Full Moon

Two nights ago, I noticed how bright the moon was and remembered how much I appreciated full and full-ish moons when driving back from Nashville during hockey for all the practices.  I am so grateful for the time driving Matthew in the car. I trulyam thankful for this gift of time from God now that he is at boarding school so can continue his passion for hockey AND get a fantastic education. And...that being said, I am so incredibly grateful to not having anymore late night drives home from Nashville. i am blessed by God for His protection from flats, darting animals, and crazt driverd. So glad to not be driving!

Hard to believe this is a military school ;-)

Matriculation Ceremony

So proud.

I won't be typing much here since my right arm is in a sling. We will title this a picture is worth a thousand words.

Culver Week One

A parent posted a bunch of pictures to the FB Parents' Page so I downloaded as many as I thought might have Matthew to play "Where's Waldo" and those showing the bonfire last night....now I know why he didn't call when he got his phone back...In other words, "Yes, Matthew, I'm stalking you."

Pictures GALORE...now get a magnifying glass and find Matthew with me!

Today is the DAY!

It's here. The day that I have been dreading. The day that Matthew has been looking forward to...the day the dynamics of home change from loud to quiet. It's the day Matthew learns to be on his own. The beginning of a new chapter in his life for academics and hockey. Today, I drive Matthew to Culver Military Academy. It's the beginning of the big adventure.

Sunshine Kinda Day

Today I understood how my dad, raised on a farm, was not just a morning person, he was a really early morning person. As I watched the mist rise from the darkness of the cornfields to the colors of the sky as the sun nudged itself towards a glorious sunrise, It was a revelation. This must have been what his youthful self would see each morning. It was a beautiful quiet moment.

The beauty of this morning made realize how much I wish my dad had lived to meet Hannah and Matthew.  Dad would have been so proud of his grandchildren. He met Lauren when she was a baby and doted on her and her cousins. It has been 30 years since he passed away and oh, how I wish he could see Hannah's senior pictures...the farm boy in him and the gardener in him would have just loved this photos.

Summer

Summer. Hot. Humid...I can't wait for Fall. It's my normal statement at this time of the year. The sultry weather is not my cup of tea...I wasn't a big fan of Summer in the desert of California, throw in some humidity and you pretty much described hell for me. I have to slow down my desire for Fall. Matthew heads to boarding school in August and this Fall will be a lot quieter around the house and I know I will regret my haste for Fall's arrival. I am so excited for him because this is all he wants but I was not mentally prepared for Matthew to leave home before college. How did British parents do this? The decision wasn't easy but when you have a boy with a passion for hockey and a good education, you have to...as my brother put it, "Cut the apron strings." Ouch. However, my brother is right, it is time to send him north for hockey.

In the meantime, life has been busy...I will post some pictures to give you a sense of this Summer...the one before everything changed...

Fresh from the garden

Saturday Morning Prayer

My favorites...besides my children

Matthew makes the Ford Ice Center Twitter Feed

Self-Explanatory

He's still around

A Summer Morning

Waiting to board our plane to Boston

Guess who got his Driver's Permit?

My favorite part of driving to Franklin for Hockey...the llamas or alpacas...I don't know the difference

Hannah was so excited to fly. Me? Not so much...it's lost its charm for me

First Meal in MA was in Bedford near where she lived her first two years on this planet

So....H does not share my love of history and literature...Lexington and Concord bored her. Are we sure we're related?

The only win for the Battle Trail was a ceiling H could touch

Dressed and ready for her first session for Future Physicians and Medical Scientists

Did I forget to mention my friend, Karen, was able to join us?

H was bored by history and Louisa Mae Alcott but LOVED riding the T

Geeky Science Student meets Harvard Bookstore, The Coop

H meets her car's namesake, John Harvard

Ice Cream is that way

Pinocchio's Pizza, listed on the top 10 places to visit at Harvard

The Charles at Sunset

Paul Revere's house...a bored Hannah just wants to ride the T and see the ocean

The Old North Church

I won the Duck Tour Trivia game and got a copy of Ghost...on VHS...Seriously?

Heading Home

Guess who turned 30?

Out of order but Hannah's happiest moment in Boston....Can you smell the sea?

Sibling tradition continues

This one was too sick to party as much as she usually does

And there you have it...my 60 second tour of the Summer of 2019 thus far.