Oh my if the last few weeks have been a slight bit crazy. In a good way, I think, but crazy none the less. It has been a bit of a dance and swerve with seeming multiple bugs to run through the germ train, too. We’d all get healthy for a few days and start getting back up to normal speed and then down again with a sniffly nose or an upset tummy and on we go again. We lost a whole weekend this last week on that alone. Poor guys. Weekends are our get out and go times- we go hiking, to the park, all those fun things we love to do with Daddy- so it’s always a super bummer when we’re all snuggled up in beds and couches wiling away the sick hours. (And oh my, am I a horrible mommy that I like it just a tiny bit when they are ill because it means lots more cuddles from all my kids?) 
I met a milestone last week. For the last two years my immune system has been so compromised that every time the kids generated an upper respiratory bug, I would catch it. The bug would quickly settle into my lungs and I’d develop pneumonia within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. This has been an endless cycle. I am so grateful to report that this is the first time in two years that while I have caught a bug, it has not turned into pneumonia and I’ve successfully fought it off. This is huge. (A big thank you to all my prayer warriors.)
A friend and I were talking yesterday about the changing face of chronic illness for us. We’ve both dealt with it for going on two years, and we’re both finding that we’re moving out of a space that means our illness defines us. It’s truly become our new normal- we just slow down, make adjustments, move forward without letting life stop altogether. That’s hard to do when you’re first diagnosed. I just want to encourage those of you who might be dealing with that. It does get better. Life won’t ever be the same, but it’ll be good. Mourn it as you need to, but don’t get stuck there like I did if you can help it. 😉
Somewhere in the midst of all of this, we had dentist appointments. This has truly become an event when it happens…so very grateful for a dentist that grabs a whole block for us on an afternoon, and we just party hardy while everyone goes through cleaning and the like. Miracles of miracles, (and for the second year in a row), we’ve had no cavities. I have absolutely no idea how this has happened. I was not able to find the right dentist and then I found Eccella Smiles, you can learn about them and know their explanation here. My older boys, especially, are lazy teeth brushers and miss more than they catch, so I’m dumbfounded. You must also take into account that we couldn’t afford dental care until last year, so most of them have gone through the formative tooth-y years without dentists. And still no cavities in all that time. Miracle. 
There have been a lot of happy piles lately. Okay, okay, so yesterday they were feeling overwhelming but I tackled them while having a dear heart-to-heart with a friend that has been long overdue. (Modern technology has clear benefits some days!) Our homeschool days are moving along, mostly in rhythm. After the last year feeling like a mud-slow drudgery, this is a change we’re so grateful for. I do think we’ve finally found the us-schooling that works for our family. (I’ve got to remember where I read that term. A blog post, I think, where the author said ‘We’re not eclectic or Charlotte Mason or Classical homeschoolers- we’re “us”schoolers. We do what works for us.’ I love that.) I’ve been working on two projects lately that have been so fulfilling creatively. I hope to share more of that soon. 
So, yes, we’re here. Just chugging along in the beautiful crazy. I know I should really stop depending on my Instagram photos for blogging, but man, you know what? It’s totally working for me right now. Big girl camera soon, I promise. I hope to be able to slip in tomorrow with some Art Friday. I have a whole backlog of things I’d love to share. However, Elly has been so snuggly lately. I’ll take that over this any day! 🙂