Back to School

I feel as if if summer was over before it even began. Circumstances prevented us from doing many most of our usual summer break activities. No trips to Deanna Rose, no strolls around the Overland Park Arboretum, no berry picking, no picnics at the local parks, no day trips to the water parks, no time spent at Okoboji, no long weekend "vacations" as we had planned for. And you know what? The kids never complained. Not once that I recall. They were troopers playing nurse to their Daddy. They enjoyed pool time when I took them or they were invited with friends. They crafted and played in the house and out of the heat. When it wasn't horribly hot and humid they would get "lost" for hours in the backyard digging, building and playing in their "clubhouse" or in the cul-de-sac out front riding scooters and bikes. I feel as if I blinked, summer is over and and it's the beginning of a new school year.

Life has a way of doing that at times.

Flying by at warp speeds.

This summer was without question one of those times in our lives.

Gabrielle 3rd grade at Meadow Lane

Teacher, Mrs. Maci Lindsey

Dawson morning Kindergarten at Meadow Lane

Teacher, Mrs. Anita Davis (her 1st year teaching at ML)

McKenna "attends" McKennagarten 

Teacher, me if I count as one :)

This picture was taken on Dawson's 1st day of school. The girls were just as excited for him as he was to be starting school and asked if they could take a picture with him. Heart swoon!

These last two pictures were images I shared on Instagram with a fun retro filter applied.

Somehow I had a false sense that the busyness of life would slow down with the bigs in school and my mornings home with Little Miss. 

I consume myself with busyness filling my days to the point of exhaustion where I collapse in bed the moment the kids are tucked in exerting only enough energy to mindlessly watch a bit of TV before giving way to fitful sleep.

Just this morning as I read my daily devotional in Jesus Calling this stood out to me:
"Spending time alone with Me {Jesus} can be a difficult discipline, because it goes against the activity addiction of this age." 

True dat! 

I love being back in a weekly Bible study that has me in the Word daily and is challenging me to make space for quiet time to listen. 

"Bring your moments to Me, and I will fill them with vibrant joy." Sarah Young Jesus Calling 

To our kids,

We wish you the best school year possible!

Do your best. 

Be an awesome friend. 

Learn lots and come home and share with us all that you have learned. 

We love you lots!!