doing normal together

snohomish, washington

kyle and i moved on a Saturday morning, the end of July, to our new home in Snohomish.

kyle flew out a week later to seek a job position in Southern California - one that will allow him to work remotely from the Northwest.  he got the job and we couldn't be more excited.

suddenly things began taking a steep and sharp turn upwards and around as we looked ahead to the consistency that God is laying before us but also the travel that kyle will have to do for his new job, the new home that we've found ourselves in, new terrain that is school and friends and teachers and parents and grocery stores, etc.  Things haven't ever truly been 'normal' for kyle and I since we've been married as God has taken us from one thing to the next but this seemed to be quite a big shift all at once.

our new home

before i knew it we were in 'the week before the ocean' - its a week that comes once every year and is full of preparation, phone calls, excited emails, meal plans and banter between family members.  it is absolutely wonderful and it takes every bit of effort not to over plan...

usually that's how it goes.

this year i found myself hanging in mid-air during that time - i was waiting to hear about kyle's job offer, trying to unpack the office, hosting a get together with a lot of kids and their moms, making sure to note the times of travel for those flying in and out of Sea-Tac and being a Mom to my somewhat discombobulated children.  none of those things are bad... they just take up space in my brain.

now i sit in a wonderful beach front home - windows stained with salt water and cedar shingle siding worn from the wind.  i'm at the dining room table whilst the my kids are upstairs taking their quiet time, my niece is in the room across the hall from them napping and my nephew is tucked in the master closet getting some much needed rest as well.  Mom and Dad are sitting (likely snoozing) out on the back deck listening to the waves crash and Hannah, my just-graduated-from-high-school sister, is off buying taffy at the candy shop down 101.

we are all different.  we are all passionate about our perspectives on life like how to raise children and how to cook a steak; who likes board games and who wants to read; whether to sleep right now or whether to take a walk on the beach - the kids are down!  Though we can find reason to debate the pros and cons of each, we all love and care for each other.  We all wait and wait for this week every year... and there's likely not a better moment than what we're experiencing right now.

we're doing normal together.  katie is often dramatic and feels entitled to her drama; william is often bored if you've not laid out for him what to do next; benjamin is often deliberately disobedient; emma is often sassy and may hit if you touch her George monkey; isaac is likely to scream and stomp when he wants Dad to PICK HIM UP NOW ... these are all normal things.  things that we usually deal with separately and now we get to deal with them together.  this week.  and the fact that this week is my normal in the midst of the abnormal elsewhere in my life, i couldn't be more at ease.

multipurpose clothespins

banana bathed in sunshine

yes, even at the coast we hang our clothes to dry

iBar's reflection

doing laundry

katie's tooth is out!

flying kites

... a homemade kite

watching the flying kites

hawaiian night - thanks to Mom, Dad and Banana!

les and baby Jack on the beach

flying kites with uncle geoff

tomorrow we will all pack up and head out.  we'll finalize the house we want to rent next year and we'll pray together in a circle.  we'll likely shed some tears and as we embrace we will begin counting in our heads how many days left until we're all back here again.