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small victories. (60)

Tonight I’m celebrating the fact that…after leaving the house at 9am, talking on the radio, working a very full day and an event tonight, carting around boxes and bags galore, running errands in the summer heat, and standing for four hours…my toes, feet and ankles looked exactly normal upon inspection at 9pm. Today marks t-minus two months until baby’s due date, and the thermometer was pushing 80ish through parts of the day, so this is an encouraging “win” for me.

Not all pregnant summer days might be like this, but I’ll take what I can get. It’s the small victories, really.

Also, kudos to the man of the house, who ran the 5k event I was working tonight and did so with gusto. I’m not sure I’d ever come close to his time, and if I did, I’d have to be scraped off the floor afterwards. Here’s to hoping we can run it all together as a fam next year! With two of us and two of them, no one will be outnumbered and we can each push a stroller. Seems like a plan to me.

Then, I’ll celebrate the small victory of getting back in the game and finding my running legs again. For now, I’m just thankful to find my legs–and to recognize them as themselves, at seven+ months pregnant in the heat. 😉

It was a great race, as always. So glad we were all a part of it in our own capacities this year. H did look pretty fancy sporting dad’s finisher’s medal post-run.

running the race to august these days,

mm

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henry and the super moon. (62)

“I’m sad about the super moon,” Henry lamented from the backseat tonight. “I have tears in my eyes. I can cry if I wa-aant.”

On this, the second longest day of the year and the night of the “most super super moon,” we threw parental caution to the wind, put Henry in his PJs, and headed out to the beach for the 9:30p sunset. On Sunday nights it’s hard to let the weekend go, isn’t it? We agree–especially in the summertime, and it’s always fun to find a way to stretch out our weekend time as long as possible. It was a great night for this kind of adventure. The sun was beautifully coral and round, peeking in and out of clouds as it set on the shoreline, lining blue clouds with streamers of pink across the sky. The beach was full–families and couples and throngs of kids making the most of a perfectly breezy summer evening. We watched Henry as he ran wildly through the sand, picking up “very cool” rocks as he went.

Before leaving, and after the sun had set, we swung on the swings and then caught wind of a freighter coming through the channel. This is any two year old boy’s dream come true…bedtime delayed, sand in his toes, mom and dad letting the evening stretch even further to watch a gigantic boat passing by. For ten minutes or so the freighter made its way slowly past us and out into the lake, Henry providing commentary the whole time. On the way home, he just kept saying over and over, “That was the biggest boat I’ve ever seen!” Worth every extra minute he wasn’t in bed tonight, for sure.

But perhaps the most entertaining part of the night was when we noticed the super moon outside the car window, noted it briefly, then turned another direction where it was suddenly out of sight. For a kid who’s never heard of a super moon before tonight, you’d think the world was grinding to a halt from the back seat. “I missed the super moon!” he whimpered. “I missed it. I’m sad about that super moon.” This went on for the next ten or so minutes, while we (very quietly) cracked up in the front seat, and Jason drove in circles around our neighborhood trying to get to spots where the super moon was once again visible to our sad little passenger. I managed to get a good deal of these shenanigans on video, but of course they’re pretty much just audio in the dark. If you could only have seen his face–that big, pouty lip and the scrunch that says, “I’m trying so hard not to cry right now but I think I just might melt.” These moments with our boy are simply priceless.

The story ends well for Henry, who, after saying prayers and goodnights was able to catch one last glimpse of the all-important super moon through the trees outside his window. Apparently this particular moon really is something special–at least when you’re two. I for one am just thankful for summer time and for all that this season means. This year it’s particularly special in ways, but there’s something about mid-June any year that puts me in a good mood. Could be the lack of snow and the very distant memory of it, could be random trips out to the beach and days at the pool and suntans and…well, just everything about summer. And I suppose it could be that super moon, although I think that might be a bit of a stretch. The best part about the moon to me is simply the hilarity it caused tonight on the way home (although it certainly was pretty, too). Whoever knew we’d have such a memory to attach to the super moon of 2013?

going to bed by the light of the silvery (er, i mean, super-y) moon tonight,

mm

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choosing words. (67)

Almost a third of the way through this 100 day challenge, tonight I’m hard pressed to find more than a few words to share. Do you ever just have one of those days where a conversation doesn’t go the way you’d hoped or planned it would in your head? That was me today, and I walked away feeling defeated, and somehow buying into a few of the fear-based ideas that were tossed my way. I presumed the discussion would be uplifting, which perhaps was my own mistake. But either way, I’ve spent the rest of the day battling a fifteen minute exchange that left me upended and undone.

It wasn’t the end of the world, really. Just two people expressing contrasting ideas and a less than favorable outcome. The weight and delivery of words can be so important, because what you’re saying and what you mean might come across as two different things (as was probably the case this afternoon). Unless you know your audience well (and they, in turn, know you), I’m not sure it’s wise to take too many sarcastic liberties–especially when the topic is one you’re obviously both passionate about. I’m a somewhat sarcastic person by nature, but as I realize more and more how bitter a taste sarcasm can leave, I’m trying to eliminate it from my communication wherever possible. It’s a challenging change to make.

At any rate, I have no idea if the other person even thought a thing of our word volley today (and it’s ok if they didn’t), but it left me reeling. I felt defensive and protective, misunderstood and misheard, disregarded, and suddenly in a category I didn’t want to join. My boldness somewhat backfired, and I’ll have to figure out how my next approach will be different in hopes to elicit a different kind of response. I think we were both trying to protect our side of things, and there’s nothing wrong there. I can’t walk around uneasy about it for very long though, so I need to find a way to get back to my own heart and what I know to be true–and quickly. There’s much more to focus on, and a light at the end of the tunnel that I’m hoping to reach with as much positivity and strength as possible. I’m not sure there’s a whole lot of room for emotional fender benders along the way.

doing my best to shake it tonight. grateful for a mama who listened well and quelled my fears with rational wisdom. a sounding board who loves you and knows your heart is never a bad thing at the end of a day like today.

we’ll try again tomorrow. it will be wonderful wednesday, after all.

mm

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two year old gratitude. (68)

So often our little ones are the very best reminders of what’s important in this life. Quite plainly, I had a completely spiritual experience tonight as Henry prayed his beautifully simple prayer before bed. His words always help me to see the world through childlike eyes and with a childlike faith–something I might miss if I didn’t have him to remind me daily that loving God is really best without all of the nonsense. As an adult, I think I can have a tendency to clutter things up too much sometimes. I have no doubt that Henry’s words to God are just as pleasing as a long-winded prayer I can offer (although I trust that God hears both equally and honors our efforts to seek Him regardless). I wish there were more days when my go-to prayer sounded like this:

Thank you for today.

Thank you for Mommy, and thank you for Daddy, and thank you for Henry.

Thank you for my stuffed animals…and my bed!

Thank you for my basket and thank you for my laundry.

Thank you for my Bible and my water…and thank you for my toys that I can play with.

Thank you for Daddy’s clothes, and Mommy’s clothes, and Henry’s clothes, and the baby’s clothes.

And thank you for the baby, and Kruger.

And please keep the baby healthy and safe. And thank you for everything.

Jesus. Amen.

Amen and Amen. I couldn’t agree more. I think about the passage in scripture that talks about the birds of the air and the flowers of the field–and how if God cares enough to look after them, how much more He must care for us as His sons and daughters. He cares enough to help us know in our hearts that our clothes and beds and water and toys all come from Him. And he cares enough to nourish us with His Word, and to bless us with family and provide all that we need…and then some more.

I am beyond thankful to see God cultivating a heart of gratitude in our little boy. We pray daily that God would move in Henry’s heart, and that he would know Christ more and more–and God cares enough to answer our prayers!

Lord, please help me to have a Henry-like faith, and to see things at face value and appreciate them for exactly what they are–your provision. We are so blessed to know you, and to be able to watch our child(ren) grow in you each day. Please be at work in our precious baby’s heart as well, even now, that he or she may grow to love and serve you in each and every day.

thank you for gratitude. and for sweet reminders of what matters. love.

mm

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a little adventure. (69)

What would Father’s Day be without a little adventure? I’m not sure you can have our last name and avoid adventure, actually, and it seems to me that’s part of what drew me to the man behind the name anyway, so…I say, just embrace it when it comes! Hopefully this will bode well for me as Henry grows up, because he’s already cultivating the thrill from his dad and I’d like to stay his “cool” mom for as long as possible (within reason, of course). If this munchkin in utero happens to be a boy as well, then I’d really better buckle up–we’ll all be adventuring all the days of our lives around here if that’s the case 🙂

Tonight, after a lovely family time at the pool in fairly perfect weather, we decided on pizza and tacos at a local/staple pizzeria in town. I laugh, because we absolutely didn’t have plans to go there until about 10 minutes before arriving, and it makes total sense that we’d be dining in the restaurant in town that would fill up with smoke mid-meal. One minute we were having great conversation and enjoying our food, and the next we were grabbing cell phones and matchbox cars from the table and quickly exiting the restaurant with every other guest. At first, it seemed completely surreal that smoke was coming from every vent in the room. I looked at J, and when he quickly got up and grabbed Henry, I figured it wasn’t one of those “we’ll just wait this out to see what happens” moments anymore. I’ve been in a room filled with smoke before (my own kitchen maybe, once or twice, due to oven user error…), but I’ve never really choked on it prior to tonight. There’s a first time for everything.

We knew the place wasn’t on fire, but a belt in a fan unit atop the building had burnt up or fizzled out or…whatever it is that fan belts on restaurant roofs do when they malfunction. Within a few minutes, everyone had filed out of the building and four (FOUR!) firetrucks and a number of other emergency vehicles had surrounded the place. It seemed a little excessive, maybe, but it did make for a really great show (especially for our two year old who loves all things with wheels and lights). And we just so happened to have his fireman hat in the car, so…even better. With one entrance/exit to the parking lot and the town’s largest hook and ladder blocking the way out, we figured we may as well make the most of our staying put and catch all of the action. And after a while, we moseyed over to our favorite (and conveniently close) ice cream spot to kill more time and fill up on the dinner we’d missed eating at the restaurant. Bummer 😉

firetrucks are on the scene...

firetrucks were on the scene…

fireman henry is on the scene.

…and so was fireman henry.

hanging on to dad while hanging out with the entirety of our fire department.

hanging on to dad while hanging out with the entirety of our fire department.

fire truck heaven for our Bug.

fire truck heaven for our Bug.

and the captain (and a little ice cream) saves the day!

and the captain (plus a little ice cream) saves the day!

Probably thirty volunteer fire fighters, all of those trucks, a bump for H (he slipped off the curb while taking it all in), a Jr. police badge, a few ice cream cones, an hour and a half, and (if you can call it that) a free dinner later, the crews all moved on and we made our way home to put H to bed. Hank’s retelling of the story to the dog was pretty cute, but mostly, I just love that we were all together and making the best of things at the tail end of this particular Father’s Day (and weekend time, of course). Undoubtedly, we’ll welcome the new babe into the vigilante fold without haste come late summer, but I’m still relishing these times we have as “three plus a bump.” We’re a magical trio, if I’m entitled to say so. My boys make my heart so warm when they’re adventuring together. On nights like tonight, I have the very best seat in the house!

my fave image from the evening. LOVE our shadows and the bump in tow.

my fave image from the evening. LOVE our shadows and the bump in tow as we stand by and watch all of the action. totally a coincidence that we got this one.

thirty weeks and my first smoke out down. ten-ish (and preferably no further smoke outs) to go.

mm