Curly Hair and Birthday Trips

This week in September...

• It's not too often that my children say something that truly surprises me and catches me off guard. This morning, that is exactly what Atticus did. As we were heading into the garage to leave for school, I asked him if he would like me to come have lunch with him today. This is something I've committed to do more often this school year, as long as they want me to. Atticus said, "I don't want people to see you with me. It's embarrassing."  My face must have mirrored what I felt, which was a combination of surprise and hurt and confusion, because he immediately recanted and kept repeating that he wanted me to come. His eyes filled with tears, he removed his helmet, and he hugged me tight. I don't know why he said it, but I know he didn't mean it, and I didn't want to shame him. I was just so caught off guard that he said it at all. We ended up having a nice lunch together, and I hope he wants me to come again. But if not...well, I'll try to prepare myself for that.

• I finished listening to Educated this week. I tried to remember why I picked that book to listen to in the first place, way back at the beginning of the summer, and I can't figure it out. Maybe it was because it was a memoir, or because of the title, or because of the pencil on the cover. Whatever the reason was, I'm so glad I read it. It is a book that I will remember  for a long time and, as books often do, it has changed the filter through which I see the world just a little. In a good way.

• Sometimes I drive Nathanael to work. Sometimes we talk, and sometimes I just plan my day on the ride in. One day last week, Nathanael was talking animatedly about a book series he's been reading, and he asked me to join him in reading it, so that we can talk about it. I'll admit, I was just a little hesitant at first, mainly because I have a lengthy book list of my own that I'm working through, and I simply don't move through books that quickly anymore. In spite of this, I finished Educated and started reading Pines, which is turning out to be quite interesting. Nathanael picks good books and we will certainly have conversations about it that will be entertaining and thoughtful. I am grateful that he finds me interesting enough to want to share that with me.

• In the year of 2019, I have embarked upon 2 journeys related to my hair. The first one began earlier this year and involved me discarding every heating devise and brush that I possessed and embracing the curly hair that has slowly but surely crept up on me since becoming pregnant over 6 years ago. The second journey has more recently begun, and it involves allowing my hair to grow into it's natural color, which is to say, silver hair is emerging. This one was a little harder to embrace, but once I did, I've become excited about it. I've read 2 books that have truly been my inspiration for these transitions, and I am so thankful I did. 

Curly Girl: The Handbook

Silver Hair: Say Goodbye to the Dye and Let Your Natural Light Shine: A Handbook

These books are changing my life, for the better. I'll be blogging more about my transitions into curly silver hair here. For now, here is what it looks like:

• Another transition is underway in our lives here in Beaverton. This past Sunday was our last at TVC, where we have been members since the summer of 2010. This has been a long time coming for us, but now that the move has been made, it doesn't feel real. It's only been 2 days, and I'm still deciding how I'm feeling about it. I asked Nathanael yesterday where I should go to church with the boys on Sunday, and I think that was the first wave of reality for me. It didn't necessarily feel good or bad...just strange. More to come on this journey and how I feel about it as events warrant.

• We spent a couple of days at Great Wolf Lodge for a very belated birthday celebration for Atticus over the weekend. It was fun to enjoy it with Nathanael, the last time I was there with the boys, he wasn't able to come. The boys were not as intensely into the water park as they were last time, and we ventured into other areas, like the arcade and the glow mini golfing. Ezekiel took the GoPro that we have checked out from the library, and he took lots of video footage that I am very much looking forward to watching. He was quite taken with the wave pool this trip. Overall, a successful memory making event, although I'm still deciding how I feel about regular visits.

Thanks for reading my post.