We are in New Hampshire for a little bit, I arrived on Wednesday and Rich and the three youngest kids came on Thursday. I’ve been doing a lot of reading, thinking, watching tv, and spending time with the family and in the kitchen.

Life has been as full as ever. Dear Caleb goes off to college in August which bothers me very much because I will miss him and the time of raising him went by so sweetly and so quickly. He’s always been such a gentle captivating boy.

I made homemade rolls the other day and currently we have a cake cooling on the stovetop. Sarah mixed it up herself, and as it mixed she drew a heart with her finger on the bottom of the pan after she buttered it. She’s a dear soul. Neat and organized, an avid reader, and oh so fun and wise. She held my hand tightly as we waded into the lake together this afternoon. I did up her long blond hair in two French braids there, too.

The lake is beautiful. Of course it’s much different from the ocean on Jekyll Island, and I found myself alone there yesterday morning when I couldn’t sleep anymore. I walked to the edge and looked so far across, and saw the mountains. I waded into the chilly water with bare feet. What I noticed most of all was what the lake was saying; “Lap. Lap. Lap.” I thought of motherhood and all the times I had the children on my lap. I always loved having them so close. As a mother with a very deep mothers’ heart, I listened to the lake and felt a very deep connection. It spoke to me.