Islamorada

Cuban food in Little Havana, Miami.

Happy to be trying new things in new places.

Ice cream and exploration afterwards.

Anticipation followed by rest.

Playing together.

And sometimes fighting together.

Early morning walks.

Breakfasts by the beach.

Swimming.

Digging.

Staying up late.

Meeting new friends at the Theater of the Sea.

Savored.

And ready to return home.

Thanksgiving Eve 2020

 

After an abbreviated night of sleep, I went into auto pilot feeding our 19 month old his breakfast. After doing so, I realized his bloodwork appointment that morning could not be after he had eaten. After I cancelled his appointment, I spotted the pot from dinner that I had forgotten to put in the refrigerator the night before. The internet wasn't functioning during a portion of Sophia's already shortened remote school day. A few minutes after the start of morning nap, I heard a scream. Our daughter who has started jumping in her crib bumped her chin on the railing and there was blood. 

None of it was big, but all of it together felt like a lot. 

That evening Joshua and Sophia brought a few things to a Mom who had just arrived in a homeless shelter with her two daughters. And it knocked me out of my funk from small, hard things as I considered her big, hard things. Even in the midst of a pandemic, I could reasonably anticipate a host of conveniences that she could not. 

I am not thankful for messes or tantrums, but I am very thankful for the ones that produce them.

Sophia received the assignment to start a gratitude journal this week. She is excited for us to write and share what we are grateful for each day.

My first entry was, "a phone call with my Mom". 

When my Dad died and the ability to call him on a whim was gone, I would sometimes call her just because I still could. Now when travel is limited, I am particularly grateful to be able to call her on hard days.

My next entry in the gratitude journal was about Sophia shouting "Happy Thanksgiving!" And embracing her brother in a spinning hug at breakfast. 

She is an example to me of how to still celebrate in the midst of unrealized expectations.

We were unable to spend Thanksgiving day this year with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins, but I am very thankful for those we could spend it with here.

How Halloween Happened

September 2020 questions of a seven year old, "What is my Halloween costume going to be?", "Are we going trick or treating this year?" She didn't know yet to ask, " Will there be snow on the ground? "

But there were all of these things and it was wonderful.

As to the answer for the first question, she was Queen Elsa from the movie Frozen for the third year in a row. Next year, we are going to need a new costume for this growing girl, but we will keep it in the dress up chest. Just like we did with the tiger costume that has now been worn by Sophia, Jason, Alannah and now Jayden.

And with Alannah's costume choice this year, we got to have two Elsas!

Our October experience was enriched by trunk or treat events at both our church and our foster care agency.

It was interesting to observe the priorities of our trick or treating crew, the seven year old was focused on the dress up aspect, the five and three year old were most excited about the candy, and the one year olds were fixated on removing the hoods of their costumes.

Half of the cousins live in Colorado, and the other half live in New England. Thanks to a work conference for Josh over Halloween last year, we were able to spend it in Colorado. This year we were able to go trick or treating with the cousins who live in Vermont.

As well as do some tractor driving and bonfire building.

And a hike through the woods before the candy consumption began!

Berea 2020

We have come to Berea as a family every summer since Sophia turned four. 

This was Alannah's second trip and her Dad's first.

It was also Jada and Jayden's second Berea Summer. The first year they had joined our family only a week earlier as three month olds. And there was nothing to better bond us than sharing a cabin.

Due to the pandemic, Berea was not able to open this summer as a camp but instead offered family get-a-way weekends. We enjoyed three of these to one of our favorite places in addition to our usual week in August. I was also able to spend some time there in September and Joshua had his own cabin for a few days in August.

Drinking coffee while watching the mist rise off the mountains. Kissing hair that smelled like campfires. A week where phones only operated as clocks and cameras. 

And winds from a hurricane, which took our electricity, but gave us waves.

Similar to how she won't recall a time in her life before we were a fostering family, I love that she won't remember a time without Berea. This year, we appreciated it more than ever. While her birthday trip to visit her Nana and Bop-bop had to be cancelled this year due to the pandemic, we were still able to go that same weekend for our first Mother-Daughter weekend. We are already looking forward to celebrating Sophia's 8th birthday there in May!

Tractor Driving and Apple Picking

 October has the brightest blue skies and, depending on who you ask, often the best weather.

Things that were once largely taken for granted like getting to go to school and getting to pick apples are now being appreciated on a deeper level. 

I am thankful that this fall still included one of my favorite traditions, with Brittany and Kevin, two of our favorite people.

It was our first picking experience that involved ladders, and the first ever apple picking for three of the persons in our group. 

However, two of those first timers only ate apples, which was actually a very useful activity for them to stay occupied in their baby carriers. 

In addition to the tractors and apples, there was pumpkin posing. 

There was also live fiddle music and conversations about whether we liked caramel or chocolate covered apples the best and what candy we would want on top of that.

And no trip to the Orchard would be complete without apple cider donuts.

Sensory Spring and Summer

When my children's ability to be physically present with others became limited due to the pandemic, I sought ways to supplement. 

After a two week period of denial that the virus would not last long, I settled into not knowing how long it would last. 

In the absence of physical community and in the abundance of computer screens, I decided to focus on a deeper connection with their senses. 

We would spend this spring and summer tasting, touching, smelling, seeing, and listening to what was around us.

I am grateful for the elaborate arts and crafts projects my children have been able to create at school, but our supplies consist of dried out glue sticks, half completed coloring books, and a wealth of miscellaneous crayons.

So we went outside more often than we usually would, and brought items home from the sea or woods more often than I would have liked.

The best ones were when we were able to engage all senses at once. 

The smell and taste of salty spray, the feel of smooth stones, the sight of a horizon, and the sound of water reaching the shore. 

Memories are more vivid with multi-sensory engagement. 

I hope this means they will remember skipping stones with their Dad. The way it sounded when the stones hit the water, and the way it felt to have a father who prioritizes time with them.

The cold is coming and while there are still outdoor adventures to be had, sensory stimulation this fall will also include an increase in baking and blanket snuggling.