Today is Mateo’s last day of school. Olivia has been off since last week. Already the change in schedule affects us: Olivia reads under the covers later than usual (which is already late), but because she doesn’t have to awaken early, I let her. And last night, Mateo and I stayed up until 10:30 PM, packing for our trip tonight to North Carolina—Tim’s niece is getting married there—and instead of my usual freak-out, I stayed focused on packing and didn’t worry about the time.

This summer we’ll be traveling. After North Carolina, we attend Heritage Camp for Adoptive Families, a long weekend in the Colorado mountains with other adoptive families, which we love and look forward to every year. Fourth of July we’ll celebrate with my folks and siblings in San Diego, and then Olivia and I will take a short trip to Minnesota. The summer will end with more family visits and another wedding, this one my nephew’s, in Maine.

Today I will finish (or start) cleaning the house so when we return I won’t be too overwhelmed with all I left undone. Which, believe me, is a lot. One reason I look forward to the end of the school year is that the daily deluge of incoming tests, art projects, and homework, stops, at least for a few months. Two cardboard boxes filled with detritus are stacked in a corner in the kitchen (they feel like an accusation), and if I don’t empty or at least edit them, I won’t have room for next year’s avalanche. It never ends.

The weather’s been sunny and warm, so last weekend we took a short hike around Lake Lagunitas, a beautiful flat trail around our local reservoir. The photo above is from that lovely afternoon.

Ready or not, it’s summer. ~

Image credit: Jessica O’Dwyer

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