Holy cow, has it been a long time! I hope you all are having a fantastic summer(or winter, depending on your hemisphere). It’s been a busy one for us.
The summary: Memorial Day, soccer, family vacation, family visits, new job. And that’s just what’s already happened! Coming up: New job(The actual start), Relay for Life, more family visits, baby shower, wedding, and 1st birthday celebrations, Labor Day. Oy!
We had a great trip north for Memorial Day. We got to see family, and Buddy Roo had his first experience walking(or at least being carried) in a parade. We were walking for our local American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. I’m really bummed, as I had hoped to pick up the Little Bug along the parade route and have her walk the rest of the way with Buddy Roo and I, but I missed her. She and Aaron were on the other side of the road from some friends that I hadn’t seen in a very long time(since before Buddy Roo had been born). I talked to them for a few moments, and in my hurry to catch up with the group, I didn’t see her or hear her calling(Bad Mom Award). Gosh! That had to have been the only time I wasn’t watching or listening for her! (She’ll be with me from the start next year, the only exception being if she’d rather watch.) Despite this, I was honored to have had the opportunity to shake the hands of, and to thank personally, many of our local veterans.
A few weeks later, Little Bug had her first real soccer lessons, and had a blast. Because it would have been too easy to just sign her up for camp, we also hosted the two coaches from Great Britain. Really, they weren’t a bother, and it was so much fun to have them in our home. I think I was actually more sad than Little Bug was when it came time for them to leave. Granted, she’s three, and didn’t realize they weren’t coming back in a few hours.
During the week of soccer camp, I also applied for my first job since becoming a stay-at-home-wife/mom almost five years ago. I’ll soon begin working at a coffee shop, and may or may not still be freaking out a bit at the idea. (Yes, I do tend to over-react to things, why do you ask?) Wrapping my head around all of the changes and possible deviations from my original intentions as a parent is making me slightly batty.
*Speaking of batty, Halloween is coming up! Yep, I’m one of “those” people. No, I don’t get this way over Christmas.
For the Fourth of July, we took a mini Midwest tour, going from Ohio, up through Michigan, over through Wisconsin, and stopping in Minnesota. We had a fabulous time celebrating and catching up with friends in Minnesota, and were sad to leave and make the trek back here to Ohio.
Next week, after I complete my training for work, the family will be once again heading up north for our hometown’s Relay for Life. I’ve been participating in this event, as often as possible, since 2002. It’s so important to me, and to many others, and is just a fantastic event to be a part of. I’m proud to say that Little Bug has only missed one since she was born(the first one), and this will be Buddy Roo’s first. The kids don’t do the full 24 hours, obviously, but I feel it’s important for them to be there. My favorite part: The Survivor’s Lap. While I’m not blessed to have both of my parents walking in this lap, I am blessed to have my dad walking in it. I dare anyone to watch that lap, and not have tears in their eyes.
August through Labor Day, it is all about new beginnings. Our cousin is coming up from North Carolina to have her baby shower(I’ll admit to having a love/hate relationship with buying baby things. So cute!/Too many options!), our niece is getting married in what is sure to be the most beautiful wedding in a century, and another niece will be celebrating her first birthday. Hmm…Maybe it’s less about new beginnings, and more about thinner wallets!
How has your summer(winter) been going?
Hippie Tendencies 