Summer-ization

Rewind back to the week that we were without either of the Younglings for four days.  It was a GOOD week.  I didn't cook all week until Saturday night!  For me, for us...that's quite something.  Especially since there was nothing wrong with me and there was nothing wrong with the kitchen.  I just didn't.  We ate supper with friends that Monday night, went out on Tuesday night, ate leftovers from the boxed lunch Mr. Snark had at a work meeting  (SIDEBAR...lest you think he was doing something unethical, if there are such items leftover after a meeting, those who wish to may take them home.  Otherwise, they are thrown away.  So there...) on Wednesday.  Thursday we ate with the youth and Friday I ate with the youth group, again.  Mr. Snark, Y2 and Summer Daughter made pizzas.  It was divine:)

So, Y2 was the first to arrive home.  The returning campers returned a little earlier than expected, so the girl-talking lunch that some of us moms had planned had to be forfeited and turned into Chinese lunch with tired, dirty campers in tow.  Y2 fairly boiled off the bus and torpedoed into my arms.  Happy to see me?  Oh, I believe he was!  Checked him over...no signs of dehydration or heat exhaustion.  He was hoarse from all the hollering that he and the other boys had done worship rally.  G'head, baby...get yo' worship on!  Blatant evidence of the red body and hair paint used for team colors was EVERYWHERE on him...nail beds, scalp...ears!  Our reunion went something like this.....

Me:  Oh, I missed you so!!!!
Him:  What you said!
**Insert kisses and hugs despite the onlooking of friends**
Me:  So glad you are home!  We are going to lunch with Mrs. A and the kids!  So run into the church and wash your hands....and brush your teeth!
Him:  I can't find my toothbrush!
Me:  That's obvious...here, let me help you...oh look!  Right where we packed it!  Off you go!

Lunch was good....Chinese isn't Y2's fave...am working on that with intense diligence.  Interesting to sit and watch him converse with the other boys in our post camp celebration.  They were most eager to tell the story of another camper who tried to get Y2's goat.  Apparently, Y2's proverbial goat wasn't for sale and he wasn't in the mood to entertain any offers.  It all boiled down to Y2 hearing enough of this other not-so-happy camper yammer on about "Roll Tide" this and "Roll Tide" that. He rebutted with "Go Vols!"  Now, for those of you uneducated about the ways of Football...and yes, I did capitalize it...in WayDownSouth, "Roll Tide" is the battle cry for the University of Alabama.  Being that I am a graduate of the University of Tennessee and a UT football fan, you must understand how it PAINS me to even include such words in my blog!  UT and Alabama are arch rivals.  Mr. Snark and I, being faithful to our Alma Mater, have successfully brainwashed our offspring...Big Orange is our family's favorite color.  Y2's refusal to rise to the occasion..or better yet, his refusal to lower himself to the other boy's frame of mind infuriated this other child to the point that he picked up a rock and feigned as if he were going to chuck it at Y2. Throwing rocks...AT CHURCH CAMP...over football cheers?  Seriously???  One of our counselors stepped in and from there, I'm not sure what happened.  I do know this, our lunch companions were AMAZED that Y2 kept his cool and just walked away.  Frankly, so was I....and immensely proud! 

A few days after Y2 came home, our other nestling returned from his northern adventure.  He went fishing and ate lots of pizza...the best of it coming from Giordano's in Chicago!  I've eaten pie from that place and I mean to tell you that pizza has never tasted the same!  He went to a water park and went shopping.  Got a bit of sticker shock when he checked out the price of a pair of UT basketball shorts!  He didn't realize that if he had really liked them, his Meemi (my sister) would have bought them for him.  He's as tall as one of my uncles and like me, my mama has to look up to see him.  I'm told that he was polite and mannerly, with those he knew and likewise, with the strangers who crossed his path.  A trip to Michigan wouldn't be complete without a trip on some big water...he did that, too....and got seasick in the Saginaw Bay.  He was more than pleased to inform me that he didn't need the clothes that we packed in case of a cool snap...there wasn't one...it was as hot there as it was DownHere!

As much as we enjoyed our little vacation from each other, I was surely glad to have them home.  The time is fleeting and before I am fully aware, Y1 will be leaving to follow God's path for his life.  And then shortly after that, it will be Y2's turn.  My prayer is that they launch with confidence and compassion and a sense of humor.  Life is hard...it's tough and without a good sense of humor it will strangle the breath right out of you.  Maybe these happy summer trips are of some indication that they will be ready when the time comes and that we've done our job in preparing them.  We'll see....all too soon, we'll see.

Comments