Yesterday Troy and Huck took the day off together in an attempt to recreate their New York Wednesday Morning Adventures, only this was an all day adventure smack dab in the middle of summertime.  Huck wanted to join his field trip peers for bowling but Troy felt that diminished the whole day-off-from-summer-camp feeling he was going for.  In the morning I went up to Huck’s room while he was reading to say hello.  He took one look at me and said, “Shattered!”  Apparently he was trying to make the day all about Him and Dad or Him Alone.  No Mom Allowed!  He said I shattered the glass bowl in his mind, but that was okay.  Arms outstretched, he invited me to snuggle before their fun got underway.  This morning he heard me slowly shuffling toward the coffee pot and sweetly called my name. I climbed into bed next to him and he told me this was his favorite time of the day with me, before my coffee when I’m so tired and vulnerable.  ”The rest of the day you’re so strong, but right now I just can’t even get mad at you.”

Sheesh!

Summer weeks 2, 3 and 4 meant pool time, an outdoor concert, bowling, ice skating, roller skating, trampolines, miniature golf,  ”Inside Out,” hot hikes, insane rain, Father’s Day, Summer Solstice, porch parties, a softball game, backyard dinners, and delightful visits from Brooklyn Shana and birthday twins Jackson and Rylee.  And as of today at 5:30, summer camp reached its halfway mark with minimal damage to my mental health.

Yesterday a friend asked how my summer was going and it stumped me for a minute there.  Sometimes a simple “fine” just won’t do. My summer is going crazy, that’s how my summer is going. It’s one part non-stop stress, one part really fun, one part sleepwalking and one part hyperactive.  Somewhere in the middle of all that is where I spend most of my time, simultaneously counting down the days while already beginning to miss it.  Kind of like parenting a 10 year old.

So Huck and Pappy T got a day full of Wednesday morning adventures and I got a phone full of happy pictures documenting a summer day well spent.  40 more to go.