Sometimes...

Sometimes living away from family is hard. There's no quick babysitter. There's no free babysitter. There's no instant partner in shopping or errand-running. There's no one to laugh or cry with you at the crazy things your kids do. And there's no one to give you quick assurance and encouragement that you're doing a good job and that "this too shall pass." The phone is nice. Skype is nice. Email is nice. But it's not in person and it's just not the same.

Sometimes it's nice to sit back, drink your coffee, read the newspaper, and know that your kids are doing something constructive, something together, and something they enjoy. Painting and gluing and coloring and cutting are always happening in our home. And, I wish I could say it only happened in the context of a guided craft, but that's not always the case...!

Sometimes watching your kids do something new is exciting. Other times it's kind of scary. The boys love the water and would choose to swim everyday if they could. Grady Lee thinks jumping and diving after his ball is the greatest game ever. Micah thinks wearing all of his swim gear, despite looking like a clown, is the greatest thing ever. If I wasn't big and round and tired I have a feeling my boys could be swimming independently by the end of the summer. I just don't have the energy to give them the lessons they need. But they don't care, they think they "are berry, berry brave in the water and can do lots of cool tricks like Dad."