The Saturday 7

1. My mopping injury is getting worse. I hurt my elbow/forearm vigorously mopping my floor two solid weeks ago and it still hurts just as bad - if not worse. After consulting Dr. Google, I've diagnosed myself with tendinitis aka tennis elbow. Most of the websites said it's a result of repetitive movement - especially when force is applied doing something new or unusual . . .you know, like mopping my floor. That's both new and unusual for me. Lol. Yesterday, I fished with Justin and vacuumed my house, so between casting and pushing the vacuum, my arm hurts worse than ever today. I can't use my pincer grasp, push buttons on the remote, pick things up from a downward motion - like picking up a pillow off the floor or grabbing my pop out of a cup holder. It is ridiculous. And of course it's my right arm. My mom had the same thing happen a few years ago and her pain lasted for months! That's what I get for cleaning, I guess!

2. We had our first real taste of summer this week with temps in the high 80s and low 90s most of the week. We live in an ancient farm house with no central air, so we were feeling it. Fortunately, we do have window AC units in our bedrooms, so we spent a lot of time hanging out in there. We also were fortunate to have a pool playdate with some friends. And we made our own sprinkler out of a pool noodle via Pinterest. It didn't work super well. The tutorial said to hang the noodle over a tree branch, but we don't have any low branches, so we used the clothesline, and the noodle kept falling off. Finally, when Daddy got home, he rigged it up on the soccer goal for maximum water spray-age.

3. Another of our fun summer activities this week was attending the magic show at the library. I wasn't sure how interested my girls would be, but they loved it. Lena kept turning around to me with an expression of shock when the magician pulled a dove out of his hat or kept spitting more and more ping-pong balls out of his mouth.

At the end of the show, the magician showed the kids how to do a few tricks, so the girls gave my parents a show when we got home.

4. I only read one book this week: Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz. I loved it. It's exactly what I want in Christian fiction. It was my first book by Frantz, but I immediately placed a bunch more of hers on hold at the library.

5. Yesterday, we were invited to the cottage of a family friend to spend the evening swimming, fishing, and roasting marshmallows. Thanks to the aforementioned hot weather, the lake was super warm and my kids couldn't get enough of it - even Levi, who is usually wary of water.

Levi's butt prints leading down to the lake. Lol.

Swimming with Dad

Snacks with Uncle Jesse. Everyone was amazed by how much Levi eats. Haha.

S'mores!

Trying to catch fish with nets.

Moving on to the fishing pole.

The girls each caught 6 or 7 of these tiny little fish right off the dock.

And Lucy got a decent sized sun-fish!

6. A friend shared this article on facebook: Dear thirtysomething moms - I see you. It's nothing earth-shattering. Just more reminders about how motherhood is so hard, but so worth it. I loved this part about having pool playdates with friends because it is so true:

Although we may be there in pairs or groups, our conversations are piecemeal, we cannot relax. Our focus is entirely on our children. We are tired. We are distracted. Our tankini-clad bodies are battle-scarred and utterly not what they used to be.

But this part also really resonated with me:

You see, the truth is, we thirtysomethings have let ourselves go. No. We have let our SELVES go. We have small children and for the next little while, our SELVES will not come first.

We will be sleeping (or not) according to the timetables of our toddlers and/or newborns and/or a combination of the above. Our hair will not be washed as often as we’d like. Sit-ups? What sit-ups? We will be wiping noses and bottoms and messes from the walls. We will be cooking what feels like continuously from breakfast to supper time and not leave the table until at least a forkful of peas have been eaten.

This seems to be my recurring theme this year - understanding that through the menial work of motherhood, I am learning to die to myself and sacrifice my selfishness for the sake of my kids. It's a humbling and sanctifying process, but one I'm so grateful to have - both for its eternal significance and its present blessings.

7. More pictures of those blessings . . .