arms free for typing a random thought or two

Sometimes I leave this space--unintentionally--for so long that I don't know where to jump back in.  But I am just going to do it.  Now.  No more excuses.  Heaven knows, I have written a gazillion posts in my head since the last one.  Funny how sometimes life is so full that I don't want to waste away time sitting at the computer recording it, but then I realize if I don't record it somewhere, I may forget.  And I don't want to forget a moment of this season.  It is not so much the big, planned adventures---those that are documented in photo and etched in everyone's memories, but the little moments, the gritty and sometimes aching beauty of the days and the arching grace of the months.  And the days are full of grit and grace, to be sure.  Birthdays (we have a teen in the house!), a new baby (almost 4 months old!), a vacation, summer camps, bittersweet goodbyes, mini-adventures and oh so much more.  A glorious few months, indeed. 

I've been drafting baby Juju's birth story to share here;  it will be up soon.  It was full of grit and grace.  It was an easy birth by definition, but my hardest in many ways.  It was character building and I have been drawing on the strength gained (or was it just reawakened?) by those hours of exhaustion to push me through some challenging hours since that day.  I'll be honest, I have had a more than a few moments of feeling overwhelmed these past four months.  But a deep breath to remember that day when I did what I did not think I could do--what I did not think I had the energy or strength to do-- a deep gaze into my children's dancing eyes, a silent prayerful plea and I am back in business: Reclaiming the joy that is mine.