14 years...
Tomorrow starts the last term of high school for my last child ... granted this will be a more substantive statement when my sister makes when her 7th child is at this point.... but nevertheless ... I am feeling nostalgic for all the spring breaks we have had over the last 14 years.
So many years we bolted for the sun of California - LA, Orange County, San Francisco, Oregon coast, Disney, surfing in Monterey..... and twice in the last 3 years I have headed to New York to take my beloved Grade 12 of the moment for a trip to the Big Apple.
This time Mr. David with dreams of Broadway shows and United Nations and the Guggenheim and cool photography. We dragged Allan along and while it was not a story of NYC love for him - he did love the shows, the Hi-Line and the architecture.
For this Mama - revisiting NYC was wonderful and although the snow did complicate things - I loved NYC again for all the reasons I loved it before and for seeing David tick some important things off his bucket list.
By this point in her year Lindsay was already registered in the program of her choice at the university of her choice but David has had a less clear journey. While in NYC he was accepted to Simon Fraser and since being home her has been accepted to UBC Okanagan (but not his first choice of UBC Vancouver) and so we face some complicated and important choices over the next few weeks.
So for him, and for us, this week was a little hiatus from reality. Allan did well to set the Masters aside for a few days despite being at a pivotal point and relentless emails and texts from his group as they gear up to present their "thesis" in 2 weeks.
I did everything I hoped and the 3 Broadway shows we managed to go to exceeded all our expectations (and our budget) but will long stay with us in our hearts and minds. I was only just recovering from a nasty strep infection and so the 78 kms we walked stretched my energy and that added to a delayed flight home getting in at 5am has vaulted my napping ability to new heights!
That may also be helped by Allan and I having taken an important and well contemplated leap into a 35 day challenge at a local gym. Not just very good gym instruction and exercise but also a renewed commitment to better, cleaner eating. We are both really enjoying the challenge and finding muscles we didn't know we had. When the alarm goes off we check to see who can move what and if we can get down the stairs unassisted! And while the new eating regime was daunting we have done super well and are both feeling great. We doubled our veggie intake and reduced the carbs and sugar substantially. We have a ways to go to get these middle-aged bodies back to optimum health and wellness but we are well on our way.
And so as this evening draws on, our girls brief visit is over, the celebrations of my dear Mom and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary is over - as wonderful as it was... as the boys and Spanner are zoning on the couches pretending tomorrow won't come... I am grateful for all the Spring Breaks we have had as a family, for all the memories and experiences we have shared.
And I am ready for a new rhythm of spring breaks to come when me and my sweetie will likely enjoy adventures with just the two of us!
So here begins the last term of the school year, the last term of my life as a school mum... it is always a sprint to the finish and we have lots of decisions, lots of grad events, a girl about to be halfway through her degree and making summer plans, a masters to be completed and so, so, so much to be grateful for.
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