Love in the Adirondacks

It must have been the way that my brow furrowed, or the paint smelled, or how I bent low to the ground where he always is that caused my boy's love to percolate a little stronger, a bit richer than usual. As I leaned in to inspect the final swipe of paint on the Adirondack, he came close, locked eyes, dispensed a tender kiss and whispered in my left ear: "I'll never forget you."

Nor I you, boy.  Nor I you.

Savor your delicious life,

The advantages of living where a chicken house used to be

Prolific sweet potatoes!

Birth story

Early on this day 41 years ago, my mother doubled over with the pain and the knowing. It was time to get ready. My two brothers and two sisters were dispatched to their waiting places to find out what kind of baby Mom and Dad would bring home.

Her body cracked open, my Mother gave life to me.

This is my first birthday without her. Me here in this life that will end. She there in the one that lasts forever.

Still. I celebrate.

I am a lover of a well-written story.

While I've Been Away

A list of things I've been doing while not blogging:

Growing my bangs out

Starting our first official home school year (K-5)

Eating fall tomatoes

Missing my Mom terribly

Listening to the Avett Brothers on constant rotation

Retreating to Florida's Panhandle for saltwater heart healing

Sleeping with the window open underneath a blanket gifted to me from a dear friend

Being the outer spoon

Cutting my bangs

Holding hands

Wiping tears

Reapplying mascara

Listening to this painfully beautiful song (one of my top 10 of all time)

Dancing with my children while we cook and clean

Taking nature walks and pressing leaves

Walking into fields peppered by hay bales

 
Road tripping to Disney with a true blue

Being the inner spoon

Harvesting sweet potatoes

Signing up for and procrastinating preparation for a 5K

Hiking to Clingman's Dome with my sweet Daddy and my kids

Talking about Heaven and banquet feasts and how long forever is

Thinking how true Bono's lyrics are in one of U2's great songs, Yahweh (take this soul, stranded in some skin and bones, take this soul and make it sing)

Passing by the scene of the full moon 

Running (fast) with my boy

Hanging out with my boy

Planting Brussels Sprouts

Eating Brussels Sprouts

Nursing a dream and putting some feet to it

Picking apples

Eating apples

Spending time with Phillip and Keely

Reading The Giving Tree over and again (it'll never stop resounding)

Fall nesting and pumpkin pursuits

Overusing Downey's Lavender Vanilla fabric softener

Prematurely overdosing on this season's gateway drug, the Pumpkin Spice Latte

Internalizing what vital, important work motherhood is and absolutely loving the job

Words, forming

When my Mom died, my words left me. I feel them forming again. If you like words, please come back soon. There will be some here. Soon. I'm sure.