Summer Winds Down
Summer is slowly but surely drawing to a close. I've just put the last of the "back to school" jackets and jeans away for safe keeping, because in only another couple of weeks it will be time to pull them out, load up the backpacks, and send the kids off to school again.
It's hard to wrap this summer up into a neat little paragraph or two. It's been one of unusual complexity, and yet, one of the simplest seasons we've had in a long time. The end of the school year coincided almost exactly with the end of my time working at the hospital, and I think we all anticipated a slow, leisurely straightforward summer as a result. It's certainly had its moments. But nothing in this season feels completely straightforward (which, to be fair, is one of the big reasons I walked away from my career when I did).
The days have been full to overflowing with baseball, neighborhood friends, sprinklers, summer camps, home projects, and a whole host of other things. On the surface, it's been a summer of fun activities. But in a deeper sense, it's been a summer of shifting, changing, and sifting through some deep layers.
The boys went away to a week-long camp in the middle of July. It was The Event of the Summer in many ways--dominating conversations beforehand, working through fear and anxiety when the moment came, coaching through the week itself, and then debriefing (still!) afterward. One of the boys in particular seems to be struggling with serious anxiety in this season, and camp was a big ask. He did it, though I have a feeling we'll be working through some of the layers for a long time. Then there were day camps, choir performances, sleepovers with grandparents... Each one was fun, and each one was a stretch in a new direction.
In mid-July I surprised Micah with a weekend away in Michigan to celebrate his upcoming 40th birthday. It was something I'd been planning and working to make happen for several months. It was such a good weekend. As we sat dangling our feet over the cool lake water or wandered through the quaint shops, we spent hours talking. It's always refreshing to have those little escapes, those moments when we're able to go back to who we are when our primary title isn't "Mom" or "Dad." This escape was particularly poignant. In many ways, we felt like we were on the cusp of a new season. It's one that has new freedoms, new opportunities, new independence as a couple. There will be more and more chances to get out for walks alone, to go out for dinner, and eventually to plan little getaways without orchestrating childcare or needing to be so intensive in our parenting. At the same time, as I've said, our kids are in a season of incredible need. The fears, the self-consciousness, the social challenges, the academic needs, the spiritual growth, the physical growth (and, oh, the endless snacking!), etc., etc., etc., etc. The needs aren't as intensive in a physical or behavioral sense, but we fall into bed exhausted most nights at the depth of responsibility and effort it takes to raise big kids.
It's in that tension that we've been living this summer. New freedoms that feel like a breath of fresh air held at the same moment with the weight of deeper, more pressing responsibilities. I think the tension is here to stay.
Meanwhile, I'm sinking my toes deeply into my role staying home. Only two weeks into my "retirement," Micah commented on how relaxed we all seemed. This is, indeed, a very good thing for us. Working with half the income we'd become accustomed to has definitely been a challenge, but it's not a new challenge. For most of our fourteen years, this has been our normal. Plus, I thrive on being creative and frugal. I've been intentional about taking time with each of the kids, about planning and making healthy meals, about tending to our home and budget and lives. And I've loved it.
We decided to wrap up the summer with one last, quick family getaway. We'd been given gift cards to the Indiana state parks, so we took advantage of the time to escape. Yes, we've had a whole summer at home together. But it's been one of the busiest and most intense summers, in many ways, I can ever remember. We needed the chance to escape the hustle and rest. Our three days were filled with reading, swimming, doing puzzles, exploring beaches, and (full disclosure here) watching cartoons in the hotel room. It was just what we needed.
Bring it on, autumn. I think we're (more or less) ready for whatever you may send our way...
It's hard to wrap this summer up into a neat little paragraph or two. It's been one of unusual complexity, and yet, one of the simplest seasons we've had in a long time. The end of the school year coincided almost exactly with the end of my time working at the hospital, and I think we all anticipated a slow, leisurely straightforward summer as a result. It's certainly had its moments. But nothing in this season feels completely straightforward (which, to be fair, is one of the big reasons I walked away from my career when I did).
The days have been full to overflowing with baseball, neighborhood friends, sprinklers, summer camps, home projects, and a whole host of other things. On the surface, it's been a summer of fun activities. But in a deeper sense, it's been a summer of shifting, changing, and sifting through some deep layers.
The boys went away to a week-long camp in the middle of July. It was The Event of the Summer in many ways--dominating conversations beforehand, working through fear and anxiety when the moment came, coaching through the week itself, and then debriefing (still!) afterward. One of the boys in particular seems to be struggling with serious anxiety in this season, and camp was a big ask. He did it, though I have a feeling we'll be working through some of the layers for a long time. Then there were day camps, choir performances, sleepovers with grandparents... Each one was fun, and each one was a stretch in a new direction.
In mid-July I surprised Micah with a weekend away in Michigan to celebrate his upcoming 40th birthday. It was something I'd been planning and working to make happen for several months. It was such a good weekend. As we sat dangling our feet over the cool lake water or wandered through the quaint shops, we spent hours talking. It's always refreshing to have those little escapes, those moments when we're able to go back to who we are when our primary title isn't "Mom" or "Dad." This escape was particularly poignant. In many ways, we felt like we were on the cusp of a new season. It's one that has new freedoms, new opportunities, new independence as a couple. There will be more and more chances to get out for walks alone, to go out for dinner, and eventually to plan little getaways without orchestrating childcare or needing to be so intensive in our parenting. At the same time, as I've said, our kids are in a season of incredible need. The fears, the self-consciousness, the social challenges, the academic needs, the spiritual growth, the physical growth (and, oh, the endless snacking!), etc., etc., etc., etc. The needs aren't as intensive in a physical or behavioral sense, but we fall into bed exhausted most nights at the depth of responsibility and effort it takes to raise big kids.
It's in that tension that we've been living this summer. New freedoms that feel like a breath of fresh air held at the same moment with the weight of deeper, more pressing responsibilities. I think the tension is here to stay.
Meanwhile, I'm sinking my toes deeply into my role staying home. Only two weeks into my "retirement," Micah commented on how relaxed we all seemed. This is, indeed, a very good thing for us. Working with half the income we'd become accustomed to has definitely been a challenge, but it's not a new challenge. For most of our fourteen years, this has been our normal. Plus, I thrive on being creative and frugal. I've been intentional about taking time with each of the kids, about planning and making healthy meals, about tending to our home and budget and lives. And I've loved it.
We decided to wrap up the summer with one last, quick family getaway. We'd been given gift cards to the Indiana state parks, so we took advantage of the time to escape. Yes, we've had a whole summer at home together. But it's been one of the busiest and most intense summers, in many ways, I can ever remember. We needed the chance to escape the hustle and rest. Our three days were filled with reading, swimming, doing puzzles, exploring beaches, and (full disclosure here) watching cartoons in the hotel room. It was just what we needed.
Bring it on, autumn. I think we're (more or less) ready for whatever you may send our way...
