seeing the possibilities again

It's August time and even though we have several more weeks of summer vacation, a hint of fall arrived this weekend with cooler temps and another has month passed. Ivy and I headed up to Coos Bay for grocery shopping and new shoes on Saturday morning (there is literally no place in Bandon to buy shoes for her, except maybe the drug store might have flip-flops, but that's all she's been wearing anyway until I could get her proper shoes that don't have flapping soles.) We invited friends over for the day and had quite a spread- a full on veggie feast with grilled portabella & veggie sandwiches, potatoes, and dips. We played Yahtzee and Boggle well into the evening (it was so kind of them to indulge me with Boggle, probably the only game in the world I can totally smoke people at) while watching the Brooks Falls bear cam - we've all become kind of addicted!

Today was an absolutely lazy day. I'm trying to rest up after a few nights of not so great sleep. I read two books this weekend- Everything I Never Told You (loved) and The Girl On The Train (pretty good, I've thought of many different endings for it...)

I thought by now we had gotten into an easy routine with Jeff leaving for the week later in the day but today seemed more sad for me. We knew when we bought this house in a tiny town that it might take some time to sell when the time came, and I think we've been great sports about it. But I'm starting to feel that push, and I know we have to be getting closer to the right people coming along. By the end of the night, after hearing he'd arrived to his apartment safely and was settling in, I started seeing the possibilities again. We do have another showing on Tuesday.


(day fifty-three and fifty-four!)

curled up

We went to a puppet show at the library and it was super cheesy but cute with a good message and Gray and Ivy enjoyed it. We played at the park for a long time after it was over and it was nice to chat with friends. It's these moments that I forget that we're moving. I am glad it's not always on my mind and that it doesn't prevent me from being involved while we're still here. And I'm also not hit with sadness after times like these, because for many people here it's not their last stop either. Our paths could cross again someday. If the past three years have taught us anything, you just never know. 

I curled up with a book until Jeff made it home. We snuggled with the kids in our big bed before bedtime and imagined if we just had one room with a big family bed in our next house. It's all we really need. The kids promised they would snuggle with us even when they are in college and come home for the holidays. I'm going to hold them to this.

(day fifty-two)

the right thing

I posted this pic on my mom's FB today for her birthday. It was taken eight years ago during her bday celebration in Chicago.

Today was library story time for Ivy and I went to the grocery store- twice- which is not all that unusual for me. I hosted book club here for the first time and only two people showed up- including me.

We read The Turner House (I loved it) and then spent the whole time talking about our news feeds and #BlackLivesMatter and how with each year, each week, it's just more unbelievably heartbreaking. We are ready to do the work and need to figure out just what that work is where we are right now. I feel like everyone has something to say but I've yet to really see anyone say the right thing. And I'm beginning to think there is no right thing to say. We have just got to get to doing and being the right things. How I desperately hope I am raising my kids to keep the blinders off and their hearts open wide for social justice.

(day fifty-one)