when monday finds you smiling...

Once in a great while, I feel like I am super-woman, invincible... and I am amazed at the way it energizes me.  Pantry cleaned out, dinner cooking, tomorrow's dinner set to go in the crockpot, egg muffins in the oven for the week's breakfast, and laundry taking a last tumble around in the dryer.  Oh! And my dining room table is looking ship-shape {that is a biggie!}  When I have all of these things in place, it makes me want to do more... like straighten the pillows on the couch before bed.  I wonder if anyone can keep this pace without burning out.  I might make it through the week like this... but only because it is a two-day work week and Eric & I are heading out of town for our anniversary Wednesday...

Even if I can't keep it up {ha, ha!  I know I can't!}...there is still much, so much, to be thankful for!

-rainbows galore on a ride to town
-a heart shaped, potato chip love note
-clean pantries and some donated food
-so much water!
-hearing my in-laws stories from their Alaska anniversary trip
-camden drumming
-...and the breeze that was unbelievable on an August evening!
-a successful recap of the youth gathering at church
-my two guys, watching the redskins
-a little help from a friend
-21 years
-getting excited for disney {again!}
-five shooting stars...

the process...ing

Sunday our Youth is presenting to the church... a recap about our trip to San Antonio.  I think I have to write the program... but I am still trying to find it all in my head and heart.  Some people work best under pressure.  And some only work under pressure... that would be me.  But this is one of those times when I am just not ready.  I need to soak myself in the information and the memories, and let them juice around.  The church is going to want to know more than we ate Tex-Mex food eight meals in a row, but at the moment I'm hungry and my head can't get past a grand craving for tamales....

When I flip back through the photos, I see what I need... and know that God has not hidden what I need to know.  It is all there, in almost-living color...

...I just need to sort through my hundreds {and hundreds} of photos. 
If only I still had access to this thinking cap I borrowed from some {mortified} teen boy...

That is MY kind of sombrero!!!!

only a few more minutes of summer...

Camden started back to band camp this morning.  I would have made him squirm for a picture, but I was running late for work, and he was far too quick to shout goodbye and head out the door.  Even though he has been driving since January, I felt strange that he was driving himself to camp, and that it doesn't matter when I leave work, he'll make it home on his own.  Weird, and wonderful.  And a little bittersweet.  He is half-way through high school... and each day he checks off the calendar, chips away at making the half,  three quarters...

I was glad the other morning, as Eric and I headed out for a walk, that Cam wanted to join us.  It seems it is my never-ending quest to spoil him with as much time as he will allow, and summer is slipping away...

As we walked the shell covered path, Eric jokes that he needs to train his eyes to spot the smallest things... so that he can be the star spotter next summer in Africa.  Camden is actually almost as good a spotter as his Dad... and my head turns right and left to see the baby alligators they are pointing out. 

Though they are small, I walk tall and narrow, and in the middle of the path... the mama must be near, and I picture her propelling herself from the waterway with her mouth wide, teeth bared.  When at last we made it to the boardwalk, my soul let out a sigh and I strolled with ease.  Butterflies flittered and grasshoppers rested still, with wide eyes.  Red bloomed in the wild and interrupted the green with an extra splash of beauty...

When we had walked as far as I was brave enough to go, and were looping back to the car I stopped and listened.  The loud buzz of insects had softened and I could hear a rushing rumble break the quiet.  Louder, closer... what is that?  And then we spotted the rippling on still water as the rain moved across the land and over us.  With a smirk Cam asked should we run?  But ever the Myth Busters fan, I already knew what he'd say if we did... so we walked, a little quicker, in the rain,  hoping that we were, in fact, staying just a little dryer....

she is becoming...

I asked her to send me a picture of herself... after a few weeks of us being just three, I was starting to miss her face.  When it came through I was motivated enough to figure out how to capture a screen shot on my phone... I wanted to keep her close. 

 

As May melted into June, we hardly texted, and spoke less.  It was me, trying to give her the space she has needed... and she, blossoming into who she is supposed to be.  My heart did not ache for her as so many had predicted, but that was okay... I am pretty sure we both knew we needed the distance. 
As the Disney celebration approached, I hoped and prayed she would be able to join us... and when the news was yes, my excitement started growing.  We chatted that week... about what she should bring, what she needed from home, and all the logistics of getting her where she needed to be, and it was good.  Her voice was only joyful, and confirmed my no news is good news theory!   My heart was soft and the aching was beginning to set in... and I wondered about the girl, the woman, I would see.

Eric took the day to drive out, pick her up and bring her to Disney.  When I put my arms around her, I felt love and joy and completeness.  She looked like my same Laura... but within her eyes I could see... she was more.   He leaned into me and whispered she talked the entire ride!  Two hours.  If she has something to say, it is usually me who hears the story, and so for her Daddy to have the first shot at hearing a six week recap was... a gift.  A stunning, unexpected gift.  And when she told her tales, her entire being was alive with light, and my heart melted all over again. 

The semester is coming to a close... finals are next week and as she is studying like crazy, I'm praying.  One result could make or break her lab grade, but I don't think it could break her.  She has loved, loved, this semester and all that she has had the opportunity to learn!  I hear a confidence and a joy in her voice that comes from deep within... and I am in awe of her.  It takes such courage to go and be and do... a courage I'm not sure I have ever possessed.  So I pray {and pray, and pray}, and hand it over to God.  He already knows just what she needs, and has been providing it with every breath... I am oh-so-sure He will not stop now... not ever.
 

...be strong in the Lord and never give up hope,
you're gonna do great things
I already know God's got his hand on you...

lyrics... the words i would say by sidewalk prophets