I started writing this blog almost nine years ago(!) as a way to fill in those spaces between photos and videos. I still look at this space in that way, but more and more I see it as a place to remind myself of what’s important in my life—a place of gratitude.
The last few weeks it’s been easy to lose sight of life. I’ve been caught up in work and details of the day-to-day. Sarah’s started a new job with It Works! and that’s been a big adjustment for everyone. It felt as if our life couldn’t get any busier and then it did. More and more I realize that’s just the way it’s going to be—especially as the girls get older and busier themselves—and more and more I’m realizing the importance of taking time to check in here. I need to take time to sort through all our amazing photos and pick out the best ones. I need to try and post some videos and then write about the “spaces in between” here. It’s one way I stay grounded in my life and there’s the added benefit of keeping a family history, too.
This whole thought process actually started a week ago, last Sunday, when we took the kids out in their snow boots to explore the massive puddles around the neighborhood (Keana and Maia’s rain boots no longer fit). The puddles were huge and we had fun hunting around the local streets for the biggest and deepest, then wading through them to see how deep they really were and how they felt to walk through. Even as the water seeped through their boots (I guess snow boots aren’t water proof after all), all three of them loved the experience, and Sarah and I loved watching them and being a part of those quintessential kid moments.
Friday night was the father/daughter dance at the girls’s school and even though I was working almost right up until the moment we had to leave, I was able to let it go when we got in the car and have fun dancing with my daughters. It was Keana’s fourth time, but Maia’s first, and honestly I wasn’t sure how she would like it. Loud music; large, strange adults; dark room…all makings for an opportunity for Maia to want to hide. But no, she loved it. Even in the back where a lot of the dads were hiding out, she was dancing her heart out, and so was I. Keana was off with her friends and in and out, and Maia at one point followed her up to the front where all the older girls were dancing. I stayed close by in the ranks of the dads, watching them and smiling from a distance, until Keana pushed her way through, grabbed my hand, and pulled me to the front. Made. My. Night.
We had so much fun at the dance and kept the party going with burgers and shakes at The Habit afterwards, late into the night (well, late for them). We came home and crashed, me included, nestled between them, until 2 a.m. when I realized I had to get my ass up and feed the cats and lock up. Aliya and Sarah had had their own special time together, complete with a movie, popcorn, and hot chocolate.
And then there was today, which was a little bit of a struggle. Sundays usually are kind of tough, because we have to get ready for the week, finishing up whatever laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping there is, but we all also want to just relax and play. I tried to balance the chores with playing outside with the kids, and I especially enjoyed helping Aliya find some worms, then watching her and Maia make them beds and even bathrooms. Somehow along the way one of the worms got cut in half, but we put him back in his burrow and Aliya sang him a healing song, which I think actually worked, because he made a little hole and crawled down in it. We also played hide-and-go-seek and in between, I cut all their nails. Days like today are all about the multi-tasking and just accepting what it is.
As a side note, to help increase the frequency in posts and to broaden the picture here, I want to start using this quote feature this blog has for little snippets of words and phrases that the kids have, so look for those in the right column going forward.
Anyway, I better wrap this up. Life is busy and full, and we know we’re all learning and growing together. Some days are going to be shitty and that’s okay. We have a lot going on and we’re going to get stressed out. There’s plenty of great and wonderful days in between, all of which help remind us of the importance of what we’re doing here, and the importance of taking time to appreciate it.
