Our final week of summer vacation has come and gone. It wasn’t full of big adventures like I thought it might possibly be. It turned out to be fairly quiet. Last Sunday, Jeremy tweaked his back and as a result, our final summer adventure was postpone. Late in the summer, Jeremy added a hike at Mt. Rainier onto our bucket list. We’d been waiting for the weather and our free time to line up. Unfortunately, that didn’t pan out this week. The quiet week wasn’t what I expected, but it was good in it’s own way. Time at home and quieter days are never a bummer in my book. The weather was also cool and cloudy which gave me all kinds of cozy, stay home vibes.
Around the house, Jeremy tidied up the yard after a playful summer. The pool came down since the weather is too cool to heat it now. Inside, I worked on lesson plans for our first quarter of school. I looked over our school books one more time to make sure I know what to expect next week. I’m feeling fairly confident heading into next week. For Owen, it feels like picking up where we left off in May. But for Graham, I feel very different vibes. I have to keep reminding myself that kindergarten shouldn’t be intimidating. We can do this!
We had a few smaller adventures this week. For the scavenger hunt we visited many local area parks. The boys got to see trains our local Napavine park twice this last week. Railfanning is always a highlight of our kids’ week. We went out to breakfast one morning at a favorite restaurant. On Friday, we had a movie and sleepover with the boys in our bedroom. We pulled their mattresses into our master bedroom and introduced them to Kung Fu Panda. We wanted to make one more end of summer memory. On Saturday, we went to a park and splash pad to celebrate a special 5th birthday with a cousin.
We finished swimming lessons on Thursday. The boys didn’t pass their levels this time, but we expected that. I was surprised that they were both a skill or two away from passing, though. I’m so proud of them for all their growth over the last four weeks. With another year of growth, they’ll be ready to tackle those levels next summer. I was so glad that swimming lessons were wrapping up. Or so I thought. Thursday night a weird feeling hit me. I was actually sad that lessons were over. It had been so fun to watch the boys learn from a teacher other than Jeremy and I. The pool wasn’t a typical classroom, but it had done my heart good to see them in a “class” with other kids. Swimming lessons just felt like a normal summer kid activity. The pandemic has changed so many things for our family and swimming lessons just felt so normal. It was hard to see that come to an end.
As I process school starting, the season changing, and a pandemic that continues on, I’m not 100% sure what to expect this fall. I am trusting that God will guide us each day. I can’t see the big picture and I don’t how this is all going to pan out. All I can do is live each day with an expectation that God is here and in each moment. I’m looking forward to getting back into our school routine. I’m looking forward to fall outings and traditions. These are some of my favorite family times and I’m ready to make new memories. Autumn holds a special place in my heart. There is such beauty in this season of change. I might be unsure about what lies ahead, but I’m ready to walk forward and find out next!
Amy Scott's Thoughts 