Happy summer! A few tidbits about life lately...
1. Our state just entered the next phase of reopening and I have such mixed feelings. After waiting over a year for "normalcy," I find that I'm not actually ready for things to return to normal. Outdoor events have been great but I'm uncomfortable seeing people unmasked in public, and I grapple with how I'm perceived by others when wearing a mask versus not wearing a mask. How do I send the message, "I'm fully vaccinated but I still care about other people?" I would feel a lot better if a significantly higher percentage of the population was fully vaccinated. Every phase of this year comes with its own unique challenges!
2. A few years ago I vowed to stop buying shorts (besides athletic wear) because everything was just horribly unflattering, but now that denim shorts are making a comeback, I decided to give them another try. I just bought new shorts that are literally called the Momjean. Thinking this fashion wave was a joke at first, I'm still cautious to embrace this new fad, but I'm sporting my Momjean shorts proudly. Maybe I'll even buy a crop top!
3. When Ady has her heart set on something, she is determined to make it happen. She's on a baking kick lately and had the idea of making banana pops when Grandpa M came to visit and having a bake sale for Grandma's visit. This girl is so well-rounded and just wants to experience everything!
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| Banana pops with sprinkles! |
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| Bake sale for Grandma! |
4. Now that things are reopening and people are gathering outdoors again, we have enjoyed getting together with friends and other kiddos in the community. A few highlights lately have been the Children's Museum, the Zoo and Aquarium, and the Railyard Safe Summer Fun sand play!
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| Fun at the Children's Museum |
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| Contributing to the Museum garden |
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| Family fun night at church |
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| Sand play at the Railyard Park |
5. The past couple years have been scary and discouraging, and the future is unknown, but I feel so proud of the future when I think of young people like Paxton Smith, the Texas valedictorian who switched her approved speech for one about abortion rights. "I have dreams, and hopes and ambitions. Every girl graduating today does," Smith said. She later added, "And without our input and without our consent, our control over that future has been stripped away from us."
6. Speaking of amazing teenagers changing the course of human history: Darnella Frazier, the 17-year-old whose video documenting the murder of George Floyd that contributed to a global movement for change, was awarded a special honor from the Pulitzer prize board for her courage and quest for truth and justice. What a well-deserved honor! I love stories like this of young people making the world a better place.
7. Bookstores are open in person! I forgot how much I missed browsing the shelves, getting inspiration, and lounging around a bookstore.
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| A few new purchases from our local bookstores that just opened! |
8. As the public library has remained closed to the public, we've had fun participating in the virtual and remote programming during the past 15 months! We entered an art contest for the Big Read program and Ady won second place for her depiction of Dreamers! Now we're enrolled in the summer reading program, and attended the My Little Horse Listener program, and we can't wait for the libraries to open in person again starting tomorrow!
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| Ady won 2nd place in the library's art contest! |
9. Meredith is going on 18 months and her favorite things are dogs, macaroni and cheese, and climbing. She loves making us laugh, just like her sister did at that age, and her language skills are starting to blossom!
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| Bathing beauty |
10. Ady is 4 1/2 and getting ready to start PreK in the public schools next month! She's having fun with Irish dancing, T-ball, and riding her balance bike around the neighborhood this summer!
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| First-time T-baller! |
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| Fun in the sun at our friends' pool! |
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| Hiking with cousin Rielle |
Stay safe out there! Happy summer!
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