Start of Summer

It is difficult for me to describe, but I feel a physical desire to write every day. I have not written anything for many days, weeks even, but I think about things I would like to write about all the time! In the spirit of self-grace-giving, I am going to do a quick bit of writing now and keep looking to carve out pockets of time to write and share more.

In the spirit of my first writing practice—which started with me journaling most everyday of my life from about sixth grade all the way through high school—here is a super quick journal-ish check-in from summer so far:

• A couple weeks ago, my son Justin and I ran over to our nearby city and caught up with my friend Brian, a brother-like figure I grew up with in small town Montana, and his family. One of his sons was playing baseball, and we got to catch up on a picnic bench, shaded by a tree.

• That same weekend, one of my best friends since preschool, Kaitlynn, and her family stopped through on their way to yet another baseball tournament. Her family stayed with us for several days, and it was such a gift to watch our kids—who hadn’t seen each other since they were tiny—reconnect and have so much fun together.

  

  

• Then my husband Jeremy took our boys to MN to attend some live sporting events and got to spend time with a family who housed Jer during seminary and also the best man from our wedding, Peter. We love connecting with people from so many seasons of life!

• Last week our family got to spend time with parents/grandparents, which is the best! No matter how old I get, it is comforting how comforting it is getting to spend time with our parents. (Still going to post this pic, even though apparently I can’t figure out where to look in selfies; how does my mom know how to do this so well, and I don’t?!)

There are other fun things that have happened this summer, but the summer has also been a bit of a blur! So with this post I am stopping to reflect and send some encouragement that, even as we experience and observe struggle and confusion and fear and tragedy and uncertainty, we simultaneously experience connection and joy and love and laughter and hope. We as humans always have and always will—until God comes once again and once for all—live in this wonderfully mysterious paradox. As we name and acknowledge this complicated reality, I hope you can find fun and fulfillment and faith!