Summer Magic, Chautauqua Anniversary, Blue Toothpaste Moustache

The ocean today was clear and cool. The green water shone flat and calm with hardly a wave in sight. We spent the afternoon enjoying these perfect conditions as a family. As I sat on the beach in my chair, sleepy from too much lunch, I watched in wonder as my four kids played together in the water. In the short month since school ended, they have bonded as a unit again. They look to one another for playmates and helpmates. The older girls rely less on their cell phones and computers to connect with their friends because they're more connected with their sibs. It's a beautiful thing, and an answer to my summer prayers.

In a few short years, these kiddos will begin to branch out for college and beyond. These years together are precious, and they build a bond on which they will later stand as adult sibs. I pray that they'll always have as much fun together as they do today. I hope that when the sibs gather as adults with their own spouses and children, the times will be full of fun and good memories not competition and strife. And if, God help us, Chris and I should die before that happens, their relationships will be crucial to carry them into adulthood.

I'm feeling a little sentimental today on the heels of two weeks of family gatherings with siblings, aunts and uncles, parents, and even my grandmother. We are all blessed with good health and countless other gifts and talents. I can't help but think of my children and their gatherings one day.

I'm also feeling nostalgic about Chautauqua as this year's crowd arrived in Chautauqua Saturday. What an incredible experience that was last year. It spurred a busy and hard-working year for me. I've definitely made a great deal of progress in my writing, but I'm still not where I hoped I'd be at this point. I'm trying not to be hard on myself, though, and appreciate the enormous growth I've had. Plus, a cool thing, last night as I reflected on the Chautauqua experience and its year anniversary, I recalled that just that day I'd downloaded a manuscript on my kindle that I'm reading for a friend that I met at Chautauqua. This friend has made a dramatic impact on my writing life, so for that alone, I am grateful.

Summer is so magical, and I don't want to lose a minute worrying about writing. I'm still trying to work at 6 AM, so that by the time the kiddos are up, I've accomplished something. I just don't want to lose my stride, you know?

So my 6YO said to me today," I just love how toothpaste smells. I just love it. Can't I use it as a lotion on my arms and legs?"
"No, sweetie. It doesn't work like that."
"How about just my elbows."
"No, only on your teeth."
"How about my feet."
"No only on your toothbrush and your teeth."
"What about under my nose, so I can smell it?"
Big sigh. "Okay, that's fine."
So my 6YO is snuggled up in bed, happy as he can be, with a blue toothpaste moustache. Go figure.