I'm astounded by the fact that it has been four months since I've updated our family blog. It's always on my to-do list, but tends to get pushed to the bottom by other, more pressing, tasks. Keeping up with three kids and a house is way more time-consuming than I ever anticipated. I think my mother ill-prepared me for the likelihood that when I had children, I could literally go days without getting a quiet moment to myself or feeling like I've accomplished more than just keeping my head above water. But, I can't blame her, really. I was an only child, and by the time I reached adulthood, she'd surely forgotten the demands she and her brother placed on their parents. So, I'm left to forge my way, reliant on the advice and support of my peers, and of course, the Internet!
However, I don't waste much energy lamenting the lack of time for personal endeavors at the moment. I know it is just a season in life, and just like today's beautiful early summer evening, with its mild temperature and gentle breezes, I will savor it, knowing that there will always be a few storms to weather, but plenty of pleasant sunny days.
In the past few months, there have been, both, birthdays and anniversaries. I celebrated my 37th birthday in March, and Darren followed right behind on April 1st, welcoming in his 40th year! Mid-April was my parent's anniversary, and even though my dad has been gone for years, it always gets me reflecting on my own marriage and parenting experiences. It is a perfect segue into our anniversary in the third week of April. This year, we celebrated 17 years. So, lots of milestones.
We have already launched into summer, with the winding down of some of our homeschooling activities, as well as, Joe's Spring hockey season. We have a busy summer ahead with lots of social outings, a huge neighborhood yard sale, visits from Darren's niece and sister, our much awaited vacation to Vegetarian Summerfest in Johnston, Pennsylvania, several day trips for various events, and a long weekend up to Philadelphia and New York to celebrate Flo's 11th birthday.
The kids are all doing great. Flo is turning the corner to those pre-teen years, along with all the wonderment and drama that entails. Joe is becoming more of himself each day, still really enjoying hockey and, pretty much, any sporty activity. He's also working on a collection of matchbox cars and tiny Legos that is soon to overtake our home. Finally, there's Zofia, who will be three at the end of this summer. Everyone always talks about the "terrible-twos," but for me, three has been more of a challenge, and it seems as though Zofia is going to solidify my opinion on that. She loves her big brother and sister, and wants to be included in all their activities with their friends. She takes every opportunity, when her parents are distracted, to dig through the junk drawer, write on walls or herself, cut things up with scissors, dump all the toys we've just spent hours sorting and putting away, pester the dog, pull things out of the fridge and pantry, empty the ice machine onto the kitchen floor, and numerous other mischievous endeavors. Nonetheless, watching her learn and discover new things is an experience we're savoring, knowing it will be our last round of toddlerhood.
So, we're looking forward to a fun summer, and will try to enjoy the intended leisurely pace of the season, rather than getting caught up in our usual busy schedule. We hope everyone is well and excited about their own summer adventures! I'm sure we'll hear about them on Facebook!