Invariably, the words I write at the top of my PowerSheets each month are some variation on “This time is yours to enjoy.” This, apparently, is the reminder I need month after month – not a reminder to work harder or do more, but a gentle (yet insistent) remix of my grandmother’s “I just tried to enjoy them.” In the swirl of work, and distractions, and travel, and daily responsibilities, and evenings, and mornings, and after-school afternoons, it is the call that most resonates with me: to look around. To notice. To delight. To enjoy the imperfect abundance all around me, and to reflect gratitude to the one from whom all blessings flow. I am extending that offering to you this month, too. Happy October, friends! On my calendar:— The 11th anniversary of Articles Club! We’re celebrating at my house and discussing Dolly Parton and legacy with fancy Southern foods and I can’t wait. — Our annual fall mountains trip — this year to Brevard!— A campout in our backyard for our church community group! We went back and forth on dates and waited too long to book at our local campsite, so our backyard it is, ha. What we lack in lakeside location we make up in cleaner bathrooms, I suppose? What I’m loving right now:— Have y’all heard of Any Human Ever? Click the button to draw a random life from the over 100,000,000,000 people who have ever lived and learn what year they were born, where they lived, and a brief sketch of their life. Really, really interesting.— And underrated seasonal activity: mini wooden puzzles! My in-laws have given us one or two for the last few years and they are so fun. All of the pieces are irregularly shaped and some are “whimsy pieces,” shaped to

Last month marked one year since we went under contract on our home. It also marked one year since we walked inside that future home for the first time — which, as you may recall, was after we went under contract. That day was an extraordinarily muggy one, with an oppressive gray sky. The seller peered at us grumpily from the neighbor’s porch as we pulled up; the selling agent hovered anxiously as we moved from room to room. I mostly felt flustered as I tried to keep three excited children from touching a stranger’s things, and then — yes, there it is — relieved as we got back in our car and drove away. Nothing was wrong with the house, really, but I just wanted to get back to our house. Now here we are, a year later, and every time I pull up to this house I let out a happy sigh. It is our house in every way. It took a few months for me to get here — see here, here, here — and on this first anniversary it is good to look back and remember how wrong it felt then, and how right it feels now. I am SO incredibly grateful we took the leap and made the move — our life is better in almost every way for it. Praise God! And one more fun little update: nothing says “we’re here for the long haul” like buying a piano :) We found this little used Kawai on Facebook Marketplace a few weeks ago and took her home. Now we can officially call this nook the piano room! Things have already changed since our first home tour, huh? On my calendar:— A quick anniversary weekend at the coast! We started doing these mini yearly getaways

When I list everything that took place in July, it’s almost hard to believe it all happened in the same 31-day period. But, for posterity and sheer incredulity, here goes: We road tripped to Michigan for a week. Annie celebrated her fifth birthday with a family dinner and a friend playground party. We hosted family. We prepped June for two weeks of sleepaway camp and dropped her off and picked her up (which takes an overnight stay on each end). We hosted a kindergarten ice cream social for our neighborhood. We celebrated John’s birthday. We finished the swim team season with two final meets and a banquet. We pulled off an Amazing Race-style birthday party for Shep. We hosted our niece and nephew for a week of Cousin Camp. And that is just the major *events* — not to mention the out-of-the-ordinary projects I also worked on this month, like prepping my message for the Island Sunday service and packing for Maine. On this side of the calendar, I don’t really have any big takeaways. Do I wish all of those things had been crammed into one month? Not really. Was I tired and overwhelmed at points? Yes. But they are all things we chose, and I never felt alone in the action: we were accompanied along the way by friends, family, and neighbors. So mostly, I’m feeling grateful — but also ready for a bit of a quieter August :) On my calendar:— A week in Maine! My happiest place.— All the back-to-school things, including a special family dinner, a TTT, and shopping + conversation dates.— The first day of school! The last year of elementary for June and the first year for Annie, with Shep squeezed in the middle and starting second grade. What I’m loving right now:&#

We are back from our week in Michigan, and it was wonderful: 33 cousins on a beautiful lake, fishing, waterskiing, sand dunes, group meals, tubing down the river, skipping stones, sunsets, s’mores, and more. I Bricked my phone for the trip (so, no email or social media), and the feeling of remove from everyday life was almost total. (Aside from, you know, the unavoidable mediating of sibling squabbles.) The one drawback? The adjustment back to normalcy seems more challenging than if I had kept one foot in the digital world. And there’s been no easing in: I’m coming back to a full-court press of logistics, with VBS carpool arrangements to be made, a birthday to celebrate, a birthday party to throw, a kindergarten neighborhood ice cream social to host, a sleepaway camp to pack for, and a houseguest to welcome — and that’s all just this week. (Whew.) But the week’s reprieve was worth it, and I’m grateful. On to what’s next! On my calendar:— Annie, John, and Shep’s birthdays! Lots of number balloons, special dinners, and celebrations in our future.— June’s two weeks at sleepaway camp — a highlight of her year, every year.— Cousin Camp! After a skip last year, we’re thrilled to host our two NC cousins again for a week of sleepovers, bike rides, and bake sales. What I’m loving right now:— June recently requested a pajama shorts set that was less form-fitting and in the style of Lake. After a little searching, we went with this pair in the blue stripe for the stunning sale price of $10 and they are SO CUTE in person. Very much a Lake look and feel if you have a little lady in your life who wants to coordinate! (This set is also very cute!)— I always enjoy The