Unhistoric Acts

dark & cozy

I slept last night.

I woke up a few times, noted how well I had been sleeping, and rolled over and went back to sleep. So, it wasn't necessarily uninterrupted sleep...but there was no counting sheep or the singing of children's songs, so I'm calling it a success. Oh Central Time Zone...how I missed thee.

There's a nip in the air here in sultry Houston. I love it. So....much. This...much (holding my arms really wide here).

I'm even pleased with the early evening darkness. I suppose I must wait for a change in the light to get serious about dinner because lately I find myself ready to serve dinner at 5. We eat about 5:30, and the dishes are done and the kitchen lights dimmed by 6:15. This timely situation, combined with the utter absence of football (for Parker), means we've got some time to spare in the evenings. I light some candles, do some reading, fold a load of laundry, yell at the girls for fighting in the car...you know...the usual...only slower. All my life I've been rushing, only to find out now how very beautiful slow can be.

Breathing is nice. This fall is all about taking a breath. Join me, will you?

 

picture-less

I detest a picture-less post, but I'm foregoing my normal set of rules and posting nonetheless. I've got some stuff to say.

• I took down the giant fuzzy spiders from my porch yesterday. My great idea was to leave them up but tie festive red bows around their necks for the holidays. I thought it would be funny, but my kids thought it would be embarrassing. Fine. But when they all leave for college...I'm doing my dressy spider idea.
• I have some kind of crazy jet lag affliction. Technically, I don't think you should really get jet lag from a five hour time difference. However, we flew during the night. Our flight left at 7:10 pm and arrived at 6:45 AM. Ever since then...sleep eludes me. The other night I went to bed at 10. By 3 AM I was climbing the walls (since I knew I had to get up at 5). I even tried singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" in my head. That doesn't work. Now I have sleep anxiety.
• I bought the tacky Walmart Christmas Tin O' Popcorn today. My mom always bought those. They mean Christmas to me. They also mean five extra pounds. Thanks Mom.
• I worked on my dissertation for about four hours straight today. This may not seem like much to you, but was pretty darn impressive to my procrastinating self. (Annie...I need to report.)
• I recently read this talk by Renata Forste. Primarily, the article is about women appreciating and supporting the righteous choices of other women. You know, building each other up rather than tearing other women down because of difference -- different choices, different situations, different interests, different commitments. I think this should be required reading. (Thanks Wendi!)

aloha!

Did I ever mention I was going to Hawaii? I can't remember if I did or not, but I was trying really, REALLY hard not to mention I was going to Hawaii so I wouldn't have to worry about anyone stalking my children while I was away.

I had SO many other things to worry about...like missing Parker's last football game, and missing Halloween!!!, and missing two of Jordan's football games, and Rebecca's choir competition, and Madison's NHS application, and whether Sterling and I should have booked separate flights in case our plane went down over the Pacific, AND whether or not the girls would wreck their car while we were gone. And many, many other things...which I worried about QUITE A BIT...but none of which happened.

Phew.

Naturally, Hawaii was wonderful. The crowds were thin and the weather was Terrific (with a capital T) and no one expected me to teach a crowd of teenagers at 6 AM.

Also, this was the view from the balcony of our hotel room:

I'm not even kidding. I took that pic with my own two hands (and a camera). I actually took very few pics with my big Canon...but did manage to Instagram much of the island. And I caught a number of rainbows. I'm seeing a rainbow coffee table book in my near future.

A double rainbow!! Have you seen the double rainbow youtube video?

The reason for the trip was to celebrate Sterling's parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Seriously, this trip has been planned for three years. I can remember when they first brought it up, and I was all, "Sure, Jordan will be a senior...she will even be able to drive." And low and behold! She's a senior! And can drive! It's super trippy when you imagine something and then it happens and you can remember thinking about it a long time ago and then it actually happens.

Can you catch my drift?

My SIL Emily requested some cute pics of me on the beach in my itty bitty bikini.

Huh.

I did get a super cute new suit from Boden.

Fortunately, I didn't not photograph myself in said suit.

We took a few pics after church. (Yes, we went to church on vacation. We ususally do. It's pretty fun to check out the locals. And yes, people from the podium greet the congregation with "Aloha!" and then the congregation answers back. I was really digging that.)

Here's us after church:


We packed in a lot of living in the week we were in Hawaii. We snorkeled and sailed (on a sailboat) and parasailed (with a parachute) and saw the sights. We ate a TON of food (literally) and enjoyed the company of Sterling's siblings and parents. We completely adjusted ourselves to the five hour time difference, and when I had to get up for seminary at midnight Hawaii time...I was quite nauseous.

But it was worth it.

Know what was even better than the ocean right out our window?

Coming home to four kiddos. Leaving is fun...but coming home is the very best.