Summer is trucking right along. It’s already the second week of June and I know August and back-to-school will be here before we know it.

Our summer has been very full so far. Immediately following our Hawaii trip, we all went to Williamsburg with Ryan’s folks. We returned home and the very next day, Thomas left for Trail Life Camp. During that week, Ryan joined him and the girls’ and I hosted my siblings’ kids.

As far as my summer experiment goes, I’d say it is going great. I’m settling into some of my new routines and habits like scripture reading/meditating, exercise, and spending lots of intentional time with my family.

I am also feeling rejuvenated in many areas. I have had some great opportunities for reflection. I am grateful to have found my groove again in terms of housekeeping and cooking, both of which I’d lost near the end of the school year. I’m still on the hunt for my writing mojo.

I have kept up to my end of the bargain on not purchasing any new clothes for myself with the exception of a ball gown for an upcoming military ball. I scored a great deal (it was the last one in my size, and a final sale so reduced, reduced, reduced). I felt really good about making this purchase because, well, it simply was the opposite of mindless spending. It was purposeful, deliberate, and I shopped around online and will have it to wear again in the future.

There’s been some clarity for me in several aspects of my life. I’ll share a few of the small epiphanies I have had:

• Centering my mind on God’s word has helped to center me in general. I’m not spending time reading and copying scripture out of strict self-regulation, I’m doing it because I am longing for time in the Word and seeing the direct result of the role it plays in my life.
• When you put yourself on a spending hiatus for things for yourself, you actually quit allowing the thoughts of shopping (either online or physically) to just kind of fizzle away. Being mindful about what we bring into the home (waste) has helped me to focus less on accumulating stuff and more on enjoying moments with people I love.
• Not spending time on Facebook has reduced a LOT of mental clutter. Sure I have my moments of missing out on news of what is going on in the lives of people I know and love, but overall, I have become much more content with who I am and what I have.
• I have felt a return to feeling much more invested with my children and Ryan. We have resumed family devotions in the evenings, have eaten many meals around our table on days we have been home and in town. I have also felt a return to hospitality; something I’ve missed and needed a break from during last school year.

Ultimately, when I think about my life and my values I want to be sure that my actions reflect what is in my heart. I believe that slowly but surely those are aligning once again.

I’ve gotten to the point that I have mental space once again to begin thinking about the upcoming school year, our travel plans in our final year in Georgia, and how I plan to maintain balance in the coming days and weeks once our summer pace ends and the school year pace begins.

I haven’t written here much as I believe this overall lack of focus has invaded nearly every aspect of my life, including writing. I haven’t known what to say or where to dig in. I realize that not everything in life has to be planned or mapped out exactly. However, I have been praying and seeking the Lord on the future of this space, on what He’d like me to focus on. I have so many things on my heart to share about life, marriage, parenting, homeschooling, military life…but it often feels so scattered. Throughout the summer, I’m going to continue my digging and seeking.