Saint Mary's Trip

August 15-17, 2018

We were unsure of our schedules and our finances this summer so we decided not to schedule a summer vacation. But once Jim got hired and we got his schedule there were a few days that synced up with Emma's week off of work before moving back to school. We decided to go down to southern Maryland, and incorporate a visit to St. Mary's College of Maryland.

I found a rental property with docks and access to the beach in Dameron, MD. We packed up the van and hit the road. Our first stop was the Calvert Marine Museum, but I missed the turn and wound up driving over the Solomon's Island bridge. I am not a fan of driving over bridges and anxiously talked my way over the bridge, knowing that I have to turn around once over and cross it again. Johanna thought this was hysterical.

We got to the museum and I was delighted at all of it's interactive displays. they had a exhibits of sailing history, fishing industry, habitat and regional plants and animals and paleontology. The girls investigated and Rachael got to complete some of her AP Environmental Science scavenger hunt tasks. Lastly we went up into Drum Point Light house. It was cool to climb the steep ladders and check it out.

Next we drove over to the historic Saint Mary's city to walk through their living history reconstructed buildings. Jim and the girls hung out in the Native American area while I dashed over to check out the  replica 1667 chapel which had recently been built. They closed earlier than we expected so we quickly made our way over to the replica Dove, which accompanied the main ship carrying Lord Baltimore on his first expedition to Maryland.

We made our way through the forested and cleared fields to the end of the narrow strip of land and found our rental. It was a great place with big open family space, good sized bedrooms, and beautiful views of the bay on both sides.  There was some wrangling for bedroom sharing, as everyone wanted more time with Emma before she moved.

We ate dinner, puled out some games, and walked out to the beach. The sky is big by the water, and the stars were reflecting God's glory in force. So many stars were visible.

The next morning I took Rachael over to Saint Mary's college for our scheduled tour.  Rachael really loved the tour and said that she could see herself there. It was refreshing to see her thinking forward and big. We drove back to the house, grabbed ourselves lunch and headed over to the beach to meet the family. While we were gone Jim had gotten the girls organized and onto the beach.

It was a small strip of beach with no one on it. The water felt great and there was a wide sandbar not that far off. It was funny to see the girls make the walk out, as they stepped on the unknown. We brought out rafts and we all just floated and played. There were mild waves that rolled in. It was really mellow and wonderful. It was genuinely relaxing.  I began to notice redness creeping in and after a conversation about sunscreen, determined that self application is not always the most effective. Rachael and I were fine since we weren't out there as long but the other girls were red.

After attending to aloe application, we went out to dinner at a brewery Jim wanted to check out. Then we stopped at the boardwalk in Solomon's Island and got ice cream. We enjoyed the water and the sunset before heading back to the house for our last night. We did a family game of Mexican train dominoes before sending them off to their rooms. The big girls had stargazing plans and after Johanna got settled in her makeshift bed of couch cushions on the floor next to my side of the bed. Then it was time to enjoy the rocking chairs on the wide porches in the dark listening to the sound of the night and water lapping in the distance.

It was a short visit to Southern MD and it was wonderful.

Summer Days

Summer 2018

The Summer of 2018 had the feel of shifting for me. There were lots of familiar activities with which we filled our summer days but there seemed to be a tilting away from summer days of previous years. The big kids were more independent. I was working more. Jim held the reigns of most of the summer days and the little ones were in his hands.

I think of the days where I had our little girls and cousins in and out of the house all day, trading from our house to an Aunt's house. The summer was full of the back yard pool, trips to parks and zoos and lots of walks and naps. And so many freezer pops and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Years went by,  they got bigger and we added VBS camps, then we added GS camps and service camps. We stopped trading days at Aunt's houses. We got a pool membership. They started volunteering at the camps.

Our life has tilted and I am not the conductor of the rhythm of summer. I still provide taxi service and many of the same camps are involved but the pulse is different. I feel nostalgic for my days outside holding towels and bread crusts and sippy cups. I wonder if Bridget and Johanna are having the good fullness of lazy summer days. Johanna's days as the youngest are the most markedly different. She is not bound by the nap schedules of younger siblings or relatives, and she does not have the built in playmates. I think that she is more frequently bored and has more opportunity to indulge her own ideas. We still go to to pool regularly but it is not with the posse of cousins. She looks for kids to interact with and her outgoing nature serves her well. She gets to see her older siblings volunteer, she is watching.

This summer Emma was home and working at Camp again. Rachael also did some work loading produce trucks and selling produce on the roadside. Jim started Guinness training in July and had odd hours as they got ready to open in August.

Rachael, Megan, volunteered at Howard County Girl Scout Day Camp session 1 and Bridget joined them for session 2 as a 6th grader and got to attend the 6th grade sleep over, which was plagued with fire alarms.

Jim took Johanna to swimming lessons at our community pool. And we spent many afternoon and evenings there trying to enjoy the good weather days when we had them.

Johanna went to the VBS at St. Agnes and loved seeing lots of cousins

Bridget got the opportunity to continue her dyslexia tutoring over the summer through the BCPS extended year program. Beginning in July she was picked up each morning on the school bus in front of the house and did a few hours of tutoring and skills practice. Then she'd come home and have her afternoons open. Bridget was so agreeable with the whole thing, and I am really glad she was able to continue the progress she had made in 5th grade.

Johanna also went to VBS at her old pre-school, St Paul Lutheran, and she was thrilled to see many familiar faces.

trip to Maryland Zoo

4th of July in Catonsville, extra as always

Crab Soup Party - This year they held it out in Frederick and turned it into a weekend of camping

Crab Soup 2018

Rachael hammock sleeping at Crab Soup

Rachael, Megan and Bridget for the first time, did Summer Stretch. They had a couple of rainy days and changes of plans but they managed to feed the hungry, visit the lonely, show respect for the dead, and have a lot of fun. The event ends with a trip to Hershey Park, but that isn't really Bridget's cup of tea so she skipped that part. Her older sisters though were tuned for an adrenaline filled day.

The rhythm of summer is a beautiful and dynamic thing.

Grand Opening!

August 3, 2018

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House is a crazy dream come true for Jim. He has always been passionate about the beer and was thrilled beyond measure when he found out that they were planning on opening their first US brewery in 60 years. Guinness was actually in real life opening up in our city. When we first heard the news Jim was still working at Sprint and joked around about working part-time there when it opened. Now over a year and a half later, he is working there full-time in the first cohort of employees.

Dreams do come true!