July, the heart of summer – feat. sandy bottoms, pigtails and cousin time.

For most of my life we’ve celebrated July 4th in Oakboro, where I am from.  The celebration is impressive when you consider the size of the town – it is complete with a parade, a fair ground, fireworks and live music.  My cousins and I used to ride in the parade every year.  My Papaw would pull a trailer with his tractor and Mawmaw helped us to decorate our “float” – once with a Statue of Liberty who’s head was made from a tissue box.  This year, my Dad drove the grandbabies in his old chevy truck – the tradition lives on. Pro tip – if you want to see everyone from back home quickly, but not be obligated to talk for a long time, simply ride in the parade.  Kidding! Kind of.

I’m not from the beach, but there is something about sticky beach hair that makes me feel at home.  July was sprinkled with beach trips and mornings at the pool, just the way it should be. My family always takes a trip to the beach around the 4th of July, and this year was the first year all the cousins were walking – what an adventure. One day sticks out in particular – we took the boat out to Bird Island, at PB&Js on the way and had an afternoon of perfect weather and no melt-downs.  Tom buried all of the little ones in the sand and they loved it (surprisingly).  With almost 3 years of motherhood under my belt, I am beginning to learn that one peaceful afternoon on the beach makes an entire vacation a success – and it was.

Something we’ve adapted into our family rhythm this summer is to have someone over for dinner once a week.  I’ve learned a little about cooking for a crowd and apparently not enough about how late I can push back bedtime. One of my most favorite nights this summer though, was an impromptu dinner gathering a few weeks back.  My friend Kari was in town for an appointment and had her new daughter with her.  We scrambled to gather folks who had yet to meet sweet girl, ordered some pizzas and celebrated this sweet new life and old friendships.  It was total chaos and so sweet. There were 7 adults and 7 children – all under the age of 3.  Our sunroom was put to great use as literally every toy we owned was played with and we adults connected over the noise.  Man just exactly what life should be.

And then there was a bubble party close by, because why not? Thanks Chapel Hill.

This summer has been a sweet time of slowing down and enjoying connection.  Tom and I have had worked to have more time as a family, doing random things like bubble parties.  It has been a sweet time with our girls.  I realize that doing life with them is so much the air I breathe that it is hard to reflect on what that feels like, and yet it is important to do so.  Parenting has chased me to the Lord like little else – literally praying breath prayers for wisdom and patience moment by moment because the three-nager is strong with my oldest and the two-year-old tantrums have begun early with my youngest.  And yet I see who they are becoming, exclaiming in joy over simple things, expressing gratitude and kindness, praying their own prayers to God who loves them.  I see them growing in bravery and compassion and I am so thrilled that I get to have them in my life.

Connection for me has also meant connection with myself.  A lot of that has been rising early to journal and pray and be with the Lord.  It has also looked like intentionally connecting with my creativity.  These paintings have brought me so much joy.  My grandma told me recently that really it wasn’t about the painting for her, but the process.  Yep, that’s it.

And so now we turn from the summer into the energy and fullness of fall.  I hope to bring the intentionality of connection with us.  Not sure yet if that will mean continuing to disconnect from social media, but I do hope it will mean continued slow time as a family and always having people into our home.