the day has stumbled along without much gracefulness…but grace, indeed. after all, we are here.

with stores closed, needed papers misplaced, laments for the food served at breakfast and again at lunch, the dog knocking the cream off the counter, the list of things to do before school starts growing as time is shrinking…

as we left the house for some errand running, i announced that i was cranky and tired and we just had to get through it.  i meant it, i had no parenting creativity left.  i feared no consequence would be natural or rational.  i suggested we make a deal to be cranky around each other but not at each other.

we made it.

i’m sitting in the hush of relief here.  i think it may only last a moment longer.  eliza is lost in playmobil world, micah is checking on the creek with a friend, naomi is baking a chocolate cake…

i just wrote eliza’s name over 70 times on crayons and pencils, glue and notebooks.  each letter making the name we gave her was a prayer for our family as we edge towards change.