The end of the first week

 We made it through this week.  I'll be honest, I am more exhausted then I thought I would be.  There was a lot of stress outside of work that made the week crazier than anticipated, but we made it.  It's amazing how, no matter what the week has been like, there is just something about the fact that it is Friday that can really "pick you up".

It sounds as though Andrew and Thomas had a good week as well.  Catherine came home Wednesday for a dental appointment so our family went out to dinner that evening.  I loved sitting there laughing and sharing stories of our day.  Catherine doesn't start classes until Monday, but she started her job this week, so we all had new beginnings!  The evening made my heart so incredibly full!

Thomas is at the football game this evening with the pep band.  Andrew and I are having a quick dinner and then cleaning for some guests coming over tomorrow.  The students have arrived back in town, and the new year is underway!

Out the door for the last first day

Thomas just walked out the door to leave for school...his senior year.  This is his last first day of school, and therefore it is the last first day of school for any kiddo in this house.  I don't really understand how that is even possible.  There wasn't much fanfare this morning...a quick pic or two.  Even now, it is different with only him, and with him being mostly responsible.  My most vivid memories of first days are from our former town.  So many vivid memories of school starting.  This is my third "first day" when I've been working, but the first when I wasn't in a classroom.

This coming year will be full of so many transitions.  Andrew and I will most likely be adjusting to empty nesting at this time next year.   We will almost certainly lose Andrew's father during this school year, and at age 90 and with some health issues developing, there is a possibility of losing my grandmother as well.  This year will fly by.  There will be laughs, there will be tears.  There will be exhaustion and renewal.  I'm so grateful for the life I'm living that is full of so many blessings with such special people.

Monday emotions

When Catherine got her new job last week and was scheduled to work tomorrow morning, it suddenly became obvious that she needed to go back to school today instead of later in the week.  Ultimately, I guess I'm glad it was more of a "rip off the bandaid" rather than being sad about it coming up all week.  She will be back for dinner Wednesday to celebrate our first day of school.  We sure did loving having her around.  My heart hurt when I saw her location on my app.  I know it's a good thing and time moves on, but oh goodness, I love having my girl around.  I have some guilt that we didn't do lots of fun things this summer and I can't help but feel it is my fault because I was working.  She would often be off to work as I was coming home, so we didn't get to do lots of family activities that I would normally enjoy each summer.

My youngest starts his senior year in less than 36 hours.  I can't even begin to fathom how this happened so fast.  I'm so proud of the young man he is becoming.  I'm just not ready to be finished with parenting kids 24/7, yet here we are.  A classmate of mine just became a grandmother.  It's so hard for me to believe that is the phase of life we are entering.

We also made a decision about my grandmother's car.  We had been planning to buy it from her, but my sister and I hadn't made any final arrangements yet.  My aunt's car died, and I felt it was the right thing to offer it to her.  We still had the old car that Thomas was driving, but Thomas was so disappointed when I told him.  I hate disappointing my kids, but I did feel it was the right thing.  We all have so many things that tie us to my grandmother, and we don't need the car.

Today was also the day that I attended my final Open House as a parent.  As I drove into the high school parking lot, I began to cry.  I'm grateful for my job, but my heart is still at that school.  I miss subbing and being with all of the kids.  The hard part to accept is that I could be doing office work and applied for jobs at the school, but it just didn't work out that way.  I know I'm so blessed to have what I have, but I also know it's okay to be sad at the same time.

So many emotions on this Monday in the middle of August.  So much going on this week as well...going to need to unwind this weekend!

The middle of August

Today is essentially the middle of the August...often my least favorite month.  So much sadness has occurred in the past Augusts.  When August 13th falls on Friday, I get particularly nervous, and this year was no exception.  I had a doctor appointment that I was afraid was going to have bad news, but I am grateful it worked out well.  I'm also learning to navigate the fact that Thomas has a social life and sometimes that means driving home from a friend's house in the dark.  I'm learning to relax a little though, and I've always said there is nothing like having teenagers to keep one's prayer life going strong.

Here we are...school starts this week.  It's going to be pretty busy, but I think for the most part we are ready for the new routine.  What I truly can't believe is that this is our final year of parenting a child in school.  This is our last go round as parents of a high school student.  This just seems so, so hard to believe.  We've had a child in school for over 15 years...and this is the end.  As I've done before, I plan to soak up everything I can about it.  So many, many changes are on the horizon in our lives!

So glad we got to share it with them

We are currently visiting my in-laws.  My father-in-law is not well.  There is a very real possibility that some of us will not see him again.  His mental decline is significant, his physical decline is almost as bad.  He knows Andrew, but had no clue who I am.   This evening, he didn't even know where he was, even though he was in his own bed.  This trip was already planned weeks ago, but the timing was absolutely perfect.  

And an even better part of that timing was the NFL Hall of Fame inductions.  The class of 2020 was inducted this evening, and there were some prominent Steelers included.  Those kinds of ceremonies are always emotional.  Even though my father-in-law was in bed, I made sure the kids and I watched the speeches that were pertinent to the Steelers with all of us crammed into the bedroom so we could all be together.  My husband has been able to share so many great Steelers memories with his father, and I'm so glad we all shared this together.  I know that my kids don't really understand the significance, but it was special.

Things happening here

We are almost an entire week into August...my least favorite month.  I don't think this year is going to be any different in that regard.  It is, without a doubt, a month of transitions.

Catherine worked her last shift at McDonald's last evening.  We had thought she might keep the job for the fall due to her class schedule.  However, she was able to find what sounds like a great job on campus.  She'll be in food services, which could be anything from dining hall to catering to working in the coffee shop.  It sounds perfect for her!  Classes for her start in two weeks, and I think she will be around here for the bulk of that.  We are disappointed that the majority of her classes are still online this fall, although two are in-person.  She is hoping between that and the new job that she will be able to meet new people.

We are heading to my in-laws today.  This was a pre-planned trip, but made very necessary when my father-in-law suffered what appears to be a stroke this week.  I am dreading this trip, as it very much feels as though this could be the last time any of us, but especially Catherine and I, see him.  As much as Andrew is going to hate losing his father, he hates watching him suffer even more.  I understand that entirely.

The weather has been gorgeous, but it's about to ramp back up to normal weather this time of year.  Just another thing I don't care for about August!

The beginning of August

The first three days of August (and this past Saturday as well) have been absolutely beautiful days.  The temps have been in the low 70's with no humidity.  We've enjoyed a couple of evenings outdoors, and Sunday evening I even decided we should eat outside...I never want to do that!  It's just been so spectacular though, and I want to soak it all up.

This is the first August in so very many years that I will be working each day.  It's such a big adjustment, but I'm grateful for the income.  Overall, it hasn't been a huge adjustment, although I am getting up hours earlier each day than I did before.  While Andrew enjoys the extra income stability, he has mentioned that he misses our care free days we had.  This job is a good compromise though, and I'm grateful for that.

Today will be another beautiful weather day!  It's a fabulous way to begin August!