S is for Summer

Savoring summer with quiet slumbers---waking to the stillness of the house with no set agenda for the day....Sophia....slow....sleeping in.....standby flights for Greece...searching for....solitude...showers, sunshine, silliness...soft whispers of HIS grace....'sorry' Mommy....smiles.......space to just be......S is simply for summer or is it just another season in our lives...I'm giving myself permission for summer to be defined with as many S moments as possible......simplified....slow......sweet...and filled with SO much Sophia!?! 

"Mommy, SHOW me where we live & how we are flying to GREECE!?!"

Tonight, I let you eat a big bowl of SALAD with blue cheese dressing in the playroom watching cartoons! You SLIPPED on your flannel, footsie monkey pajamas and SLID outside----jumping, whirling, twirling----until I found you SITTING on wet, old STINKY carpet that is waiting patiently for Daddy-O to pull up and replace with a clean, neat patio for the backdoor area that we use daily. Yet, I didn't see the imperfection when I SAW you lying on the SATURATED ground, I SAW unexpected moments of joy----you, SOPHIA SAVORING SUMMER......SINKING your fingers in the muddy ground, SQUISHING lightning bugs....SILLY business for sure but you were touching the world around you and all I could SEE was you SIMPLY enjoying the day. You SOARED through the air of your bedroom tonight as Daddy-O flew you like an aircraft through your room. He asked you if you ever had a bad day!?! You said, "No!" Although moments of our days might be bumpy, you've filled enough of your day with savored moments that each one is extra SPECIAL! This afternoon, Mrs. Polly brought you a little birthday treat and Princess Girl was a SNEAKY kitty sneaking inside. We pulled the door SHUT to go SWIMMING and enjoy some SUNSHINE after days and days of rain! When we pulled into the driveway, you called for Princess Girl. SHE couldn't come running to you but meowed for you and met us when we unlocked the back door to come inside. "That was a TREAT!" you announced! I loved that----surprise treats that we all get to enjoy SOMETIMES in the midst of ordinary days! Our suitcases are packed but SLOWLY zippers are pulling apart and SOMEONE is plucking clothes out of their special places!?! Although I want to STRESS about it, I'm trying to just enjoy our summer with one foot in the door and the other out the door----one foot on American soil and one waiting to SAVOR the SERENITY of Greece. I must say that my favorite SUITCASE is in your journal. You drew one there and we taped a picture of Daddy (his current passport picture) inside it! Together we wrote the story you wanted penned today: "I put Daddy in my suitcase so that every time I miss him, I can see him!" SIMPLE little words from your heart that magnify your SECRET---just how very, much you love that Daddy-O! 

I love D (filled with hearts)!

A SPECIAL Red, White, & Blue gift from Mrs. Polly

Summer Slowness amidst seasonal projects that are on the WAIT list!?!

At this point, I'm reminded of our morning time in the bathroom getting ready....you asked if we were leaving today. I told you that we were waiting for flights but that we'd enjoy today at home so that we could see Daddy again this evening. You whispered in my ear another SECRET agent move---Mommy, we'll tell Daddy that we are all going to Memphis to look for pillows but we'll go to the airport and make him come with us! Your SCHEME sounded perfect! What a treat that would be for the three of us to savor summer together. SOMETIMES we're busy chasing what we think we want but everyday I'm reminded that what we need is right here before us. The endless SHOWERS that we've had early this SUMMER have been entirely unexpected but the rainbows that have emerged and have been SHARED on the Internet have been magical. 

Credited to Pray for Ava: Double Rainbows: BELIEVE

I pray that you'll find these showers of unexpected moments of joy throughout your life that your days will be filled with treats and when you find yourself waiting, you'll SEEK the moment to fill your heart's desires---playing, writing, listening, swimming, walking, jumping....whatever you're called to do in that moment, do it fully aware of knowing that ordinary is extraordinary! Again tonight, I remember looking at the way your new haircut suited your jawline as you and I worked at the kitchen table. "Sophia, I'm SURE going to miss you when you go to kindergarten." I SOUGHT out your answer because just days ago (when you were five), you were uncertain about being SIX and taking on the responsibility of going to kindergarten! Your response was STEADFAST, "Mommy, you won't miss me all day because I'll be back in the afternoon!" I love your SPIRIT. You SOAR and your wisdom is like the roar of the lion---KING! Most high.....look up little one, the world is yours. You've already found the gold at the end of your rainbows. It is spelled: SOPHIA. You're delightful-----you embrace the days with wonder and unearth each moment SLOWLY, SAVORED until you are SATISFIED with facts (or imaginary SILLY adventures)!

Impromptu SHAVE, chop, chop---a SUMMER STYLE!?!

S is for Summer but with you, Sophia it's savored------filled with the unexpected moments of joy that I'm searching for....and with you around, they're simply easy to seek!

"The SUN, Daddy, it's SHINING bright!" you SHOUTED at the dinner table last night.

Daddy, threw back his SEAT and SAID, "Come on, let's go!"

SEEING Daddy at his SHOP!?! SECRETS.

Chasing rainbows, SAVORING what matters to SOPHIA this summer. And would you be SURPRISED if I said, I'm reminded of yet another SPECIAL moment....Daddy and you were on the floor making puzzles last night and you asked him if he remembered putting "Zzzz" at the end of each phrase/question!?! That's been some time ago---and I think I wrote about it here on our blog/journal, Our Legacy. And if I didn't the STORY is written across my heart......everything was zuzuzzu last night but I do think we should say....Sosososo instead! So...so...Sophia....savoring summer with you, Sophia....slowly...
 I love you little one! 

XOXOXO