Making Memories

Before we tucked the girls into bed tonight, we all went outside and watched the International Space Station glide overhead.  What looked to us like a bright light in the sky, was really the sun below our horizon reflecting off of the solar panels on the ISS.  It was the perfect way to end our summer - gazing up into the stars that blanket our ridge, and huddled together against the chill of the night.

We spent the day today with friends who returned to visit from out of town, and with those who remain close in our hearts and our town.  It felt a bit surreal - we are all expecting the change that comes with back to school just around the corner, while we are still trying to adjust our lives to reflect the change of those who are no longer close geographically, but who remain close in our hearts.

JP and I took this week off to spend with the girls.  We didn't have a whole lot planned ahead of time, but wanted to end the summer with a bang.

I discovered last week that JP's niece was home visiting from Europe, and that her younger sister was preparing to move to her new college dorm.  The first activity we arranged, therefore, was a trip down to Virginia to see the girls' older cousins, whom they adore.  It was a quick trip, but well worth it, as we had a wonderful visit with both nieces, and with JP's sister and brother-in-law.

 

Before we left to drive home, JP suggested that we take some extra time to visit Monticello, and perhaps drive and hike on the Skyline Drive.  So, our plans changed to include a visit to Monticello in the rain, and then changed again to rule out Skyline Drive in the rain.  We made minor detours on the drive home to Harrisonburg, our college town, for our favorite ice cream, and again on the top of a hill in Maryland at a store that sells candy by the pound, where we each chose our own little bag of treats.

 

When we finally arrived home, the grass was long, and the rain was heavy.  After a day catching up on mowing, laundry, and pet care, JP and I packed a small bag, escorted the girls and the dogs to Grandmom and Granddad's house, and headed South for our annual Anniversary overnight get-away.  This time, I was in pain from a minor back injury sustained while turning the mattress on our bed the day before.  We sat in the jacuzzi until we were pruney and over heated, then went out for Indian food, and finally retired, relaxed, full, and pain-free to our room to watch a movie.

After another day to regroup, take J to her allergist, and put up 9 dozen ears of corn to freeze, JP suggested a day trip for white water rafting.  Having never done this before, I was a bit anxious, but eager to try.

The day of our rafting trip, we woke to a torrential downpour.  It poured the entire hour and a quarter it took to drive to the river.  By the time we were fitted out with life jackets and water shoes, the rain had stopped, but it remained misty and cool.  After 2 hours on the water, we stopped at a small beach, and hiked a short way into a clearing in the woods where we ate our lunch of sandwiches and fruit.  We hiked back out to the water, and found the sun shining, and the sky blue for the remainder of our trip.  We had a really fun time, and the girls are already asking when we can go again!

This is how our last week of summer vacation flew by.  It was busy, it was fun, it was spontaneous, it was memorable...just how a summer vacation should be.