Summer Break Week Eight, the One Where We Were Together

Fair warning. This post is mostly a photo dump of a great week. I make no apologies.

On Friday, Makenna and Erin each flew to Augusta on separate flights around their work schedules. Greg and I loaded Kate and Ty into the car and hit the road at four in the morning to meet them there at lunchtime. We had one beautiful day together before Erin's Sunday morning flight home. Makenna flew home Monday. This visit was the first we were all together in seven months and worth every bit of the planning. Of course, we would have preferred more time, but in these crazy times, we are grateful for what we did get.

The neighborhood pool was an easy way to spend some time together. Erin wouldn't leave Austin's side despite Lauren and Taylor assuring her he remains independent at the pool. Heck, he remains independent in life. But Erin is nervous and hovered. He didn't mind.

This looks far more wholesome than it was. Ty hid with his dad while his sisters belted the words to highly inappropriate songs. This is our circus and these are our monkeys.

Austin demanded a meatball sub from Firehouse for breakfast. It was seven o'clock in the morning. He was willing to compromise, "okay, sushi then". He settled for sausage and fruit but the boy remains hungry and out eats several of us.

Flash light hide and seek in Austin's room. "Come on Mimi. I scare you." Of course I complied and of course, I was scared. Every time.

Ty is Austin's most sought after playmate. Uncle Ty is delighted to be in demand. Ty has plans when they are older, always calculating how old they will be when they can do things like drive to the trampoline park together.

We indulged in lengthy afternoon naps, celebrated birthdays and took several dips in the neighborhood pool each day. Evening swims as a family, our favorite.

Listen closely, you can hear his adorable giggle when he runs to jump into the pool. I cannot get enough of his belly laughs. They are simply the best thing in the world right now.

We took daily walks together and spilt up for a day where the boys swam and the girls shopped. Fitting rooms in Augusta are open so we were finally able to get Kate some jeans for school (if we even need school clothes in two weeks, Lord help us all) and Lauren found some cute dresses too. On Ty's birthday, he got some jump time at the local trampoline park and we had the place with only two other families. He loved it. He always does.

Wednesday morning, Uncle Ty, Mimi and Austin played while Pops helped Taylor touch up a couple of vehicle's paint jobs. Taylor has a story about this but only Lauren rats him out. Kate and Lauren ran some errands together for a little sister time. In the end, everyone enjoyed the time together.

Ty napped Wednesday evening and Kate finally got her turn to have Austin to herself.

Our final day together was tough. Moods were somber as we loaded the car in preparation for our early morning drive. It will be Thanksgiving before we gather again. Austin has changed so much in recent months and we know the difference will be shocking in November. Thank goodness for google duo.

Heat index was over 100 all week. We were desperate for shade when we weren't in water while outside.

Spraying Pops through the glass. Pops, of course played along dramatically. This boy brings out the playfulness in all of us.

I was uploading photos to the blog when I was suddenly soaked by a water gun I didn't know he had loaded in the water table. He was beyond tickled by my surprise. His belly laughs are so amazing, I failed to scold him for shooting me in the face.

Thursday night, Lauren was rocking Austin and explaining our goodnight hugs were also goodbye hugs and our sweet grandson's bottom lip quivered as his eyes filled with tears. Mimi's eyes leaked a great deal throughout the night and early morning drive too. Goodbye is hard.

We miss them already.

11

A new skateboard was the birthday request this year. He desires instant skills, as patience is not his strong suit. The boy remains an exhausting joy, one we had no idea we needed when he startled us with his arrival eleven years ago. He hasn't ceased surprising us since. He is intense and has a strong sense of justice, one that often fails to extend grace. But his love for animals and those he recognizes as somehow in need of gentleness, reveals his sensitive spirit. We are occasionally left speechless by his perspective because he holds so much of what spins around in that brain of his to himself; his customary shrug his preferred method of communication. That being said, he is still very much in the phase that requires forty-five minutes to summarize a thirty minute episode when he feels like sharing.

He still snuggles with his mom and nightly attempts stealing his dad's side of the bed. His laugh is contagious. He is not yet fluent in sarcasm, as he believes all sarcastic comments need literal interpretations. We are amused but forbidden to laugh as he is still finding his footing in this loud house of strong girls.

His imagination runs wild and so few are able to follow his elaborate plans. Uno is his favorite family game and his smack talk has dramatically improved in recent years. As a side note, all family games played with Ty require M&M's. It's a rule.

He delights us, amuses us, exhausts us and entertains us. And today he is eleven. Happy birthday, Ty David. We love you.

Summer Break Week 7

Saturday we conquered the heat while a putt-putt course conquered us. By the eighth hole, we decided the score card was too embarrassing to continue but we had a great time, none the less. Erin is dating a golfer. We will not be inviting him along anytime soon.

Saturday night we joined our church family at camp for dinner with the youth. The evening was full of laughter and silliness as one little girl told everyone, "that old lady is still in Kindergarten!" Her momma wasn't nearly as amused as the old lady in question. Goodness, I miss my little friends. But our Kate was in good spirits and had thoroughly enjoyed a ropes course that ended in a zipline that afternoon and is now even more convinced we need a mother daughter zipline date soon. I can't wait to join her in the next adventure.

Nightly games of horse have taken place since the removal of a work truck from their court. 

The cutest little firecracker celebrated the fourth of July calling Pops to cheer, "O-H-I-O" like all other brainwashed Baughman babies before him.

The moon was as impressive as the fireworks in our neighborhood Saturday night but neither photographed well. We enjoyed standing in the driveway together while Makenna camped with Noah's family and Kate camped with the church.

Sunday, Greg spent ten hours smoking a brisket and the older kids gathered for dinner. Layla wasn't the only beggar for samples.  I was able to return to church and it felt amazing to be among friends again. Aiding with transitions in the children's department helps me understand what needs to happen in Kindergarten at the end of the month. I broke a rule and held a hand for a reluctant friend. When then used hand sanitizer. These guidelines are needed but cruel.

Sunday evening, I walked with friends while the boys played basketball in the driveway followed by Mario Kart in the living room. We were happy to have Benjamin back for a few days.

Sunday night was the latest attempt at a "Stay Up All Night Challenge". Greg woke for his workout at three thirty in the morning and found they were still playing. Benjamin, it appears has more skin in this game as Ty simply cannot see past midnight and even that leaves repercussions. So Monday was grumpy for more reasons than the latest air conditioning repair.

I got to pick Kate up from church camp Monday afternoon. It was so good to see her smiling face again. She won awards for being the most competitive and also for the biggest laugh. We have no doubt where either one of those traits originated. Sister is her mother's child. Also, "The life guards were really cute." Sigh. Church camp hasn't changed over the years.

Late that afternoon, our air conditioning was restored just before we fully melted; this final service call the last for awhile, we hope. And then learned a young man we care deeply for lost his battle with drugs in a devastating way. My girls are crushed by the weight of the loss. Lauren struggled with her desire to attend a funeral and grieve with a brother so broken we fear the outcome. In the end, it simply wasn't feasible and she was crushed. God's grace is big enough for this but are hearts open?

Tuesday we returned Benjamin to his family and the took Kate in for her latest orthodontic repair. These visits are growing weary as they occur far too frequently.

Wednesday Kate had her knee adjusted and was fitted for custom orthotic inserts to support her feet and alignment. She dislocated her knee at camp and the swelling and pain was rather significant. We are also in communication with her physical therapist and a surgeon for on-going treatment.

Ty tried hanging out with me while I edited photos late Wednesday night. I didn't have the heart to wake him so he spent the night in our room, curled up into a chair.

Thursday marked our twenty sixth wedding anniversary and we celebrated with gift cards we were gifted in March for Greg's birthday. And then because our delightful children often groan, "get a room" at us, we did. The overnight escape was exactly what we needed as this crazy life we've built together has been a bit much lately.

Friday I had two photo sessions, drove one kid to the airport and another to physical therapy. I then loaded the car for a Georgia vacation we are all anticipating to be full of memory making with our favorite two year old. Look out Baird family, the whole Baughman gang is coming to see you!

Summer Break Week 6

We attended a birthday cookout and brought home an extra kiddo Saturday night. Ty is always happy to flaunt his pancake making skills.

Kate sprayed Greg with a water bottle while cleaning the dinner table. He, of course, confiscated said bottle and proceeded to douse her with it. I was rinsing dishes and wondered if the hose would send water across the kitchen. As it turns out, it does. The entire house was shocked and saturated.

Monday friends came to meet Pip, inquiring if a hedgehog might make a good addition to their family. Four little girls investigated without fear of his prickly coat and he tolerated the energy well. We then ran some errands that concluded at Greg's office where we picked him up so the work truck could remain there again. After three months of stand-by during covid declarations of panic, his company realized they would not be closing without warning again due to an exposure so he could resume driving his own vehicle to and from the office. It will be nice to have available parking on the driveway again.

That night, I spent four hours following along online with our school board as they navigated back-to-school guidelines. It was embarrassing to watch some of our leaders use this opportunity to politicize and it was clear based on letters read from community members, there was no simple solution. In a text thread with friends, I suggested a drinking game for every time someone said the word mask. We would have all died of alcohol poisoning but perhaps been more at peace with the outrageous display. Never the less, my asthmatic student will be required she wear a mask at school if a statement from her pediatrician doesn't suffice as a means of persuasion. Our clear stance to return her to class is suddenly not so clear. Between the disinfecting measures and the masks, she won't likely be there much anyway due to complications.

Tuesday, I visited my chiropractor and was sent home without needing an adjustment for the first time in my life. I am so grateful we found this guy. Kate and I have both made incredible health progress without the customary three visits a week for four weeks. Once every couple of weeks has been more beneficial.

Wednesday I made peace with the mask ordinance and ordered several for Kate and I to wear to school. We will make the best of a foggy glasses situation. And then had friends over for dinner to lighten the load of another heavy week. It was good for all of us to spend time talking about life outside politics for an evening.

Thursday and Friday we hosted play dates for Ty and dropped Kate off at church camp for the holiday weekend. He is excited about his hedgehog duties and is comfortable handling him these days. He still wants a spider. Pray for Ty. His parents are unreasonable.