The last little bit of summer flew by for me in a haze of taking the kids to summer school and work and getting a few precious days home alone to organize, clean out, watch a movie, and get mentally ready for starting back to school. And just like that, I'm looking at my last week of the first quarter and two weeks of fall break coming up! Lots happening around here over the last two months and it was definitely a big adjustment to be back at work 5 days a week and then to get the kids going at school. Now we are kind of in a busy groove and it's feeling (mostly) like old times.
End of Summer:
Matt and I went to Dave Matthews-- a Father's Day gift for him. Neither of us had seen him before and he was just like he sounds on the cds. What we weren't quite envisioning- the crazy throngs of middle aged people there. I don't know why, but I just wasn't expecting such a crowd and we quickly grew a little tired of all the people and ended up leaving in time to avoid the traffic getting out of the venue. Something different, but I think I've checked off my box of seeing him in concert and don't need to do so again.
Allie did private swim lessons with a friend of Joshua's and she actually was swimming! But then our pool never opened and she hasn't really tried since then. I guess next year will be her year?!
The girls got their annual trip to Mimi and GrandGene's and indulged in shopping, fancy al fresco dining, treats, movies, slime-making, etc. Julia did not want to leave and actually didn't leave at the appointed time. She stayed a few more days and would clearly be fine to move in there! :)
The boys on Matt's side all went to a Durham Bulls game and the girls went to dinner. So nice to sit and catch up, especially with Sophia who was soon to leave for college.
And I started school at the end of July with a lot of meetings and preparations. It's gone really well but those first few days of having 20 kids in the class were a little YIKES! It is a lot to teach 5 year olds who have mostly been home for the last year and a half how to do classroom life and covid procedures on top of that. But each week brought progress and now that I know them so well, it is so much less stressful. It is a world of difference to be able to be in person and I'm so thankful we have been able to stay that way all quarter. Just being able to point to a child's paper and show them where to start writing is a gift!!
Starting School- Aug/Sept:
Off they all went to start a new year. Allie got the teacher she wanted, who is apparently a superstar according to all the people we talked to that knew her. So far, so great. Allie loves school and by one week in had told us she would like Mrs. Duke to move in and be her second mom and that she only liked the camps she went to that were learning camps, not just playing, which was a change of attitude about learning from during summer, when she was more than happy to sit and watch a movie for her camp time. She says she likes 1st grade even better than kindergarten.
Julia started 6th grade and I was a little concerned about that, remembering how even though our boys sailed through, a lot of the girls we knew had a hard time with middle school drama/behavior issues. So far, so great for her too! She enjoys her teachers a lot and from day one was not shy at all to get right to getting to know them, striking up conversations or asking questions. She is making new friends and most of all, getting to know old ones better through cross country. We thought she'd be reluctant to try this sport, as she hasn't been a huge running fan in the past. She always did pretty well in the mile runs at Cameron Park, but often stopped to chat or check on a friend along the way, not super determined to excel. She was worried that if she did XC in middle school, she'd be the last one. Well it turns out she's not too shabby at running when she stops talking. :) She has done really well for her team and been in the top 6-8 girls each time. She is loving it and it's so fun to go watch her along with all the other parents and feel like we are back in the school community again. I wasn't prepared for how busy it would feel to have a third child in all the usual activities though. She officially has a life outside the family now! She and Allie are still taking skating lessons and Julia can't wait for the Nutcracker performances...and her birthday...and any other holiday or opportunity to party. She's a social one.
Gray started high school and I was definitely nervous how he'd manage navigating the school since he had only been inside one time. He was not a bit worried and found strategies for finding his way like asking a teacher or finding someone he knew was in his class and just following them. He said he ended up in the basement by the janitor's closets after a fire drill that first week of school, but not a big deal for him-- he found his way back. He has been cool as a cucumber about everything and for the most part seems to be keeping up with his classes. I think it helps him to only have 4 to manage. He's been playing some lacrosse but wasn't interested in any school sports, which eliminates social time unfortunately, but I think he's doing ok. He enjoys participating in Young Life and sometimes seeing friends in the neighborhood. He continues to always want to do things his own way and is showing some maturity, such as working hard to help at the Food Bank yesterday, and some of his old antics, such as getting stuck in the tape that he had wrapped around his hands (behind his back) at the end of this event.
Joshua felt like an old-timer starting 10th grade even though his quarter of every other week high school with 3 kids in some of his classes wasn't exactly a typical initiation to Orange. He has determined he wants to try out for the school basketball team and goes to off season practice now, and is also helping out with younger lacrosse teams to pay for travel lacrosse, and is participating in Young Life too, and is working out in our garage with a friend three times a week so he is super busy. His classes don't seem to be very demanding and he is pretty self-sufficient. I guess we're looking at even more self-sufficiency in a couple of weeks when he gets his license! I don't know whether to be relieved at having another driver or afraid at him being out on his own. I do find it's mostly exciting to watch these kids grow and enter new stages of life and it's definitely been a blessing with Joshua.
The boys ride to school with my friend Robyn's son who is a senior, so I think they enjoy rolling into school via the student parking lot. They are often not awake when I leave for school and I think that's been a good thing, so they are not at all dependent on me and I don't spend the morning urging them along, stressed they will be late. Somehow Julia seems to get to school via the Mussers, without my help, though she sometimes has hair struggles and one day forgot her instrument and computer...and I think more often than not they are knocking on the door for her, because she'll tell me, "I went out and waited for, like, 20 minutes, and then ran inside to get something and saw Raven and she was so cute so I sat down with her to pet her and then I heard a knock at the door. :) Still refining that sense of time and ability to hurry for sure! I take Allie and old-man-in-a-second-grader's-body Caleb, who is adorable. I love watching these two interact.
We did something different as a family one Saturday-- went bowling in Chapel Hill. It was deserted but we had a good time and everyone got a little better at bowling as they went. At the end, we visited the small arcade, where the kids got some cheap candy and left happy. Joshua didn't care so much about the candy, but enjoyed excelling on the basketball game...probably something to do with us having one at our house. :)
My Birthday:
I turned 40 this month and oh, what celebrations I had! The first was Labor Day weekend at my parents' house.
We had lots of fun in Mr Bud's pool with the cousins and then Jeannie and my mom and I headed off to a really nice dinner. It was sad that the Leightons were sick and couldn't be there. I haven't seen Amanda in ages and was looking forward to all of us catching up, but that is life these days. My aunt and uncle were also supposed to join and couldn't make it, so it was a small crew, but good to be home again. We came back to my parents' house where the men and kids had done a cookout and were watching football. 
Then I was given such perfect gifts for me, thoughtful cards, and beautiful/delicious birthday dessert. We ended with some games that were fun and informative about my birth year. :)
That night was my "birthday party" and I felt so spoiled! I had a sash and crown, desserts, sweet cards, such nice gifts, and a trivia game about my life. So thoughtfully planned and so much fun!
It was a quick trip, but so glad to get to celebrate with my family, who so lovingly planned my party.
I didn't get pictures, but my next celebration was on Labor Day at Matt's parents' house- a joint party with Kim, whose actual birthday was that day. We got lovely gifts and a wonderful meal and had fun catching up together.
On my actual birthday, I didn't get any pictures either, but I did get to celebrate. The morning didn't begin so celebratory, as each kid either ignored me or fussed/complained before it occurred to them what day it was, but hey- things only went up from there! It was a half day at school and when I arrived the kids were making me birthday cards. When I brought the kids back to the class from music, I was surprised to find a huge bouquet of roses from Matt. I left at noon and got to have a nice conversation with Amanda on my way to my traditional shopping spot- the Loft outlet. I had gift cards and birthday money to spend and always find lots of things in the clearance section as I reminisce about getting that first phone call about a little girl with a heart defect. I went to Julia's XC meet with Matt's mom later and we had a good time cheering Julia on. Then I came home and made a dinner of my choosing. It was late and didn't turn out as good as I wanted it to, but after dinner when Matt got home, I was showered with gifts and treats. Gray finished things off by telling me his gift was the best for last. He hid a little creature that beeps and when I found it in a basket on a high shelf, there were two $20 bills- $40 for my 40th....which was generous, even if not planned out with care. ;)
My final birthday celebration was one I had dreamed about for many months- a long weekend away with friends. I love time spent with friends but find it's never long enough to say all we want to say or completely relax and forget the day to day stuff. Having three nights away was such a gift. In the beginning of planning, my friend Lisa was texting about possible destinations and her phone autocorrected it to "destiny", which is what we began referring to the weekend as and truly what it felt like...so much more than a trip. I took a day off of work and two friends and I left on Thursday afternoon, feeling free as birds! We had a leisurely dinner on the water there and settled in to the beautiful lake house, ending the night with chocolate, movie, and conversation. The next day most everyone else arrived and we did walks, talking, eating, and an attempt at a nice dinner out. The restaurant ended up so crazy that they couldn't accommodate us, so we had a drink on the deck there while we ordered pizza to take back to the house.
The next day we did more walking, hanging out in the water (and my first time trying a stand up paddle board), a fabulous home cooked meal, lots of talking, and a murder mystery game.
It was sad when it was over. Some of the friends I just don't see much because of covid and it was so good to catch up. And just being with the friends I do see a lot without time constraints was wonderful.
The loving attention on me from family and friends this birthday blessed me so much and I felt like the luckiest girl (can you still say "girl" when you're 40?!) in the world. Thank you all!
