We've even experienced Chuckie Cheese- a true adventure...

We've had an amazing weekend with old and new friends (another post- coming soon), organized Aunt Bug's home (a true highlight for this nut), and had a lot of firsts (another post- I'm feeling optimistic about my free time).

Oh Summer- we're not ready for you to end just yet. Although our bodies are brown, our bellies full of good summer things, and our grandparents worn out- we wish for just a couple more weeks.

Thankfully while all good things come to an end, we will return to good things- good jobs, good schools, and great friends.

Thankful- Yes! we are!

Feeling Good and Pruney

First, I must confess that none of the pictures below are mine. We were too busy. (See how busy I am)

 
  Too busy swimming (the face of my oldest, I believe, is due to the fact we are making him stop. In four days he learned how to swim, underwater and all- he didn't stop or want to stop all week.)

 
 boating on speed boats

 
swimming and learning how with lots of family- including a cousin Tim who just got engaged!

 
boating on special outings with grandparents who play for hours and give Mom lots of breaks!

 
  surfing any where and every where because I guess it's in the blood

 
 napping (what!), reading, eating, and oh yes, racing around the beach, jumping waves, collecting treasures, building sand castles, and enjoying the salty air.

 
  We were too busy hanging out with the "big boys" who tried to be "big" but couldn't help finding a lot of humor in a four year old's knock knock jokes and were just too kind to their little shadow.

 
  We were busy being in the midst of a spectacular 4th of July view,

 

And she was busy

squishing sand between her toes, splashing in pools and oceans, meeting The Family, sitting up all by herself, and rolling around the room strategically to find things to stick in her mouth.

   
  We were too busy relaxing and being together for me to even remember to pick up my camera. So thank you family for doing half of this blog post for me.

The shore, the beach, ahhh...if only that were life. Perhaps one day. What a wonderful week my children and I spent with our family. A true highlight of this summer- of the year!

(I have lots more photos I lifted- stay tuned for beach blog post 2)

Newness

We've had a lot of change the last eight weeks.

 I'm dealing with it like I deal with most things- there are lovely and not so lovely days.

 In fact when I started this post last week, it was going to be about how I wasn't handling change as well as I'd like to admit. Then, things just got easier. I'm good at NOT giving myself a chance to adjust. I'm good at NOT being patient. Luckily, I'm GOOD at accepting this about myself and moving on as well.

Things are good.

We have a cute little space in a great town with lots to do just around the corner (pict above is not where we live- although I wouldn't mind living in a tree house...maybe next summer :)

 good friends right upstairs, a DOG!, safe travels, a fellowship that may turn into something more one day, and most of all- we're together-

 
like really together

 and it's...NICE!

We have a- new summer home, in a new city, in a new state. The kids are doing what kids do so well- adjusting beautifully. There are overwhelmed, over tired moments, but we had those when we were home too. They love wherever we are as long as they have attention. Clark informed me after being here about ten hours, he loved it and wanted to live here forever. He knows his grandparents are only hours away (instead of 12+)

 and he loves that we are all in one room.

I love that there is less to clean and worry about. I love that I have a best friend upstairs to sneak away to Target with, cook with, and that our children already just love each other.

I love that these two

and

this guy and his other half (who was against pictures that day) are less than TWO HOURS away...which hasn't been the case since I was 18 and ironically didn't appreciate our closeness.

The summer has officially begun. I have finished my grades, my big To Do List, and it's time to relax. I was so good at relaxing eight weeks ago. I was so good at being still and quieting my mind.

 I'm thankful for the past weeks though- real life. Despite the stress and rushing of our days- we were better this time- parents, friends, partners.

Now to be even better and stop rushing, planning, go go going...ahhh...summer!
 
 

Four Days and Counting

While packing for four for eleven weeks is a tad bit daunting, the very thought of having less to pick up, worry about, clean and wash, is more than appealing. We are grateful for our things. We do love our things, and many- most- have memories and love attached to them. We are not ones to just shop to shop or buy to buy. But things are getting overwhelming. Things are being left out and tripped on and piled because there just is never enough time. This summer, we'll be sharing a 600 square foot living space with each other. We will not have the space to make piles we can ignore. We will not have the amount of things to make the piles we can ignore. And I will have time. Four more days and I will get to put back on my favorite hat. My hat that lets me snuggle in bed with squishy brown legs past alarms and places to be. My hat that lets me eat breakfast with two hands and a plate, instead of one while driving, late again.

I have big plans for this next 11 weeks- big plans like sitting still long enough to finish a book in a couple days. Big plans like taking long strolls through museums, pushing my two loves in our new too cool stroller and chatting about what we see. Big plans like being with family for more than a too quick visit.

Four days begins a big adventure for our family. Much like this entire year, I am anxious about all the change, but I am finding comfort in the literal closeness we will have. We don't like to be too far from each other's laps and arms. We are sometimes too far. It's getting harder and harder for me to be away. Four days...

This post is part of Moms' 30-Minute Blog Challenge

This Moment

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week."

An exercise from Amanda Soule's blog- SouleMama