Coming home after eight days is like dessert. The meal was great but dessert – always the best part.

We had a delightful vacation with family and old friends, and now, at last! we are home. Our week was busy, relaxing, challenging, fun, exhausting, and inspiring.

We grilled out and swam in the lake.

We caught frogs and crickets (and sniffles).

We went to the park and the pool and the baseball stadium.

We had chocolate cake twice (one birthday, one wedding). And watching my high school best friend marry the right guy made my heart smile.

We colored and baked and made messes and cleaned up and went to bed. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but nearly all delightful.

Parenting without my sweetie was sometimes trying (and I missed him besides), but I think we’ll spend a week there next summer too. It’s good for us to break our routine and head to the city.

And now? It’s time to unpack. We leave in three days for another week away!