the pool, tractor, baby clothes…and a one-year anniversary

Well, here I am for what has become my weekly post. There’s a lot I could write about and would like to write about if I put forth the time, energy and effort to make it happen. But I find it challenging enough to put together one blog post a week. And I don’t want to spend all my time on the computer when these summer days with the little ones are fleeting.

We’ve had a really good summer. It has been so different than last summer as you can imagine, and with the kids being older, it’s just been more fun. Last week was spent much in the way we’ve been spending our time these last weeks of summer: swimming, playing with friends and playing at home.

Hannah has become quite the little fish…

…swimming and jumping into the pool all on her own.

We FaceTimed Uncle Ben and Aunt Katie in Cincinnati. They liked seeing H&J playing in the bathtub.

Joseph has enjoyed his early morning tractor rides while I drink my coffee on the back porch…

He is sleeping in his big boy bed, and while we’ve had almost no issues at night staying in his bed, the morning is a different story. Once there is any shred of light outside he thinks it’s “morning time” and therefore time to start the day. We take him back to his bed, cover him with his blanket and leave the room. {I have black-out lining on the curtains, but it doesn’t matter once he discovers the truth out the window.}

Joe put a timer on a lamp in his room that is set to turn on at 7:00. If you ask Joseph the rule, he states it very clearly: “If that light is not on, I cannot leave the room. If that light is on, I can leave the room.”

At this point I’m allowing him to get up once or twice before he gets the warning as he’s waking up once in the middle of the night and usually once between 5 and 6. After that, if he leaves the room before the light comes on, he doesn’t get to ride his tractor that morning. If he gets up (at any point) and go wakes up his sister, he doesn’t get to ride the tractor that whole day. It took just two days of that happening, and has not been a problem since. He can still be loud, unintentionally waking sister up, so I try to take the noise outside. But sometimes Honey comes to find us.

My small group got together for another pool party on Wednesday. It was a great time with friends!

Couldn’t decide which picture to post. I love Joseph in the one above.

Thursday, July 17, marked the one year anniversary of Joe’s accident, the terrible morning he was hit by a car while riding his bike. We decided that “Grateful to be Alive Day” is a much better name. Joe went for a 9-mi run Thursday morning and visited the site of the accident for the first time since he was there, laying on the side of the road. He stopped and walked around for a few minutes on the side of the highway, every bit of that morning still so fresh in his head. Then, he thanked God he was alive and continued on his run. That afternoon he went for a bike ride with a couple of the guys in his riding group. We went out to lunch together, too. I love these sweet post-lunch kisses he shares with his Monkey girl:

I thought about the accident a lot on Thursday and how our lives were changed immeasurably that day last year. There’s a lot that was lost last summer, but there also was a lot that was gained. A new perspective on life, a strengthened faith, and many blessings in the form of love and support from family and friends.

My Facebook post said “One year ago today our lives were changed. I was waiting for Joe to get back on the bike so I could go run when my phone rang – the scariest phone call of my life. I didn’t get to run that day, but today I will…praising God. Thankful that my husband is still with me, doing ok in his recovery, and filled with gratitude for our family and friends who have helped us through this last year. What a year it’s been…” I wanted to share it here, too, as that is exactly the truth.

To lighten the mood a little bit now, somebody got ahold of my iPad:

And I had to make them stop long enough on Friday morning to get this shot (in their Christmas pajamas):

Joe surprised me with a massage later that morning. Suzette is the best massage therapist ever and her sessions are usually more painful than pleasant but I so needed it, for both my back and legs. I’ve had a good deal of trouble with my knees and running has been difficult (or impossible) lately. She is good at what she does and I felt like a (very sore) million bucks afterwards.

Then, stupidly, I sat on the floor in Hannah’s room most of the afternoon going through baby clothes. It’s ok, I don’t think I totally un-did all of Suzette’s work. And it was time to take action on the big totes on the top shelf in Hannah’s closet. Talk about a bittersweet endeavor. Just the sight or feel of a particular gown, onesie or dress sent me down memory lane.

I realized I needed to separate memories of my baby girl with material possessions that could be of use to someone else, and I didn’t need to keep everything. I’ve gone through her stuff a couple of times before giving things away here and there, but this time I was able to part with stacks of things. Don’t worry, I kept all her special dresses and particularly cute or memorable play outfits. Instead of three large totes, we now have two.

Of course, Hannah and I needed to try things on her babies. Bitty, Baby Hannah, Swingle Bear, Capoocus II (Capoocus I is my childhood bear), and Gradja (her newest friend, full name “Graduation Bear”) now have a whole new wardrobe.

“Honey, can you believe you were once this small??”

Saturday morning it started pouring rain while Joe was out on a long run. I put the kids in the car and we drove around trying to find him. By the time we did, he was a mile from home – determined to get his full run in – soaking wet, heavy shoes and all. {Runners are weird.} The kids were waiting for him when he got home, ready in their pajamas, boots and umbrellas to join him on his cool down (walk up the street and back).

Meme came in town to babysit and Joe and I went to a wedding, celebrating our friends, Kim and Parrish. It was a fun night of friends and dancing! Two of my girls, Brannen and Kati:

Yesterday leaving church, with sweet baby clothes still fresh on my mind, I decided to take a quick picture of my babies, Hannah in a dress that is most definitely her last wear. It is kinda sad to think about your child wearing something for the last time. Usually the occasion passes without you realizing it. I think it’s easier that way too…

And, in case I don’t have one already, I now have a picture of her in this dress. Yes, I can be very sentimental.

It was a great week. Happy Monday to you all from rainy Sandersville!

the pool, tractor, baby clothes…and a one-year anniversary

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