happy birthday

to my true love. He turned 50 yrs today-

and now we are both standing on that 'hill', looking forward to tackling the coming ups and downs together, as we've done for (so many) years.

We've been talking about bucket lists. We've looked back on highlights of the years since we've met (sure, and not all was rose-colored!). The indisputable very best ' things we've done so far' are our awesome threesome.

The other night was the first in a long time (how long?) that we had dinner all together at our dining room table. The 'kids' took their 'usual' spots. We did too. It was almost like old times except that during old times (say, elementary, middle school and junior high) the three of them did not get along well at all. And now there is a real friendship, respect, and love.

Today, on my love's birthday, we brought Vera and Emma to the airport in the big city, from where they left together to study in the City of Light for (only) one semester. We had to kind of hurriedly say goodbyes because we had enjoyed a lovely lunch together (and there was road construction almost all the way), which may have been good anyway because in spite of best intentions and telling myself I should be completely used to this by now, I did shed a few tears. And the house felt oddly quiet (get a grip, this has been the case for the past two years!). How fortunate we are though, that they can follow this dream of studying and living in France, that Thijs can follow his heart and his interests, that they are growing more independent and adult, that we can have 'just the usual' worries about young adults navigating the world.

And none of these riches would have happened in my life if I had not met my love, if I had not gone against my rebellious thoughts when my mom mentioned that he was 'such a nice boy'. Long ago, someone asked me if I didn't find it unsettling that I had met him so early in life  (in high school), and what about other men who I may have fallen in love with out there? I answered that it really did not matter how many awesome men were out there if I was in love with this ONE. At that moment. Duh.

So, happy birthday love. Let's make the rest of it a blast as well.

ohm

Oh the joy of air travel (it makes me personally extremely nervous when flying over a large body of water). Emma is scheduled to arrive today, when precisely is just not clear and has not been clear for most of the day. One flight cancelled, another cancelled, the third now on hold, waiting for their turn on the tarmac.

window in Vera's 'old' apartment in the big city

Numerous texts back and forth. Keeping an eye on the flight info. Luckily, Emma has a positive attitude about this : she just would like to arrive today. I am thinking about how easy it is nowadays to keep abreast of every minute and move (or standstill), due to technology. So really, it is not at all a bad thing for the airlines to cancel flying through a storm, it is just a minor inconvenience (not a tragedy).

Meanwhile, I can update you all on some finally finished projects. A quilt for Thijs, started three years ago, a shawl for me (in hopes of one day feeling cold again).

I can't decide whether I should start one of the thousands of other projects I have planned (first in line would be a quilt for Emma, we have picked the fabric and I think I know which pattern) or study for my clinical license, or none of the above and get serious about moving more.

Mostly, evenings are busy with cooking, , ironing, sometimes cleaning, relaxing for a while, and a little bit of work for work as well...and weekends the same. How do other people do it? No idea. I'm sure I will figure it out one way or the other. And Emma will get home eventually.

August

It is August, and so naturally, the stores are full with products for the end of October and beyond. Same every year I guess, but it always takes me by surprise.

The past couple of years, August has also been the month for moving the awesome threesome to better and/or other places. Thijs arrived last night with a truck full of stuff from Vera and himself. Some of it is now in our garage and will make its way slowly (back) into the house.

Some of Thijs' possessions have been neatly packed into a storage unit (all that training in my in-laws' grocery store comes in very handy for my love) until the time is bridged and it will move to what is likely Thijs' last apartment in the college town down south.

Vera is bridging the time to her move over the ocean in a room she is renting for a few weeks, and some of Emma's non-essentials will be spending their fall-semester in a storage unit in the big city.

It is a tad chaotic, and so, at first glance, is our yard. Granted, some more weeding could be happening, but we are in fact aiming for a free-growing flower and green fest. To the dismay of some of our neighbors, I know.

Soon enough it will be autumn and the green will die down. That comes with its own beauty, and in my opinion, better temperatures. For the young ones, excitement over new places to live and study. For now though, I would like to enjoy the abundance in color, sun, and jungle sounds that is August.