full, full, full

Oh, July! Packed with so much goodness that it took the first few days of August to hold it all.  Camp (twice), Constable, Pissarro, clown bands, "We're All in This Together," petoskey hunting, mustaches, swim meets, cherry pie, yarn, nature study, sunsets, and ice cream.  (So much ice cream!) And then, blink, it was over.  Summer, condensed into four glorious weeks.  We're now thick into school planning.

My oldest, Z, is attending tenth grade at the public school--for the first time.  The real first time was in second grade in Greece, so we don't actually count that.  It became clear this past school year that homeschooling was no longer the best choice for her.  I went through all of the feels: guilt, anger, shame, grief, bitterness, then finally relief and peace.  What had I done wrong? (SO MANY THINGS!) What were our options if she wasn't going to stay home? (Not many.) And finally, What would be the best for her? For our family?  School.

Z is taking placement tests and meeting with counselors to discuss her classes for the next year.  She's excited, and I'm excited for her.  The school is huge (4,000 kids!), which means that there are a lot of opportunities for eager students.  We've heard good things from people who currently have children there.  I'm also terrified.  This past year I realized that new experiences tax me in ways I never expected and transitions are hard for me.  HA.  I think she's a little terrified, too, but she doesn't say.  Relief keeps hitting me also.  I am so relieved not to be responsible for organizing her school work again.  M declares that he'd like to follow his big sister and attend the same high school.  If he does, this is our last year together as teacher/student.  I'm trying to figure out how to make this year one of joy.  I'd love for him to stay home, simply because I think it fits him better.  We'll see.

Gah.  I didn't mean to wander from our summer like that.  Z was in a production of "High School Musical, Jr." right before the three oldest kids (and my husband) left for sleep-away camp through our metropolis.  As always, they arrived home exhausted, radiantly happy, and about four years older.  My husband tells me it was stiflingly hot and humid, but the kids didn't seem to mind.  While they were gone, the littles and I visited some god-family, as well as some favorite paintings, in DC, also stiflingly hot.  We all left a day after the big kids got home from their camp for our annual trek to another camp on Lake Michigan.  People always seem so patronizing when we tell them that's where we're headed, as if the shore of Lake Michigan is some sort of consolation prize for people who can't go to the ocean.  It's hard to explain why Lake Michigan is so wonderful.  I don't even try.  Sadly, despite all of the beach preservation measures near my parents' cottage, the record high lake meant that the sand was mostly gone.  Petoskey hunting was fantastic, though!  M and Z found some lovely large ones.  Mine were all smaller than dimes, but I found them! The weather was cool in the mornings and evenings, but hot in the afternoons.  We hiked, canoed, visited our local favorite spots, and basked in the peace that we find only there.  Being on Lake Michigan is such a comfort, I just can't imagine a summer without a trip to visit.  I had time to finish two books, and to stitch the last stitch on a piece of crewel work that was five years in the finishing!  My only disappointment this year--the tansy was late, and hadn't bloomed.  Next year, next year!