I'm taking the time today, on this last day of Summer Vacation, to look back on what a great summer it truly was. And since it's all a blur, I grabbed our calendar off the wall and I have it in front of me to spark those memories.
Let's see...Let's start with the last day of school! Thomas's 6th grade graduation was neat. I was so proud of him. Seven years at one school is a gift for him from my heart to his, even if he doesn't realize it. I so want to give my kids stability. And it's paying off because Thomas is flourishing both as a student and a person. Dominique was here to celebrate with us. That is always a treat. Talk about a flourishing person! A daughter of my heart. And Norah had her Kindergarten "graduation" too. What a sweet memory maker. It is such a milestone to go from a little kid to a "grader". ;) Although, at the time, my mother-in-law was sick and we really worried about her. That was no fun. She works too hard. Glad Dome was here to make her go to the doctor. She recovered though, praise God.
The next week, Thomas had his annual eye exam where he learned that he needed to now wear his glasses full-time. This did not go over well. It was really rough for awhile. He was afraid it would change him, how he looked, and even how he played. I could understand and my heart ached for him. I even offered to wear my glasses full time in solidarity. But eventually, time and the prayers of many helped him adapt to his new reality. He wears his glasses faithfully now without complaint. And he looks so good in them!
Two days later, he went off of the youth group camping trip where they got to fish and swim and shoot GUNS! He had a blast. Ha ha, had a blast! No pun intended.
Oh yes, and then there was the Sunday where I think my Pastor lost a few marbles because he actually asked me to...well, I guess you'd call it "preach" though I hesitate to call it that. But I did speak on something God had been burning in my heart for awhile and that was a message of encouragement for our county and city. Oh boy, that's a whole other blog post. But I have to say, I love where I live and I think there is a lot of good that goes on here and I really wanted to proclaim it to my church family and I hope that God spoke a word of encouragement to them that day.
So Thomas was barely back from his camping adventure when he was off to baseball camp where he got to go and be coached and play ball with a local team of college-age ball players. It was an awesome opportunity for him and he learned a lot and had a great time. As part of the registration fee, we were given a bunch of tickets to come to their ball games and we went to three along with different other people each time and it was a blast! We will for sure be making the ball field a regular summer tradition from now on! What great memories.
July rolled around to the annual church BBQ & picnic, which was lovely as always. I could just lay underneath those leafy trees and feel the warm breeze drift over me forever. I love my church family so much.
The next day was the 4th of July. We had just got in the car to go to our friends' house to set off fireworks and were maybe a half a block from home when Norah asked for a mint. We keep them up front in the console. The mint tin is kind of difficult for her to open so I usually pop it open and hand it to her so she can pick her own mint. This time I didn't open it for some reason and just passed the tin back to her. Evidently, she was going to take matters into her own hands, or shall I say, teeth. Because next thing I know, I hear her brother screaming, "NORAH BROKE A TOOTH! SHE'S BLEEDING!!!!!!" I pull over quickly, put the car in park, double check that I put the car in park, rip off my seat belt, jump out of the car, open her door and see blood!!!! She's crying hysterically, I'm yelling, Arvin's yelling, it's chaos. I had a tissue in my hand and I'm screaming, "WHERE'S THE TOOTH?!" And Arvin's yelling, "IT'S IN YOUR HAND!" I look in her mouth, I look at the tooth.....and the root is all neatly reabsorbed.....and it dawns on me.....this is no crisis. This child has simply lost her first tooth. I show her. I explain to her and to all of us, that this is okay, this is normal, this was actually supposed to happen. Everything is okay. She is growing up. We, all of us, just weren't ready for it. It came totally out of the blue. There was no ceremony, no warning, no tradition of the wiggly tooth. Just BAM! Completely and totally without my consent or approval, a major change had come and my baby had changed. And it was all just so shocking, and so wonderful and so sad all at once. We half laughed with relief and as we resumed our drive, behind my sunglasses, I half cried with the heart of a mom who's broken heart needed to get up and keep walking to the beat of time that yields for no woman. It was great. And so completely unfair.
Tooth count for the summer: Norah lost another one a couple of weeks later and Thomas lost three later. Five teeth total. And I didn't approve a single one. Something tells me I don't have as much control as I like to think I do.
So next up for Mr. Thomas was a day trip to the water slides with the youth group. Another fun-filled, action packed day!
This was not to be a lazy, hazy summer for him because next up was his 12th birthday. Instead of a birthday party, we took him to see his favorite professional baseball team play their arch rivals! It was a perfect trip! We ate ate all our favorite restaurants, we had a great ride on a ferry to and from the game, and our team beat their opponents 5-0! Couldn't ask for a better time. Memories.
Went to a quilt show. I could write a whole sermon just based on quilts and I am in awe of how much goes into making these works of art. Went to a jewelry party and spent too much money. Why do I like bling so much? Again another sermon because Heaven is COVERED in gems and I guess I just like that sort of thing! ;) Checked books out of the Library with the kiddos. Thomas and I are now into Sasquatch and we even looked for books about that as we are now firm believers that Big Foot is real. ;) I checked out a book about Amish quilts too. This is my Amish summer. I ordered a lot of Amish fiction on my Kindle and loved every word. Something in me is craving a simpler life. Kind of a funny contrast with my innate craving for bling, huh? Yes, I know I'm messed up. Perpetual tension. It is --or it will be--well with my soul. The first step is admitting you have a problem. Some days, I don't think I have a problem and then other days I AM the problem.
Our big family adventure for the summer was a trip to visit Arvin's sister and family. We had such a good time. It was the "perfect" amount of everything, sun, relaxing, swimming, shopping, eating, laughing. It was...just...great.
And of course, it was a double-play for Thomas again as he didn't even make it home from that trip. As soon as we pulled into town, we dropped him off for an overnight slumber party camp out for his best bud's birthday party. Our son we pooped!!! Too much fun! He cannot say that he was bored this summer, that is for sure!
We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this summer as well as six years at our current home. Thank you God. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
The days in between all the "big stuff", the kids slept in, watched cartoons and movies, played in the back yard, did workbooks that I forced them to do, had fun outside with a little plastic kiddie pool, climbed the tree and just had fun. We had a couple of play dates. We met friends twice to go swimming at a local park that has a little dammed up river. I got a tan for the first time since I was a teenager I think. Felt great. :)
It just felt great. I think that could be the theme of the summer.
I never want anything to come to an end. The last day of school I get all nostalgic and don't want it to end. The last day of summer vacation is here and I don't want it to end either. And I guess it's good that I don't get a vote because if I did, then nothing would ever change and new memories would not get to be made. This is going to be a great new season in life. New adventures made better by the experiences of the past. We're all growing and changing and learning and thriving. Thank you God. Thank you God. Thank you God. Thank you God. You never change, you never fail.
"You're the God of my days
the King of my nights
You'll never leave me
You are faithful."
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