There are 15+ of us staying under one roof this week.

Andrew's mom and siblings, their spouses, all of our kids... it's loud, messy, chaotic, and somehow still feels like home.

Our days have become a rhythm of in the pool, out of the pool. In the house, out of the house. Towels covering every chair, snacks disappearing as quickly as we can put them out, and bags packed for one more ride on the water.

And honestly... what a gift.

This trip, in particular, has reminded me how sweet it is that our kids get to grow up with their cousins in their lives. I get to have "sisters" that I married into, and watching Andrew with his brothers, you can still catch glimpses of the little boys they once were. Then I look over at their mom watching all of it, and you can almost imagine her seeing pieces of those childhood summers all over again through her grandkids.

It's one of those moments that makes you stop and realize just how quickly life changes.

We left for this trip just a few days ago, and Drew is already heading home with two less teeth. To us, this week has been a bit hot, busy, loud, and a little chaotic. To our kids? It's been swimming, cousins, popsicles, s'mores and hoping the tooth fairy shows up twice. 🤪

I know summer looks different for everyone. Maybe there are no trips this year. Maybe relationships are changing, jobs are shifting, people are moving, or you’re stepping into a season you never expected. Maybe your biggest adventure is still ahead of you this summer.

Whatever your summer looks like, life has a funny way of changing so much in such a short amount of time. Before we know it, we’ll be packing backpacks instead of pool bags, and another season will be here.

I feel like I write some version of this every week, but I can’t help it. I’m just really feeling how precious this season is.

We are certainly not bored. Just very grateful.

Speaking of bored... that’s actually what this week’s podcast is about.

Andrew and I found ourselves debating what people really mean when they say they’re "bored" in marriage. Are you actually bored, or are you just in a funk? Has your relationship become boring, or has your engagement with it simply shifted?

It started as one of our classic semantic debates but turned into a conversation we’ve continued having with family all week. It made us wonder if "bored" is really the right word for so many of the seasons we find ourselves in.

Maybe boredom isn’t always something to fix. Maybe it’s an invitation to pay attention to what’s happening right in front of you.

If you’ve made it this far in my little diary entry after the kids went to bed, thank you.

I hope you have an amazing rest of your week. And maybe somewhere between the errands, the work, the laundry, packing and unpacking bags, the wet footprints through the house, and the little smiles missing a tooth or two, you'll find a moment to pause. Because what can feel ordinary—or even a little "boring"—might actually be the season you'll look back on with the most gratitude.

— Shawn Johnson and Andrew East

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