visions and reminiscences

this weekend aaron and i went on a date!

...which may not sound like a big deal, but it's been a very long time since we had a chance to relax and really talk, just the two of us. it was very timely to be able to debrief after this busy summer and to set down some ideas about life with a new little one and what we want our family to feel like this fall. (answers: calm! relaxed! close! fun!)

we're really intending to put house projects on hold, to lessen our commitments (or at least not make new ones), and re-aquaint our family members with one another. noah and aaron haven't spent much time together this summer, and already they're having lots of fun hanging out, being crazy and having adventures. i'm suspecting this father/son bonding will increase as my time will be focused more on nursing and caring for the new little one. aaron and noah have already planned out trips to the railroad museum and the pool, bike rides and pizza dates, treat hunts and secret projects. it's really wonderful to see how similar these two boys are (like how much they enjoy taking things apart and putting them back together), and how much fun they have together.

aaron and i also set down some ideas for reconnecting with one another, after having barely seen one another this summer. we're hoping to figure out a regular way to have time for just the two of us, and to have quiet chances to talk about ideas, vision and feelings. it's crazy how fast that time slips away, if you let it. autumn seems like a good time to reign it in.

and also to reminisce! last autumn we were living in new england, enjoying community life with our friends and tromping around on crunchy leaves through very old farms. it was a wonderful few months of reconnection, adventure and ideas. noah was such a little guy, learning so much from all the other great little guys he got to hang out with. and at the end of the season, this teeny tiny one came into being! pretty crazy how much things can change in a year.

here are some of my favorite photos from last autumn:









hooray for new seasons and new adventures!