What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

Two points if you know what song that line is from!!!!!

I've been looking back over our summer, even though it isn't quite finished yet. Here's what's gone on so far:

• Hannah came home from college. This always changes the dynamics around here somehow even though she spends lots of time in her room or out so that at times we forget she's home again!
• Hannah gets a job for about 3 weeks at a pizza place. Boss turns out to be a sadistic megalomaniac. Hannah quits and then pieces together various nannying/housesitting jobs to earn money for her trip to Rome in the spring.
• Josh, Sean and Becky go on an overnight campout with 4H. They have a good time until they are eaten alive by mosquitoes.
  
• Becky who up to this point has loved, loved, loved her gymnastics class and who has begged to go to a week long camp there for homeschoolers, inexplicably refuses to go to the camp.
• Becky freaks out taking CAT and I can't get her to work on it. I give up and don't make her. I'll think of something else, I say to myself.
• Hannah paints her room and does a really good job. Maybe she could have a career as an interior decorator.
  
• I realize I have let my driver's license expire. I can't find either my birth or marriage certificate. Spend way too much time waiting to receive documents and waiting at the DMV. Becomes a huge black cloud that hangs over me all summer.
  
• I pay a lot of money to join a pool that we never wind up actually going to. Summer is not looking good.
  
• Hannah's roommate from college comes to stay for a week. I hire both her and Hannah to clean/organize the house. They do an incredible job on the kitchen and the horrible mudroom/pantry. Life is good!
• Will goes off to Workcamp - NC where he paints and repairs houses.
• Will comes back from Workcamp and then a week later leaves for a 5 week stay in Boston at Berklee College of Music. I miss him terribly. He calls us every afternoon.
  
• Becky begins a blissful three weeks at music camp. She loves it though she never does get a good sound out of her flute.
• Meanwhile Josh is plugging through his 9th grade coursework, trying to finish it before 10th grade starts.
• Becky has her birthday party. Hannah is a great help here and paints all the little girls nails for them. Becky refuses to write thank you notes. I keep thinking I'll get her in a better mood first but then get preoccupied with life.
  
• Sean announces he no longer wants to be read aloud to. I decide I'll give him a break for the summer, but since he doesn't read enough on his own, he'll have to put up with it during the school year.
• Becky and I continue to enjoy Noel Steatfeild books. We read Ballet Shoes.
  
• Sean and Josh spend a week volunteering at our parish Vacation Bible School. Everyone praises Josh's work. Sean enjoys himself too.
• Josh spends a weekend at Steubenville. Has a great time.
  
• Florian, our Austrian Exchange Student arrives. Hannah wanted to me participate in the 4H program because she figures it would be cool to know someone in Europe when she goes over next spring. However, she is too busy/preoccupied to spend all that much time with him. Everybody is in throes of doing something else (like aforementioned activities). I wind up spending lots of time with him. He is a great guy, full of curiosity of about the US and intelligent observations. We have a very enjoyable 3 weeks, except for the fact that Becky is still acting crazed at times!
• We go on field trips with Florian to Mount Vernon and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving.
• Hannah goes off to California to visit some boy. She comes back all moody and distant. She openly acts as if she can't stand to be in the same room with us for more than 5 minutes (and that's a strain.). Sigh. If only my children were more sympathetic when suffering. Instead they are so prickly and difficult. Apparently, he broke her heart.
  
• Sean participates in a Drama Camp at church where he is once again the only boy in his age level. He hates one of the skits they have to do which is based on a stupid pop song sung by a stupid pop singer. He tries to handle himself nobly but breaks down and cries a little too.
• Florian leaves to continue his travels. It's weird to have a son for 3 weeks who then goes off and you'll probably never see him again. . . .
• I miss Will.
  
• Latin camp starts up. 13 kids, 9 of them boys. Everything goes well, but I am constantly planning as we go. Becky decides she's really in charge and can't understand why everybody won't let her boss them around. Week is exhausting! I am tired of Becky's constantly acting out. I've been reading parenting books all summer trying to figure her out.
  
• Josh finishes his literature for 9th grade! Hurray!
• Josh, Sean and Becky take lessons from Johnny for swimming. They love it. Josh finally likes being in the water! Life is looking up!
• I finally renew my license. I also fill in paper work to be an AHG asst. leader. This has also been hanging over my head. Feel relief!
  
• I forget to figure out what to do about Becky's lack of testing. Am now a week late getting in proof of progress for the county. Ugh. Another black cloud!

What's to come still:

• Helen, the roommate, is back. She and Hannah are hired to clean/organize the study and basement.
• Josh is working on finishing up his science requirements for the year. Hopefully today, he'll complete that. Then he'll only have history to finish up before vacation! Algebra II will continue into the fall. Then he'll cram all of Geometry into the remaining school year.
  
• Sean has a stop motion camp to attend this coming week. He is very excited about it. I hope he doesn't get too disappointed about it. Seems like he always has such high aspirations that inevitably get dashed.
• Must send in proof of progress and plans for next year to county this week. Must!
• Must meet with M. Stender to discuss TORCH stuff for upcoming school year.
• Must write those thank you notes!
  
• Must get ready this week for vacation next week. OBX here we come. I can't wait. My sister Lisa and her family will be with us a few days. I haven't really talked to her in ages and ages. Can't wait to walk on the beach, have other adults take turns cooking, read lots of books, hang out with Will . . . .
  
• William will be done with his program on Friday, it looks like! We've got to fly him home. Can't wait to see him!
• Poor Hannah is getting her wisdom teeth pulled on 8/24. I'll need to nurse her for a couple of days. Also, recoup from vacation and get last minute things in order. Hannah leaves for school 8/27.
  
• New school year starts up 8/30! Whew! It will be a relieve to have a set routine each week instead of bouncing around from one thing to another week after week! I'm looking forward to it!