Five years since the lake

Five years ago last week, my Dad moved out of his lake cottage and we were there for the last time.  I've found the fifth anniversary of things tends to be a strong feeling for me.  I've found myself really yearning for the lake this summer.  I had hoped we could take a day and just drive around that area, but since we've moved farther away it's tough.  It's over a two hour drive just to get there, then two hours home, plus the time we would want to spend in the area, and we just don't have those days.  The thing I am most grateful for though, is that we have the memories that are so special!

Three nights apart

Andrew left after the swim champs to go visit his parents.  His mother had shoulder surgery last week and Andrew wanted to go over and help out around the house.  He'll be back Saturday.  We knew the kids wouldn't want to miss their swim party Friday evening, and as it turns out both Robert and Catherine need to be at the swim finals tomorrow.  Robert also works Friday and Saturday.  Right before he left, Andrew and I realized we've never been apart for three nights before.  There have been several times with two, but never three.  I know that most couples can't say that, and we are very blessed that is the case.  I don't want to wish away days in the summer, but I'll certainly be happy to see him on Saturday!

A fabulous end to the swim season

This morning was swim championships.  My kids are not the team's best swimmers.  They aren't even really competitive.  I was beginning to wish we weren't even participating, especially since we had to be out the door by 6:30.  I am so grateful that we did though.  Robert showed some improvement, and Thomas's improvement was amazing!  In one race he cut 20 seconds off his best time, and in another he won his heat against five other swimmers!  To see the joy and feeling of accomplishment on his face...there just aren't words.  In fact, he finished well ahead of others in his winning heat and I loved when he looked back and saw that everyone else was still swimming, and he had cut 11 seconds off that time.  I had a few tears in my eyes seeing him be that happy and feel that sense of accomplishment.

Catherine also had an accomplishment, but she's just in a "mood".  She swam the 100IM for the first time ever.  I wasn't even sure she knew what order to swim in, but she did.  The parents were kind of joking that swim championships didn't seem to be the place to make such a debut, and we were just happy that she swam in the correct order and finished.  She swam so cleanly in fact, that she didn't get DQ'd.  Quite a few did...so many in fact that Catherine is the alternate for the finals tomorrow.  You can't imagine our shock!  She wasn't very pleased about it as I had made arrangements for she and Thomas to stay with my mom tomorrow evening because Robert is an alternative for the relay team for his age group.  She wants to go to my mom's and tried announcing that she wasn't going swimming tomorrow.  I've explained that I'll ask Mom to reschedule, and she started to feel better.  We chose not to explain to her that with the DQ's only 13 swimmers had recorded times, and she was #13.

I hadn't really planned to be involved in the finals tomorrow, and there is still a chance that we'll have to go and no one will actually swim.  Regardless, I'm proud of how strongly the kids finished the season!

We miss the way it used to be

Today was the annual pool party at my aunt's house.  We were all there, along with my mom, grandma, aunt, uncle, a cousin, his wife, and his two children.  My sister wasn't there, and an entire branch of the family wasn't there...this is the family that tends to be full of drama.  It was a nice visit though, and I always enjoy visiting with my cousin's wife.

On the way home though, Andrew and I were commenting on how we miss the way it used to be.  When all the kids were little, there would be seven of them in the pool, and a few adults as well.  The kids would play for hours and hours in the pool, and it would often be 8:00 or so before we would venture home.  My Dad always came down, and we have great pictures from over the years.

Now, a lot of the kids might have jobs or plans, and of course there are certain relatives not speaking to certain relatives so you just never know.  My dad is gone, my sister doesn't like coming down, and we were all out the door by 6:00 or so.  It's just not the same.  It feels more like everyone is just there because they feel like they have to be, and you are never sure what you can say to whom or what might set someone off.  We really miss the fun that we used to have, although we are grateful for family.

We've shaken hands

Our family is both excited and appalled that we have shaken hands with the republican vice-presidential candidate.  I don't want this blog to be political, or even this post, but excited and appalled are the words.  Three years ago for spring break our family visited Indianapolis for a few days, and while we were there we visited the state capital.  Because we were a family with children, we garnered attention.  We mentioned that we wondered where the governor's office might be, and an aide overheard us and offered to show us.  While in the office, the governor left a meeting, and our family (including Thomas's stuffed animals) were able to shake hands with Governor Mike Pence.  Today, he has been named Trump's running mate.  While it is exciting to have shaken hands, my personal feelings about Trump negate any excitement at all.

Having said all of this, this election season can not end soon enough.

Six weeks ago on vacation

It doesn't seem possible to me that six weeks ago today was our last day on vacation.  Six weeks have gone by since then!  To be honest, there is a part of me that almost physically aches about this.  Our vacation was literally THAT awesome.  Our family is just absolutely amazingly blessed.

We are down to just a month (or less in some cases) of summer left.  I think I'll be ready when the time comes for more of a routine, but it's going to be a heck of one.  Robert will be attending vo tech school 1/2 hour away and running cross country.  Catherine will be doing marching band, and Andrew will be coaching middle school football.  I had encouraged him since we moved here to get back into coaching, especially at the middle school level.  That way, he never misses Robert's Saturday races.  We have talked about me going back to subbing, but with my part-time job added on top of my taxiing responsibilities, and not have Andrew's after school flexibility,  it definitely won't be first thing this fall.  It can make me anxious and tired just thinking about it, especially when I reflect on how fabulous and relaxing vacation was...six whole weeks ago!

Just as exhausting as I'd remembered it

Getting ready for band camp is just as stressful and exhausting as I'd remembered it.  On the upside though, because I remembered it, I am being proactive and things are going along well.  I'm exhausted because I'm not sleeping well either, but we are hanging in there.  Andrew has been awesome about things at home and I'm so grateful for him.  We have added stress this year with band directors' health issues, but we'll get through.  One week down, a whole bunch to go.