Summer Family Time

Yesterday was spent at the lake. Like so may other days in summer.

We met up with my whole, nuclear family to celebrate two next generation birthdays.

The next generation. They are here, and they are awesome.

I mean awesome in the true meaning of the word. They evoke awe in me and my generation.

Life is an amazing thing. When you can watch it happen, from the beginning, it is a privilege. So many changes, so much chaos. All as time goes consistently by.

Two births celebrated. One on her fifteenth year, the other on her third. A span of twelve years, but celebrating together. Watching my two nieces, my two Godchildren celebrate their lives was awesome.

I am appreciative of celebrations at the lake in the summer. We cram dozens of family into that tiny kitchen to sing happy birthday, and it’s always amazing to me. It’s a magic home of love and life.

There, you can see so much. There are all the stages of growing up, growing old, and many memories of those who have gone. They always come to join us for the celebrations. They are with us in words, stories, jokes, even poking fun at them in a happy, beautiful, funny way, bringing them to life at our parties.

I look at the children around the large, wooden table, whose faces are barely above the table’s horizon.

I smile.

That used to be me. Peering over to see the birthday guest blow out their candles. Having a grown up snap a candid shot. Feeling a little embarrassed by the moment.

I see the same feelings through my lens, but experience now the new feelings of the grown up who snapped the candid shot.

Awesome. Truly full of awe to live such a moment.

This week we will also celebrate my mother’s birthday. So many great people born this month! It will be another great day of celebration. Another great day of life.

It has become a popular phenomenon to write out a beautiful moment in your life here in the world wide web, and hash tag it, “blessed”. It is a wonderful thing that so many people out there are appreciating the little things in their lives. Of course, it gets abused, misused and overused. That’s the nature of us, after all. I still appreciate seeing people being thankful for what they have.

Happy even.

Blessed.

It’s those little things in our age of technology, plastics, fast services, instant gratifications, that make it come together in a way that no technology can do.

It is life.

Happening.

Consistent, but changing.

Always.

From the Front Door

From the front door I see the lake.

It's large, obvious, and beautiful.

I see the sun shining down on everything in its path.

I feel like I just entered a new world,

One which is peaceful, wonderful, alive.

It sends a shiver down my spine, despite the heat of the day.

The grass, trees and bushes are lush green,

And flowers show themselves like tiny dots of color all around.

There are other colors too...

Childrens' chairs, and water toys,

Flags and bathing suits,

Kayaks and boats and other floaty things.

Making a most amazing rainbow across the ground.

I want to just ride it to the water,

Leave my troubles behind.

Question everything.

Question nothing.

Go where everything is new and fresh and good.

Then I remember...

I am already here.

Happy Independence Day!

As the week of our Independence Day, I thought I'd ask my 3 kids what they think of when they think of the 4th of July. Here's our top 10 list:

1. Going out in the boat on the lake. We are fortunate to have a family cottage that we spend the 4th of July on every year. These are where the memories happen.

2. Celebrating the hub's and his bro's birthday! Yep, my hub and his twin bro were really born on the 4th of July! How cool is that?

3. It is the celebration of our Independence Day. Even if we don't always know why that is important (which led to a good discussion of why it is).

4. FIREWORKS!!!

5. Cousins, cousins...and more cousins! We have had 1st, 2nd, 3rd and lots removed cousins visit us for the 4th!

6. Getting together and celebrating for all kinds of different reasons! The above mentioned Independence Day and the hub's birthday are just a couple of things we have celebrated over the years on the 4th of July! We've also had graduation parties, marriages, and babies celebrated as well, among others!

7. Spectacular familial intimacy. Seeing people we don't see any other time of year just come together, have some laughs and share stories.

8. Playing in the lake all day and night. It's a true pleasure and privilege to be able to do this!

9. Awesome food! Of course, with all these people, comes incredible food and drink! We have some dishes that we like to have year after year, and others that can be brand new! What are some of your faves?

10. The more the merrier! We have had hundreds of people over the many years of celebrating the 4th of July out at the cottage! We have met some very interesting, fascinating and totally cool people! We're even related to many of them!

Happy Fourth of July week!

Sunsets

I have a thing for sunsets. I mean, I really dig them. I love them. They are a magical feast for my eyes.

I grew up spending summers on a lake. We were on the east side, which meant we got to see sunsets every time there was one. Now, perhaps it’s because of this exposure to them that I love them so much. But you would think that seeing them nearly every day, I would take them for granted.

No.

Not even close.

I adore them.

When I was a teenager, I went out to the end of the dock and watched them. I was so enthralled, they took me away to their magical, fiery world. The clouds welcomed me into their realm, always happy, always smiling. I traveled there, among the clouds, and watched the brilliant, ever changing color show in awe.

Now that I am older, with a family of my own, I sometimes miss the opportunity to enjoy a sunset like that. I try to make time for it. It never disappoints.

The moment between dusk and dark is an amazing thing to see.

It is an event.

To see darkness creeping slowly, steadily up onto the blue sky is like nothing else I have ever watched. Yet it happens every day. It happens whether we watch it or not.

But I highly recommend watching it.

Get outside and trip out on a sunset. You won’t regret it.