Well, I was supposed to be published in the 5th edition of Antler Magazine, but production has been postponed until September. The editor, Andi, explains it here. So hopefully you'll see my article there in the future.

In the meantime, I have been asked to contribute to their daily blog. I have written a few and hope to see them published soon, so you can keep your eye out for that too!

Joelio and I are off this evening to camp on Whidbey Island, WA. I am so looking forward to it! Have a great rest of the week.

My home is eerily quiet after my lovelies left. What a wonderful time we had! Though I was trepidatious about fitting into my tiny apartment, we all managed just fine thanks to the XBox (they learned to play Fish Frenzy) and old episodes of Inspector Gadget. I was sad to see them go, it was such a nice source of motivation for keeping on top of dishes and cooking at home. It was lovely to chit chat with no time limit with my long-time friend. It was amazing to see the kids growth over the year; Mekenzie is a great swimmer now, and it's so fulfilling and moving to see a child grow in confidence. Gavin has millions of new words than last year and twice as much personality!

So much happens in the life of a child over a year, and it's such a reality check for being intentional about noticing the small changes in adults as well, though they are certainly less physical and noticeable. We DO grow, we change, we learn. I love this about being alive. Since my birthday is approaching, I am also taking inventory of this last year - what has changed? Where has destiny tended to my growth? It's all so fascinating, and I am happy to say, good.

It was also such a nice break from the nagging questions of my life. Where will we live come the fall? Will I have to get a real job? We need to buy a car. How can I make ends meet to see all the people I want to visit?

I am determined to keep these questions at bay for yet another week for Joel and I are sauntering off to the mountains for a quiet camping trip come Tuesday, so Monday will be full of the delight of details: grocery shopping, gathering camping gear (which I LOVE), and making rice crispy treats. I do so love the details (provided I have enough time to complete them at my leisure). At the end of these details is the quality time we get to spend with our old friends the trees and pebbles and ocean. Oh I do so love camping with my saint.

Today was another lovely day at my parent's house, listening to thunder and the pounding of summer rain on the skylights, dark coffee and casual conversation, a wonderful old movie with my sis Jen, and enjoying the leisure that Sunday is. How have you cared for your self today?

I have just returned from a trip to the Children's Museum at the Seattle Center. I have never been to a cooler museum for kids. It has a grocery store, a fake theatre, a little china town, an awesome art room, and fun play structures. As I enjoy the wonderful fatigue that comes from playing hard with children you love as much as you can imagine loving a child (without having children of my own), as the rosemary-thyme chicken cooks, as the sun creeps below the gray clouds on this wonderfully chilly Seattle day, I find my brain has turned to jello from all the talking, explaining, interceding, negotiating, laughing, and learning...and it feels beautiful.

This morning, my camera FINALLY arrived and it is again well with my soul. It's a beauty! Here's the first posted picture of my new baby, subject is my perspicacious Mekenzie. She's way too bright for this world...


Turns out she takes after Uncle Joel - biting her lip while engrossed in a project. This picture was made for Jesus, whom Mekenzie "loves oh so much."

You may breath a sigh of relief, fellow wanders. I will no longer (GOD WILLING) be complaining about my lack of camera-ness. I would like to relay that I have FINALLY received notification of my camera shipping, but something even better has happened in the meantime to assist me with the 3-8 days of shipping-wait time I face.

My old friend and artist extraordinare Jeremy Kronbach gave me an assignment! A photo assignment! He also gave me his SLR beauty with a dramatic lens(s) in order to complete said assignment. I am shooting slide film for him to use as inspiration. I hope they turn out amazingly, because I sure have had fun in the last day I've had this baby in my care. I wandered around the farmer's market yesterday alone and just snapped away (the saint was up to his elbows in troubleshooting the brewery yesterday). I am excited to continue as I wander through the city.

I have my lovely bff and her children in town this week. They should be arriving in a few hours, and I have a house stocked full of juices and hot dogs and chicken fingers. It's quite fun! We'll be wandering around Seattle's parks, picnics with friends, eating freshly-picked raspberries, and going to a Storm basketball game. It should be an event-filled week for sure. I can't wait to kiss their cheeks and snap their cute little souls into my camera.

Consequently, I will be somewhat silent this week. Or maybe not. Who knows? If anything, I've come to realize that the flow of sharing words comes and goes as it pleases, and it's truly one of the only areas wherein flexibility comes naturally, with poise and tranquility.