I’m starting a new series today. The plan is that this will be an infrequent (once a quarter?) life update and is deeply inspired by the “Story Threads” newsletters that my friend Ali sends out. I look forward to her emails so much and want to try some of the same writing here. As I am sure you’ve noticed, most of what I publish on Scattering Seeds is my creative output. I love to share my work! But behind the 5% creative output is 95% personal input and that’s what these posts will try to cover. I am calling this series “Around Here” which is a title I used on similar blog posts 15 years ago.

Around here my girls will be going back to school tomorrow. It’s been a great summer break; the best one we have had together in the six years since they were both in school. Back in May I was apprehensive about the upcoming season. The long days at home are looooooong and this year, unlike the past couple, I had work that I needed to get done.

What I didn’t expect was how busy the girls would be. Both have formed solid groups of friends and the looooooong days felt much shorter when they were broken up with play dates and mall hangs and birthday parties and having people over to swim. Friendship dynamics in the tween and teen years can be so hard and I don’t take a second of the ease the girls felt this summer for granted. Ellerie starts 8th grade tomorrow and Piper will be in 5th. It feels like we are entering the fast-lane and like the next five years are going to fly. It’s remarkable to be here. I can finally see the future in a way I never could when they were small and I was drowning in the ocean of motherhood.