The return of Library Day

The children’s section is mostly closed, and everyone needs to be masked up and body scanned (not really) at the entrance, but the public library is officially open. This means the Willies are back at our happy place every week for a little over an hour while the twins are in OT.  Each week, we leave with a big loaded bag of books, a couple of movies (although with covid, I think we are getting close to having watched every movie ever made throughout the history of filmmaking) and 1 board game. Sloane got to pick the game this week, so we came home with Princess candyland and it’s even more terrible than regular candyland. Thank goodness Soren and Quincy were each willing to take a shift. Spoiler: every game ends with at least one but more often two of the triplets in tears. 🤣🤣

Corbin picks up the next 39 clues book, a Who Was biography, and usually puts something on hold every week. Soren gets a magic treehouse, a book to answer one of the questions on our wonder wall, and something for Esme or Adrian (who cannot handle the library right now).  This week, the big girls found a recipe idea book for the Night Circus and have dreams of chocolate mice and Cotton Candy floats for mother daughter book club next week. 

Thanks for opening up our world, library! We ❤️ you! 

Not-Back-To-School Social [Distance]

Some of Reese’s friends came up with an idea to watch an outdoor movie as a safe friend gathering.  Hours of rain and a flash flood warning during the day and into the afternoon threatened to squash their fun, but they would not be defeated. After a 6 month separation, they pulled together a last minute bonfire on the island.

Reese, Quincy, Finley S, Cole H, Ruby M, Madi Z, Jaymen P,  Emma F, Jocelyn A, and Bradley A built a fire out of 90% lighter fluid and 10% wet logs, roasted s’mores and played corn hole out front for a couple hours and then came inside to play some board games and the Lawrence/Eggers family classic mastermind game of M&Melbow (which was a big hit). 

These are weird times. I’m grateful for that my teens have other great teens to navigate the weird with.  I’m also grateful that Reese is such a nice girl. She not only “let” her younger sister join, but made efforts to help Quincy feel included with a group of high schoolers.  I asked Reese back in December what she does that makes gatherings at our house feel like a success for her and she said “I’m inclusive.”  It’s very true, and I see it even with her very introverted personality, she understands that circle of friendship can always get bigger. Reese is great at giving everyone who wants one, a place.  I love observing her as she discovers her gift of hospitality. Everyone had a good time. 

Cheers to another year of high school!  

Lost Boys

In spite of Covid, one benefit of everyone hanging around home all spring and summer has been the countless hours the boys have spent playing outside. 

L-R (twin) Harlow M, Soren, (big) Max M, Corbin, (little) Max M, (twin) Henry M

These boys play HARD. They ride bikes up and down Primrose Lane and collect stocks and bugs and catch frogs and come in muddy and sweaty and stinky every day. They trade Pokémon cards and play catch and climb trees and do crafts and tell jokes and they occasionally do naughty things with sling shots or matches (no lie). They’re the wild and free lost boys of Primrose Lane. 

Yes Day

On Yes Day, Aaron taught the kids and I the best yoga pose. 



On Yes Day we had Lokomotion to ourselves. 

On Yes Day the kids drove go carts for the first time. 




On Yes Day, Sloane was brave and Soren was an accommodating big brother. 




On Yes Day I was stung twice by wasps while taking this photo. 


On Yes Day, we did bumper boats and Corbin soaked all of us with his stealthy shooting skills

On Yes Day, the weather was perfect and we didn’t mind getting soaked. 

On Yes Day we played two rounds of mini golf

On Yes Day, we had one last time on the track

On Yes Day, Soren must have grown 2 inches in an hour and a half because he was luckily tall enough to be offered to drive his own go kart on the family track that time, and  he was chuffed. 








On Yes Day, we handled 4 pizzas from Pieology.

On Yes Day we watched Nate Bargatze special on Netflix: The Tennessee Kid and laughed until our cheeks hurt.  “Olivia?” 


On Yes Day, all things worked together for good and a certain anxious little girl’s sleep strike ended. 

On Yes Day, we felt the end of summer creeping up on us and filled up all of the minutes left with laughter and extreme fun. And a lot of Yessssss. 

For the beauty of the Earth. For the beauty of the skies. For the love, which from our birth, over and around us lies.

We attempted a family walk/hike after naptime, yesterday. Tanyard creek had hundreds of people gathered for an event, and zero parking, even roadside. Not sure what was going on there, but people be crazy thinking that’s a good idea, so we drove to Blowing Springs. Closed to pedestrians only. The camping lot and parking lots were packed with RV’s and cars and people. 

So we ended up parking behind Harps grocery and walking along the Lake Ann damn. Views from both sides were beautiful. One of the boys had a meltdown and we ended up just coming home, but it was really pretty while it lasted. 

After we put the triplets to bed, we left the girls in charge and Aaron and I went on a much needed date. We drove through Andy’s custard for key lime pie concrete mixers, and then parked to talk about process our feelings about events that unfolded this week.  This beautiful sunset was a timely reminder of God’s awareness of us and restored hope in brightness waiting beyond the clouds. In all our worries, it is a good sky and watchful eye to be under. 

Meg Reads: the war that saved my life

Mother daughter book club is such a highlight in my life!

This book is the tale of a girl who is evacuated during the bombings. With her, she takes her club foot and a little brother to look after. She leaves behind a horrifically abusive mother and a world of isolation. 

The girls LOVED the Shaw girls book choice, this month.  Quincy has a thing for WWII era historical fiction. She f  invade war stories fascinating and says she likes the varying reactions of the way people respond to and overcome their trials. She also is really drawn to books with characters of differing physical abilities and enjoys their perspectives. 

Reese loved how nurturing and welcoming Susan was. Evacuee children tell the ultimate tale of foster care, and Reese recognized the many similarities in the children’s thoughts and behaviors.  Some of it was difficult to listen to. 

We all loved Ada’s determination to learn to walk and to ride a pony. And we were delighted with the accent of the audiobook narrator.  

These small group visits are everything for my extroverted heart. They are smart and loving and creative and hilarious and genuinely thoughtful. We cover alllll the topics, eat, and laugh until our faces hurt. Jill and Julie’s sister-antics keep us in stitches.  I joke that I don’t know why these amazing women even let me in the club...they are all so well read, and I don’t understand or care for the Lord of the Rings, Hamilton, The Muppets, or the entire Marvel Universe. They love me anyway, thank goodness. Probably because I come with Reese and Quincy, thank goodness. 

Our family has been carrying some heavy burdens during covid. I spent so many hours in frustrating conversations the phone with DHS and attorneys and CASA and therapists in the past few days, that my whole self was weary. Advocating against malicious intent is exhausting when you’re kicking against the pricks. I’ve been angry and disappointed and blindsided and vilified this week, and book club was the best 3 hours of respite from feeling SO much. Book club gave me a place to set most of the load down and engage in some levity to resuscitate my spirit.  

A Few Bright Things

I’m feeling broken down and beaten by the system today.  I cannot wait for the joyful day that I get to be free from the daily sorrows and traumas and inconveniences we are forced to endure while kicking against the pricks. I refuse to allow my children to be goaded into compromising circumstances that hurt and Re-traumatize them. I am angry with choices made by the department that support manipulative agendas and have been ruled by the judge to not be in the best interest of children. I’m losing faith in good will. I am exhausted from being bullied and vilified and lied to over and over again. I’ve sacrificed countless hours sitting on the phone this week with the department, attorneys, and therapists.  

On days like today, when the heartache and unbelievable frustration are holding my heart in a figurative vice that is so tight I can physically feel it’s grip squeezing me the life out of me. Then I look at my children and consider the best that they deserve and I know the fight is good and worthy. 

I’m taking a mental break from the roller coaster and the joke that is the department of human services. today. Manipulative and vindictive texts and emails will wait until tomorrow for responses. Today, I will just read books with the children and not be interrupted every 30 minutes. I will allow myself to be free to live and love without scrutiny. 

Here are some bright spots: