Project 365, Week 38

This week was sweetly normal. Lots of looking for and seeing the beauty. There are miracles everywhere!

September 18

All the swimming she'd done the week before, coupled with a string of humid days, caused several "hot spots". Poor Ginger was very miserable and then so were we after paying the vet bill. But it didn't take long for her to be back to normal.

September 19

Finally, Aiden took the field for his very first high school soccer game, starting at goalie. Many years earlier, I had come to this same field to watch Shaun play in a high school game, and this day I was on the sidelines with him, watching our son play. Crazy! 

Taco Tuesday date for two. She's a super special girl.

September 20

Morning walks...what a luxury!

September 21

Amanda helped me gather up some fall prettiness from the local farm.

September 22

Avery helped me get folders set up for the quiz meet the next day.

September 23

Year two of Bible Quiz meets in our district. It began as wishful thinking, then a dream, then an answer to prayer. It is such a heart-filling experience when we gather with other churches for these meets. Their generation is desperate for Truth and these kids are studying it and memorizing it. And they're just fun to be around! We also have great parent involvement and volunteer support. Its pretty special.

They joined up with the youth group, who already had a day at Six Flags in progress.

September 24

Football, candles, cozy blankets.

 

September's 10 on 10

I made cookies for Avery's road trip.

Because the Bible Quiz team is memorizing Romans, that's where I've been spending much of my study time over the last several months. The Bible, God's Word regularly blows me away with the new things I learn. What a gift to have this love letter, guidebook, epic story.

If you haven't spent much time exploring it, there is a whole life-changing treasure trove there, just for you.

It is a joy and a privilege to be able to attend service on Sundays. I'm forever grateful for Crossroads! As it happened, our pastor preached from the very same Chapter I was reading earlier on my porch.

The kids stayed at church for second service and a kids church leaders lunch, so Ginger and I had a nice, long walk. It was a gorgeous day....

...and then we got caught under a rain cloud that soaked us good. It was comical.

An annual favorite day of the year for us, the opening of Sunday football! 

Avery checked in from her road trip...she got to take a turn driving one of the trucks hauling some of the equipment.

I went to pick up Amanda and Aiden and saw later on IG that they'd had too much fun making a Youth Rally promo video. :)

Yay for quiet Sunday afternoons at home!

Project 365, Week 37

We're happily getting settled in to a fall schedule, with all the fullness and goodness it brings.

September 11

As it happened, in the Fall of 2001 I was taking a college class that required me to read the New York Times several times a week. Two weeks into the semester 9/11 happened and the Times spent the next 15 weeks printing photos and profiles of more than 1,800 who lost their lives. It was a painful exercise to read through them over that semester but I took it on as a duty. Twenty-two years later its just as tragic and difficult to understand but I make it a point to always pause and remember.

Jack's family spends lots of time in New Hampshire riding miles and miles of trails. For this trip they extended the invitation to the "significant others". Avery had fun and came back with some beautiful photos of the White Mountains.

Aiden said he had one of his best performances as a goalie during practice. All the hard work he's put in on the field on in the gym is starting to come together.

September 12 

Our last first girls high school game.

Some of the DiSalv crew stopped by and Renna took the opportunity to shoot during half time.

September 13

I got up and started my day as usual but by 9 AM I'd already had one of what would be about four naps. I struggled to not feel defeated or nervous about what it meant. In the mail that day were three cards, people telling me I was thought of and supported. Amazing!

Just for this week we moved our TBQ practice to a different night in a different place. The kids love hanging out together. 

September 14

Labs and a PET scan. The imaging place is a third party that helps MSK with overflow but also they do regular people. They always call me the day before to go over prep for the procedure. But as they start to explain things they'll say, Oh! I see you've been here quite a few times. Also kind of funny to me is that part of the instructions are to avoid rigorous exercise the night before or day of. They never say that at MSK...its a given that rigorous exercise is not happening.

I introduced my dad to the goodness of Wegmans and he treated me to lunch. We have nice rides together, even though its for a stinky reason.

September 15

There was a charity golf tournament held for a local church that burned down in the spring. Hale Financial was a sponsor, so I went for the first hour to man a table and talk with people.

September 16

Its candle time again!!

Avery was working but Amanda and Aiden helped me with some yard work. Felt much better after!

September 17

Sunday afternoon walks are amazing!!

And so is being together, all in one room watching football. 

 

Project 365, Week 36

Welcome September, with your beautiful light and perfect temps, football (and futbol) and changing leaves.

September 4

My niece Lainie asked me if I would do her senior pictures. I was so honored!! And I thought it would be extra fun for the senior cousins if it was a group activity. After lots of back and forth, we landed on Labor Day. It was a beautiful day and we did have such a great time. I have dozens and dozens of this '06 Club together over the years. What a special thing that they've had each other!

I thought it was appropriate that the holiday was closed out with backyard volleyball. :)

September 5

Too much fun taking a picture for the Grandparents Day card. :) 

These three!! They are what we are praying about the most, and, in this season, what we are devoting most of our time and effort and energy for. Being a parent is stretching and humbling and beautiful. They are amazing and they inspire us and they call us out. Simply, they are gifts. 

September 6

Most mornings throughout the spring/summer/fall Shaun is on the golf course as the sun is coming up. I'm so glad he's able to get that time alone, doing something he enjoys (and I also like it when he sends me pretty pictures :)

The bus drivers were on strike for this first week of school. The town and school did a fantastic job keeping it all running smoothly. I enjoyed the time with Aiden and Ginger was happy about it too since we went to the lake on our way home after dropping him off. :)

Avery's done such a great job navigating all her college "stuff" but sometimes a little assistance is helpful. This day I met her on campus to help her with a couple administrative items that were much easier for someone with a little experience.

Fantasy football draft #37ish. Only Shaun's second, but the kids are in many different leagues.

September 7

September mornings can be exquisite, this one certainly was.

September 8

Our fence took a little hit when this tree came down in a storm. Definitely could have been worse.

Instead of youth group there was a night of worship at church. It is such a beautiful thing to be gathered with a group, all worshipping our Creator together and declaring together that Jesus is King and Lord. His love and His goodness compel me to offer my worship. It was a really special, sacred night. 

September 9

Since we made a new entrance at the office, we're working to get rid of the old entrance. On this steamy morning, four of them worked together to remove the concrete steps. We'll replace that door with a window and then complete the siding. The progress is exciting!

Our annual dinner in Mystic on the Connecticut River, now 12ish years strong. We have both walked through some really tough stuff together and laughed loud and long. These ladies have hearts of gold.

September 10

Opening Football Sunday! :) For many, many years our fall Sunday afternoons have been dedicated to watching football. It feels like a simple luxury to sit under a cozy blanket in the same space with my people.