Chincoteague Island

We spent last weekend with our friends the Evans's on Chincoteague and Assateague Islands in Virginia. Diana's mom owns a duplex on the island and we were able to stay there and explore this gem. Chincoteague is a small town and quiet this time of year, although it is a busier place in the summer. Assateague, a national park, is the neighboring island where you can enjoy many different birds, wild ponies, an old lighthouse, and the Atlantic shore.

Lucas has loved the beach since we went to Hilton Head, SC last spring, while Gabey has been more a fan of the sand than the water. This time, though, after spending some time in the sand, he geared up some newfound courage and played in the waves with his brother! It was a nice get-away for all of us.


Crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Wild ponies trotting along the road
Lucas commanding the ocean





The first day was too chilly and windy (and the surf a bit wild) to don bathing suits and get in the water, but Gabey was happy in the sand.
Gabey and Lucas "before" (at this point, Lucas's pants were already soaked because he'd been chasing the waves)....
and "after"!

Kindergarten

It's that time of year. The Back to School time. If you know anyone with kids you've probably seen their "first day of school" posts.

Indulge me, please, while I add mine to that list of posts.

I could tell you that I can't believe how fast he's growing up, but I realized that I've been thinking that about both my boys since the day after they were born.

I could tell you how proud I am of him....so I will.

I could tell you how scared I have been to send my innocent, sensitive, sweet little boy into the world to face rejection, hurt, failure...the list could go on.

I came to the conclusion that I can't protect him from those things. And, in fact, I would be doing him a great disservice if I did. What Cory and I CAN do is equip him with the tools to deal with those things.

So this is where I feel our parenting really starts to be tested...and will continue to be from here on out.

On the other hand, I could tell you how excited I have been for him because I know he is a sponge for learning, and he will also experience adventure, success, confidence, new discoveries...the list could go on.

And so it is that we sent Lucas to his first day of the rest of his life.

He's at school from 9:05-3:45 (except Monday when he's out at 1:20); the schools in this area only offer full-day Kindergarten. It's been an adjustment for him to be gone all day, both for him and me. 2 weeks into it now and I think it's going well. He enjoys it and gets excited to go. He and Gabey are always happy to be reunited at the end of the day (and Mommy, too). What an adventure we've embarked on!

And, lest he be left out, Gabey started our co-op preschool that me and 2 other moms take turns teaching 2 days a week. He was excited to start school, just like his big brother.

Aren't they handsome boys?!!

I am such a mom.

Thoughts on Visiting Utah and Being Back in Virginia

In mid-August we took a trip to visit Utah, the homeland. Highlights included...

1. Being with family

2. Seeing friends (grateful to have seen the ones we did, sorry we didn't get to see everyone. 2 weeks go really fast).

Most of our "DT Family" from our last year as Hall Advisors in T-Hall at Deseret Towers (DT) at BYU.

3. Surviving -- even enjoying -- the plane ride. We did a lot of prep work before and the kids did great; phew!

4. The Mountains -- seeing them and being in them! What a sight! I've missed the mountains.Gabey and cousin Lincoln sitting around the campfire waiting to roast hot dogs and marshmallows.
Uncle Andy (my brother) teaching Lucas how to fish. The water was SUPER cold, hence Lucas's face and lifted leg.

5. Sleeping in
6. Not cooking
7. Golfing
8. Cafe Rio (Delicious Tex Mex)
9. BYU old-fashioned doughnuts (both 8 and 9 were eagerly anticipated and they did not disappoint; both were as good as we'd remembered).
10. A day at Education Week at BYU
11. Sleepovers with cousins
12. Some days, not getting dressed until after lunch
13. Girls' Night Out
14. Not feeling like a weirdo for walking around with 2 young children and being pregnant
15. Hob-knobbing on "the Hill" (the State Capitol) with former colleagues and contacts

We are so glad we got to go and loved seeing our family and friends. We've missed it.

But you know what I didn't expect? To miss Virginia. Who knew I thought of it as home now? And I wasn't the only one. Gabey got a bit out of sorts near the end and wanted to go to our "new house" in Virginia.

It made me feel really displaced because I thought Utah was home. And you know what I've decided? It is.
And so is Virginia.
One doesn't have to be home at the expense of the other. They just represent different seasons in our family's life.
I missed the green in Virginia -- I realized just how much of a desert Utah is!
I missed being able to visit all the amazing places we can visit. I LOVE that about living here.

I missed the fireflies and hearing the cicadas (sp?) in the trees.
I missed our house and our routine.
I missed the life we've made here.
It's been a year since we moved to Virginia and the Lord has really blessed us to make it home.

On Why There are Often Long Periods Between Posts

1. Laziness
2. Disillusionment with blogging
3. Pregnancy

*I don't know what #3 has to do with anything, but it seems to be a great excuse for everything else, so I'm going to run with it.