Canyon's Birthday.

Canyon had his much-anticipated birthday a week ago. It was a hit by all eight-year-old accounts. I mean, let’s face it, all a birthday really requires is a great sugary cake, ice-cream, and lots of legos. Right? I made a cake that was supposed to look like a lego block—I’m not sure if it did, but that didn’t seem to bother Canyon much. We had a great warm day, a BBQ outside, cake and lots of playing in the grass, dirt, on bikes, and play-fighting on the trampoline. I can’t really believe that Canyon is eight already and just to drive that point home, he went to his first cub-scout meeting and he and Dustin already perfected their first pine-wood derby car together. Sigh.

Canyon with his lego cake. Notice he's dressed as Boba Fett.



The Spoils. He was noticeably less excited about the scout shirt than the legos.
Still excited though.

Canyon’s such a great asset to our family. Not only is he the calm amidst the stormy weather (read: three girls), he is sensitive, loving, obedient and extremely creative. He keeps our family in balance. I only wish there were more of him!

My Cup Runneth Empty.

Why do we, as mothers, wives—with our lives as crazy hectic as they are—sometimes feel so empty? I think that what we really need is two weeks at some beach. Either alone, or with commiserating girlfriends. In her book, Gift From The Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh hits this right on the head (keep in mind, though, she did take two weeks at the sea—by herself—to come by these words of wisdom:

“With our garnered free time, we are more apt to drain our creative springs than to refill them. With our pitchers, we attempt sometimes to water a field, not a garden.”

That’s what I’m doing. I’m watering a field. And I’m running out of water.

Tell me, has anyone figured out how to say no?

I, myself, would be happy to take a few weeks at the sea. Preferably a warm sea. With sun and books and lots of food and long walks. I think what it really is, though, that in a thankless job—we just want someone to say thank you.

So I’m saying it to all of you moms out there—thank you. Thank you for all the meals, cleaning, the laundry, the cleaning up of poop, the wiping of runny noses, the middle of the night feedings, the hours of homework, driving around, Costco runs, cleaning (did I already say that) and so much more.

Thank you.