In July

July is for long days and hot nights and counting the weeks until school starts and realizing you’re more than halfway there.  It means the house is full of girlfriends, and friends, and laughter, and lots of dirty dishes and halfway finished chores and barely making curfew.  July means two weeks of no obligations, no practices, no waking up early.

For us, July has meant all of that and more.

Teenagers are tough and work was hard and marriage takes effort and some days you need your momma.  So in July, I snuck away and spent two night with mine in her precious new house.

It gave us time to just sit in a rocking chair and laugh and cry and fill my cup with the love only a mother can provide.

In July we took a last minute spontaneous Sunday and rented a boat and turned up the music and our shoulders got pink and we laughed and we ended the day with a beautiful sunset, a paper football tournament and good food.

In July, lacrosse wrapped up and volleyball and football began.  Perry traveled to Branson and to Nebraska for camps and the boys had 7 on 7 tournaments and we felt the energy of what we hope will be an exciting year for all of them.  

In July, in the middle of the busyness, my garden was in full bloom.  It reminded me to stop.  To slow down.  To breathe deeply and realize the beauty in simplicity.

In July I made my 39th trip around the sun and was showered and spoiled and loved on by so many people I am so blessed to call friends.  I was reminded once again that the very best gift is the gift of time and the gift of friendship and love.

And finally, in the last days of July, I fell in love with Shawn all over again, just as I’ve done a million times before.  We held on to the final days before, as a football coach, he becomes a leader, a confidant, an encourager, and sometimes a father figure for dozens of boys who eagerly anticipate playing under those bright Friday night lights.

We drove to Eureka Springs with the top down on the car and said over and over how very perfect the weather was.  We soaked in the view of the lake from the covered deck on our cabin in the woods and we ate great food and drank good wine and slowed down and were thankful for eachother.

In July, I found myself staring at Shawn as he read the paper and drank his coffee and grinned his sideways smile when he caught me looking.  And when we sat outside and played card games and listened to the rain in the trees, I stared again, and I thanked God for a man who loves me the way he does.

In July we hurt, we celebrated, we grew, we were spontaneous, we struggled, we reconnected, and we forged ahead.

-H