It’s summer solstice, longest day of the year. We had pizza for dinner. It’s 8:30pm and the sun is still shining with all its might. Ethan is watching Japanese anime with the girls. When perilous music begins to play, Maya rises from the couch to take her bunny outside. “ I don’t think he likes listening to this part.”

I’m baking key lime pies and taking the time to add that extra little bit of love on top. I’ll be setting up at a solstice fair tomorrow, selling Ethan’s coffee and some baked goods.

This month has felt full. This is the month we finished moving all of our things from the other house.

We said goodbye to Jasmine and sent her off to work for the season. She’s cooking for the crew of the Amber Anne, a net barge up in Bristol Bay. It takes several days just to get the boat over there and since cell service is sketchy, I found a site that tracks marine vessels and watched that little arrow make its way to their destination.

The day before she left, she holed herself up in her room to pack and get ready. The next day she emerged with several papers, various dates scrawled across the front. June 11. June 13. June 16, and on to the end of July. Her explanation? “ I’m going on an adventure, so I wanted you guys to have one too!” She set the papers across the piano and we’ve had fun gathering around to read her instructions.

Plant some flowers today.

Bake some chocolate chip cookies and give them to an elderly couple.

She even left a gift for Ethan to open on Father’s Day, signing the back with “I miss you too, Papa.”

Last week, a couple dogs snuck into our yard during the night and killed our mama rabbit and (we thought) all of her baby bunnies. There were nine of them. I woke before Maya and gathered all of them into one area and then waited for her to wake up so I could tell her the news. That’s such a sad feeling. It’s the mental equivalent of hearing a soldier call out: INCOMING!! Because you can feel the weight of what happened, and you dread passing that along to anyone.

After I told Maya and Sofia the news, they each went to their rooms. That’s when I texted Ethan:
Girls are awake. Both are in their rooms crying. Quietly.
I hate death.

Thankfully the next morning, Rosalina looked out and saw a bunny in front of the chicken coop so she raced out to rescue it and bring it inside. I felt so thankful. So now all the love we once gave to 10 rabbits has been redirected to one sweet gray bunny.

My Memaw fell last week, had to go to the hospital. It’s never fun to get a call like that, especially when you’re so far away. Will she be OK? How serious was it? Within a few days she was home and I felt so thankful. Thankful for my Aunt Sharon and Uncle Tony, so quick to do what needs to be done. Thankful for wise doctors and quick discharges and so thankful for the chance to chat on the phone and hear that voice on the other side again: Hey honey, howya doin?

Life is happening.

Big moments and small moments and lots of every day mundane moments of cleaning and chaos and laundry and in between I try to stop and notice all the beauty that so easily gets overlooked. God is in the middle of these moments- the happy moments and scary moments. The moments of regret and wishing I could be/do better. The wistful moments and tired moments and wish-I-had-more-energy-moments. He is comforting and caring and listening, and always always present. What a gift, to know he is with us in all seasons.