The End of the Beginning

As the last of our out of town helpers leaves on an airplane, we enter the season of learning what it means to be a family of four. Three solid weeks of meals from friends, play time with Grandmas, and chores done by Aunties made the initial sleeplessness of living with a newborn unspeakably less stressfull! I am forever grateful for all the help. Emagene never noticeably felt neglected and jealous meltdowns have been nonexistent as she truly is the proudest big sister I have ever known.

And now, this afternoon, we start learning how to be just us. What will our daily rhythm look like now that we have a tiny sleeper and a busy preschooler? How will days with away from home activities work since driving to and from the airport requires 2 nursing stops? Can we convince the baby that the car seat is a safe place to nap without forcing her to cry needlessly? Will we remember to use inside voices even when we are hungry, need to pee or feeling excited?

We are also transitioning into being the owners of only 3 chickens. Some sort of freak accident claimed the life of our biggest chicken, Minerva. She was found last night by using our noses, poor thing. She came up missing Sunday night at bedtime roll call. After Pete and I searched the yard at twilight, I assumed she was the victim of an aerial predator. The other girls had seemed nervous and skittish on Monday, but we still could not find her in the day light, even though we searched every time we went outside. Finding her under the deck three days later proved my predator theory wrong as she was found whole. I now think she got spooked while already under the deck, jumped to avoid whatever spooked her -probably my cat - hit her head and never moved again. Sadly, I think she slow death is what made the other girls nervous. Her presence is missed.

Emagene is handling the loss alright. She understood about the 'big birds.' We've talked about them liking to eat chicken and that being a motivator to lock them up at night and check on them throughout the day. But having something die due to an accident is new for her. She has said she will miss our black chicken, Minerva, but is glad we still have the others.

Another end at hand is the closing of our favorite local wholesale grocer, Ken's Produce. They had the best avocados, tomatoes, and roasted pecans in town but sadly have been forced to close due the opening of yet another commercial 'organic' grocer with promises of local produce. I already miss chats with the cashier and all the secret mothering tips we've shared throughout the last year and a half. I just wish they had stayed open another month so she could meet Aoife, and I could have learned her name.

But truly all this ending fits the season. We are entering the end of Summer and the beginning of Autumn. The shift away from heat and water play and the renewed focus of learning indoors is upon us. The next Season of Awesomeness cannot start until the current season ends. While we aren't heading back to school this year, we are excited to participate in activities with our rec center. And thus continues the rotation of the Wheel of the Year, with its beginnings and endings working together beautifully and seamlessly.

Enjoy the beginning of Autumn but do not mourn the Summer for it shall return.