Au revoir, summer 2019

Family

And in the blink of an eye, we’re midway through August. I have so much to tell you about since we last talked.

August always leaves me the slightest bit melancholy. Everybody’s sick of the hot weather and there’s been soooo much togetherness. But on the flip side, the end of lazy mornings and zero stress is within our sight lines. And it’s another tangible reminder that time is slipping through my fingers and my boys are growing up before my eyes.

The rest of the summer after our France adventure with Jude passed by in a blur of swimming, trips to Carlton Landing, camp, a last-ditch cruise to the Caribbean and plenty of fun. We’re on the other side now, with school starting this week, and I have all the typical feels — and also the comfort and regularity that the new fall season brings. It feels so good to rein in all the excess and get everything shipshape once more.

I mean, I don’t know how long that will last, but… it’s nice for now! ????

CAMP, KAMP AND MORE CAMP

Jude is nothing if not Mayor of Life, and that means you’ve always gotta be out on the campaign trail, shaking hands and kissing babies. He’s always in the center of things, and everybody knows his name, wherever he goes. I look at him sometimes, and I’m in awe. How did we get so lucky with this kid? He’s incredible — and his time at Kanakuk was another success for him. He’s eleven going on eighteen, in so many ways – I can’t believe how tall and grown-up he is.

And picking him up from Kamp on that last day is always an emotional experience. I miss that kid like crazy when he’s not here with us, and so does his baby brother. Archer didn’t know what to do with himself all week while J was gone.

SAIL AWAY

We grabbed a last minute deal to go on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas right before school started, and I’m so glad we did it. We went back to St Kitts and Nevis (as magical as always) and trooped around Puerto Rico a bit before finally swimming our hearts out in the Bahamas in the clearest water on the planet. Pink sand! Gahh!

Archer is so hilarious and we jokingly told him that the muster drill on the ship was where they slather mustard all over you. Dijon, honey mustard, classic yellow … the whole shebang. He was NOT having it.

We celebrated 14 years(!) of married life together. FOURTEEN. And later in the fall, we’ll also celebrate our 20th high school reunion, which means I’ve really been in love with him for two decades. BONKERS.

Archer requested a “red fruit drink” every day which we soon figured out was a virgin strawberry daiquiri. ????

SCHOOL IS HERE

And now on the other side of summer 2019, I stand facing a mountain of laundry and the promise of sixth grade math homework (NO!). I have a preschooler and a middle-schooler, both in their classes at the same time, same place, all week.  In many ways, it feels like I’ve finally hurdled over Archer’s infancy and completed a marathon. I looked back at some posts I’d written (still in draft mode) when we were trying and failing so desperately to get pregnant again. And look at us now – LOOK AT MY BABIES! God is so good. His timing was perfect.

I can’t wait to share more goodies with you guys. I’ve missed talking to you. Hold on – it’s gonna be a busy autumn!

with love,
Rachel

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