we're back

...from a wonderful week at my favorite place. i'm having trouble getting motivated to do laundry and get everything back in order. one week was definitely not long enough to justify all of the work that goes into packing and unpacking. but it WAS worth it. just to watch all of the same-age cousins together, delighting in the sand and the water... and the squealing of just running around together in the mountain air... it was what we all had hoped for. of course there were the regular squabbles of learning to share and play together, interrupted sleep from babies who weren't used to new surroundings, and 4 kids on slightly different nap schedules-- but those picture perfect moments of bliss were mixed in enough to keep the adults oohing and ahhing through our fatigue. vacationing is definitely different with little ones.

we didn't hike at ALL. i only had one ski, one campfire and star gaze, and one real swim. but there is something about watching the little ones experience the wonder of Indian Lake for the first time that makes all of that 'me vacation' time a little less important than it used to be. i look forward immensely to reliving my youth through my kids from year to year in that place that was once my own magical paradise... with days that seemed to last forever, exploring nature and getting lost in play.

what struck me this year, and i'm still trying to figure out exactly WHY, is how important it is to be there with all of the same special people, year after year. i got emotional upon greeting and good-bying. it just didn't seem fair to wait a whole year (and what a year it was!) and then to have it be over so quickly. perhaps because i felt more connected to people having known they were loving and supporting us through our personal trials, and feeling connected, yet not quite, through facebook and this here blog. perhaps it's because the fleeting sense of time we have left with our parents/grandparents' generation is beginning to dawn on me. . . that it won't always be the same as it always has been. and i don't like that. one bit.

whatever the reason(s), i tried to soak in every waking moment and bask in the beauty of the familiar scenery, and the little eyes, ears, noses, hands and feet that were experiencing it all as brand new. and having my love by my side is more special than i can express... the fact that he loves it all too warms my heart deeply.

hopefully i'll be able to post pictures soon, once i find the energy to sort through all 5,000. or maybe i'll just wait for kelly to post hers and then steal them. :)

anyhow, it's good to be home too. christian is playing with all of his toys like they too are new. LOVE this age!! and kyren is recovering (hopefully) from this nasty chest cold that he's had for a week. the doc added pulmicort to the albuterol in his nebulizer, and hopefully that will begin to clear things up. he is sooo close to crawling and is now sitting up for 30 sec - 1 min at a time unassisted! i'm always amazed at how happy he remains even when he's not feeling well. God's mercy!

so thankful for all of our many blessings as summer begins its end.