After the boat ride and swimming, we were shocked suddenly to discover it was lunch time. And once lunch was over, we were shocked at how tired the kids were — except the two youngest.

But soon after, everyone was rested and the water called us back again. The little puppy running around the lakefront — dubbed Cutie by the kids — was quite an attraction, too. In fact, more so in many ways. Even when the puppy wasn’t there, they played as if she were there. “We must find Cutie!” L cried out, fishing for her with a bit of line and a magnet. “She must have fallen in!”

But she hadn’t — we were the only ones to fall in. Make that jump in — the Girl’s newest water obsession.

Meanwhile, the youngest looked on and ate an early dinner.

With a twelve-week-old, our schedule is his schedule. “He ate at three,” K begins, figuring the next feeding time and its impact on our less-than-tight schedule. Sometimes that’s a challenge; at the lake, it was inconsequential. After all, how many vacations run on a tight schedule? Well, scratch that: I know some who run their vacations like boot camp.

Evening came and we decided on another boat ride. The Boy took it all in stride: his expression consistently said, “Oh well, here we go again. This should be fun…”

And it was for some of us. L got to drive a boat for the first time. It was a carefree frolic for her. No stress; no worries, no fear.

We returned to find brilliance.

Brilliance that shifted.