I’m watching Lucah build sandcastles in his sandpit while Mia hangs upside down on her monkey bars in the backyard, the sun beating down, and sewing a tester panel of stitches from a book I got from a local sewing shop. So far, I’ve managed to master six of the fancy stitches, and majorly pleased with myself for my ability to get this so quickly.

“Hey, you.” Jake scoots down on the grass beside me, wearing shorts that are not usually his thing and a loose T-shirt with some ...