Will started off the month of June by slowly passing a kidney stone. It took about a week of discomfort, until we ended up leaving a friend's birthday party to head straight to the ER. The kids had never gone with us to the ER for a kidney stone, as we have always had a bit of time to get someone to come over to watch them before we had to leave. There was no time for that once the pain really hit Will, and so we all took him to the ER and the girls waited with us until my sister could pick them up. It is very stressful to see someone you love in that level of pain, and our kids all reacted differently. Lucy was white faced and religious, praying Hail Mary's the entire time. Emma was white-faced and silent and looked as though she would puke at any moment. Violet could care less, and asked questions like, "Are you wearing underwear daddy?" while pointing to his hospital gown. She also made it known that she was upset about missing the cake at the birthday party, and that she was in fact, still hungry. Here is Will's text message to his family after he passed the stone.
Funny enough, he passed the stone minutes after we got home from the ER. This was excellent news, as in the past, stones that were this large and painful, usually needed surgery to get them out. We were so relieved, but no one more relieved than Will, as the very next day he had to give the commencement speech at his high school. This is something that Will doesn't enjoy, as he is nervous with public speaking, but I think the pain meds still in his system made this his best speech yet.
We have lost count as to how many kidney stones Will has passed in the last thirteen years, but the good news is that his kidneys seem to only have one or two left in them. The feeling of gratitude that I had the night we came home from the ER, knowing that he passed the stone and that we didn't have the long road of surgeries ahead of us was so great that I honestly can say I fell asleep that night and will always remember it as one of the happiest moments of my life. Sounds dramatic, but we really lucked out this time, especially comparing it to previous experiences. To have him next to me, pain-free and not in the hospital but in our bed, with our babies sleeping in the rooms next to us is priceless. It really is true that gratitude is the surest way to happiness.
The glow of gratitude persisted for several weeks after that, and we had a lovely month of play. Below are my kids in their happy place, painting outside with me as their assistant. Their job was to create, and my job was to make sure there was an endless supply of paint, fresh paper, and a place to dry their masterpieces. We borrowed our neighbor's clothesline and I think it made his day too to see the artwork. He noticed that each girl had her own style - one did still life, another impressionist and another, realist. I had to laugh when I realized he was right! The girls also enjoyed playing with various measuring cups and beakers with water and colored tablets outside as well. There was more sharing and patience required for that activity compared to painting, but it was still a happy experience overall.
We found toads and caterpillars in our yard, and played with the toads and put the caterpillars in our butterfly garden and then watched them turn into a chrysalis and then emerge as a beautiful butterfly that we released into our yard.
Our berries were in full bloom this past month, where we finished off the strawberry crop, and started in on the blueberry and raspberry crops. We also enjoyed peas straight from the vine, and the kids got a kick out of the cute little peas all in a row when they peeled the shells open.
We still had school to finish up in June, and our goal was to end the same day that our friends in the local school district ended. We made it, but we did have to double up on some subjects to pull it off. Here the kids are below in clockwise order from top left: Violet at her very first swim lesson, Lucy holding the certificate showing that she passed a level in swim, Emma and Violet modeling matching swimsuits, Violet in the car excited to go to swim class, the girls doing schoolwork, and Lucy and Emma's last day of vacation bible school.
Violet took four swim classes this past month, after almost an entire year of watching her two sisters swim and wanting to swim so badly herself. I wanted her to be old enough to communicate heating issues, as the pool deck and pool itself are quite warm. At three, I believed she was finally old enough. Unfortunately, her enthusiasm for swim faded fast, and Will and I are blaming the little boy in her class who was terrified to be in the class, and screamed and yelled for two straight classes. Violet watched this in horror and decided that she no longer wanted to swim either. On her fourth class it was all I could do to get her in the pool and on her fifth (and final) class, I gave up when she started screaming in fear herself. I do not want her traumatized and three is still very young. We will try again when she is older. It is just sad to me to see the transition of her being so excited to so upset.
Lucy and Emma had their year end piano recital this past month and did very well.
They had started off the year with my longtime friend who had taught me piano ten years ago. I stopped when Lucy was born, but promised myself that I would take lessons again - this time WITH Lucy and my friend as our teacher. Ten years later, Lucy began taking lessons with Emma (budget purposes prioritized Emma over me!) but my friend was their teacher and it was such a great, full-circle moment. Sadly, after a few months, my friend had to pass our lessons onto another teacher as she was in a battle for her life with cancer. As much as we missed our friend, we were happy with the teacher we were passed to and developed a great relationship with her. At the end of June, my friend passed away, leaving behind a devoted husband and three young sons. The impact that she has had on me and my family is still being revealed, however what a gift to feel her presence every single time my kids play the piano. She has left a legacy beyond average, and I am so grateful for the time I had with her in my life, and in my kids lives too. The good news in this tragedy is that her smile is alive and well in her youngest son, the dimples in her middle son and the creativity of her oldest son. I am honored to be a part of the boys life, and look forward to watching them grow into adulthood, knowing how proud my friend is of them.
Lucy and Emma also had their dance recital this past month and enjoyed taking pictures in our yard before the big day.
The day after the dance recital was Father's Day, where we laid low and tried to spoil Will as best we could, considering how he never asks for anything and is hard to pin down when it comes to making him his favorite food or doing his favorite things. He would much rather do for others, as seen below in the right hand picture when Violet yelled out the window that she wanted him to braid her hair. Keep in mind I was standing right next to her and offered to do her hair, as Will was in the middle of a project outside. But Will rarely says no to his girls (me included), and so lifted the screen on the window and reached in and braided her hair. Violet also knows that Will does a better job at hair braiding.
We attended the funeral of my great uncle this past month, and as much as he will be missed, did find plenty of smiles through the tears as we visited with relatives we rarely see anymore. He and his wife never were able to have kids of their own, but they had over 50 nieces and nephews and countless great nieces and nephews and great great nieces and nephews. Not only did he know all of our names, but also knew all about each of us and was always a part of our lives. In the top, left hand picture below is my mom with eight of her sixteen siblings. Nine siblings together in one place is rare indeed, as they live all over the country and even the world. My favorite pictures though are my girls playing with rose petals they found outside after the funeral luncheon, and Violet, giving my dad a "squeeze tight", after spotting my dad in a crowd of strangers at the funeral.
We spent time with friends new and old and I even got out for a date with a friend this past month too.
On too hot or too rainy of days, we played inside. Below in clockwise order from the top left: Violet enjoying a snack in front of the air conditioner, Violet with her baby on her back, Violet, showing us how she took a piece of paper and some tape and fixed for herself a piece of wood she accidentally ripped off of the foot of our piano, the girls playing Barbies, the girls putting on a fashion show, the girls reading library books on the couch, and the center picture, the girls asking us from the window for a snack or tv - I don't remember which, but those are the things they always ask for.
The girls made a dog house out of an empty box and played dogs for several days, had a tea party, played play doh, cuddled, and listened to audio books together. Not pictured below is sibling fighting, each girl taking turns being emotionally unstable and all three girls banding together to delay bedtime for as long as possible.
Violet enjoyed accessorizing her Barbie's hair, her hair, and cuddling me. The top, right hand picture below is a disturbing and hilarious sight I found in our office/playroom this past month. Evidence of why toddlers would make terrible mothers.
June was my last month to prep for the Lavender Festival I was going to have a booth at in July. Last year at this time, I was so stressed out with everything I had to do for it. This year was way better for two reasons: I hired my youngest sister to help me out making products, and I planned better this year, knowing from last year how much inventory I needed and dividing up the work over the last twelve months. What a difference it made! I had to laugh when I texted my brother to remind him to bring a stamp he made of my logo and my sister in law text me back a picture of him driving, with the stamp in his fist - see top, left hand picture below.
Because of my preplanning and my sister's help, there was plenty of time for fun this past month. We had our annual tradition of strawberry slushies at the orchard by our house, visits to the playground and the library, as well as shopping at the craft store. The two, top, right hand pictures below are Violet being goofy - one is her cooling off her cheeks with her cooling towel and the other is her using a carefully nibbled pretzel as a mustache.
At the end of the month we took a trip to a state park in Indiana where friends of ours were camping for the weekend.
Spending time with the people you love is never wasted. I am on a mission to reduce wasted time in my life and to increase time well spent. To be present, to be grateful, to share and to love. Thank you Carrie for sharing that lesson with me by the example of your life. I am grateful.
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