Week 29--Sweet Summer Memories in the Making

Tuesday, July 16th

Dad and I finished the last leg of our trip back home from Tennessee.  Smooth sailing and we had Amanda with us for most of it after picking her up in PA on our way through.  We were back mid-afternoon so I was able to grab Harlem as usual and we opted for Moe's to keep it simple.

Colombo took Rocco and Renna into Hartford where Maddy and Mason and multiple church's youth were gathered for The Hartford Project (THP).  Our kids are well-acquainted with it, even though our church didn't send a group this year.  They participated in the evening service.

Wednesday, July 17th

Colombo took Renna back to THP for the community block party because she had enjoyed the night before so much.  I should've signed her and Rocco up with Maddy and Mason's church!

Rocco had been complaining of ear pain.  We suspected swimmer's ear and my usual prescribed plan of wait-it-out / ignore wasn't working.  I finally called and got him in so we could nip it before Kids Camp.  During the visit, he had a Vasovagal reaction due to the doctor messing with it.  He was sheet-white and felt like he might puke.  After laying down for 10 minutes and a juice box, he was good as new!

Thursday, July 18th

Maddy and Ezra had spent the night and I got to babysit Little E for a few hours of the morning.  So fun!

Maddy ended up taking Renna for the last day of THP.

I'm still adjusting to this scene.

I had a very emotional trip to the grocery store.  Our first two homes were on the other side of town and I was loyal to Big Y.  Since moving 15 years ago, I have only been in there once or twice and it's been a long time.  Well, I needed a hard-to-find ingredient that I knew Big Y had, so I ran over there.  As I rounded the corner toward the register, I stopped in my tracks and a lump formed in my throat as I saw the spot that used to be the Little Y Kids Club.  For years, I would check in the kids that were over 3 to the little play place and I would grocery shop with just a baby instead of 3-4 kids dangling from the cart, grabbing things that weren't on my list, and asking me for extras the entire time. It was really quite genius.  Such a gift to moms to not shop with littles, such a gift to littles who had much more fun coloring and playing with toys. All for free!

It all came flooding back to me in that moment.  The days of the mundane.  The days of juggling littles.  The JOY of all those long days that I now know were just short years.  Sometimes I long to redo those years.  The simple years with everyone home and no schedules or activities to bog us down.  When they were thrilled and delighted to go to the grocery store and get dropped off and get a wristband at check-in.

So there I was, in aisle 5, weeping with longing and gratitude.  The Kids Club is not longer there, but it sure served us well for a very long time.

Then I ran out to pick up Rocco from his golf evening with Aiden and Uncle Shaun.

Friday, July 19th

We took Harley for a long weekend while his mom was away.

We took him to the local splash pad; he HATED it, so we didn't stay long.

We hung out with Kate, Todd, Luke, and Pam.  A lovely night in their backyard oasis.  Harlem tagged along and was a hit.  It's also so sweet to me that the six of us can be friends.  A slice of redemption.

Saturday, July 20th

Eighteen months ago, James turned 40 and our gift to him was to treat him and Alanna to dinner and a show in the City.  We tried a few times to make it happen and schedules just never aligned.  But this day worked!  (minus the fact that I had Harlem)

I was thrilled for a beautiful day in the City.  I hadn't been to a show since before Covid and any time I can be there for a day NOT cancer-related, I'm happy to rewire some happy attachments to NYC.  I called on a few extra helpers for Harlem, so between Avery, Rocco, Renna, Trevor, Nathanael, and Lisa, he was cared for well.

I HIGHLY recommend "MJ" (the Michael Jackson story)  Phenomenal lights and special effects and of course the music and dancing!  Such a crowd-pleaser and crazy talent! Then we enjoyed a lovely Italian dinner.

Lisa snagged the kids so Shaun could take the boys golfing and she fed everyone dinner.

We were home by 9:30 to put everyone down for bed.  Trevor was hard at work crafting and prepping for camp.  He puts so much effort, time, and money into it!

Sunday, July 21st

We went to first service, then I was in the office while the gang went home to pack up for Kids Camp.

I took all my LIT's and counselors to the church to meet their bus to get up to N.H.

THE BEST group of teens around!  Excited to serve, excited to be together, to pour into the kids, creating connections with God and core memories for them.  It's a very special bunch!

That left Renna, Harlem and I to hang for the afternoon and to get Renna camp-ready.

Week 28--VBS & Tennessee

Monday, July 8th

This whole week was VBS!  That's where the kids and I spent our mornings.  For a couple days, I had the best two girls at my side to help.  Between the three of us, the website has nearly1,600 pictures from the week for parents to scour and see what their kiddos were up to.

Tuesday, July 9th

It was an honor to watch my kids in action, serving all week.  All of them have been so good about it.  So eager to jump in, to volunteer, that I sometimes take it for granted, but midweek, I grabbed all 3 of them and sincerely told them what an amazing job they were doing engaging with the kids, being the fun role model, pointing kids to Jesus.  Always a smile, always doing extra, always showing care and love.  I told them, "These kids are going to remember this week and they're gonna remember you.

This was a day to remember and I will certainly share more as I'm able.  There are just core memories  that are created-things that happen- that you remember exactly where you were when you heard, or what outfit you were wearing when something happened.  This was a day that I'll remember.  As I cried my heart out to a friend who checked in on me, I said, "Raising six little kids was sooooo easy compared to raising six big ones."  At least Ezra and her parents joined us for Taco Tuesday!

Wednesday, July 10th

Pastor Jonny asked if he could host Midweek at our house, so I filled the freezer with ice cream sandwiches, filled a cooler with drinks, and left the house open for the kids.  Colombo and I ran up to visit with Maddy and Ezra who just learned to crawl this week!!!!!!!

We arrived home as things were wrapping up!  There were 30+ kids!  

Thursday, July 11th

I was feeling completely depleted emotionally, like DONE with no gas in the tank, when a friend called and asked if there was any way I could come over to help her work through a crisis.  And so I did.

I was wrapping up around dinner time so Colombo offered to take me somewhere since I was heading out of town the next day.  We do a patio as much as possible!

I should've been cleaning and packing, but avoided it all to just do a fire pit with Colombo while R&R swam.  Tiki torches courtesy of C&K a couple Mother's Days ago.

Friday, July12th

VBS wrapped up and I ran home to throw some stuff in a suitcase.  At 2:00, Pop picked me up for our long-awaited road trip to Tennessee.  Last summer, he visited Uncle Mark, Aunt Francis, and my two cousins, and they sent a video to the effect "tell Amy she needs to come next time."  So Dad and I started scheming a father/daughter road trip.  

In a peculiar twist of events, it worked out that Amanda rode with us the first 5 hours and we dropped her off at Summit where she'll attend this fall to spend a few days with Sarah.  It was literally on our way!

Then Dad and I continued for several more hours before stopping for the night somewhere in VA.

Saturday, July 13th

We hit the road bright and early and I got to experience Buccee's for the first time!  TBH, it was completely overwhelming.  It's the newest one to the area and was a mob scene.  We tried to get in and out, so it probably wasn't a fair representation.

It was Aiden's 15th birthday so he pulled together a Six Flags day with some buds.  It seems as though when I'm away, there is no limit to the fun!! 

Around 2:00, we arrived in Dayton, TN and unloaded our stuff into the hotel room.  Then we went up the mountain, as they call it, to see Aunt Francis and Uncle Mark.  SO HAPPY to arrive and hug them!  They rolled out the red carpet and spoiled us!

Soon after my cousins arrived.  We visited, toured the gardens, ate dinner, and sipped sweet tea on the porch.

Jay stepped outside to take a call and returned with the shocking news!!!  I was alive on yet another historical day.

Sunday, July 14th

We had a slow morning in the room and then went to church.  It had been a while since I'd done a nearly 3-hour service.  Then we met up with Joy and Jay for Mexican.

We stopped by Charity's house, which was adorable!!!  We visited until it was a apparent that a mid-day nap was probably necessary for a certain demographic.

Later, we met up at Joy's to see her house and have dessert and flip through some photo albums.

Monday, July 15th

I got up and out early to walk with Joy.  She's a Bodi coach and nutritionist.  I follow her on IG and know that she walks daily, so it was fun to share a tiny glimpse of what's big in her life.

Then Dad and I went back up the mountain and AF and UM made us a feast of a pancake breakfast, Uncle Mark's specialty.  Then more porch sittin' and tea sippin', which was one of my two goals of the trip.

Goal #2...get to "Drip", the coffee shop where Dad made a video a year ago and it was said, "tell Amy she needs to come next time."  Here we are...lunch at Drip.

Dad and I got on the road at 1:30 and drove just over 8 hours, putting us a little more than halfway home.  We made a good road-trip team, sharing the driving, and enjoying the time together.  A precious memory of a trip.  Thankful for reconnecting with extended fam and so grateful for the time with Dad.  Next time we won't be so selfish and will extend the invite to anyone else who might want to jump in the van and head up the mountain to sip some tea on the porch!