Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Where are the kids?

It was a busy weekend in the Henry Hut. A Friday night at the beach included some swimming, kayaking and something new to us, cooking out on the grill. It's not as easy as it looks, as you have to make sure you grab everything from the house that you could possibly need for a meal. Hot dogs, buns, catsup, relish, knives, forks, and the kitchen sink all need to be brought down to the beach.

Saturday was another busy day with trips to the dump, the library and our favorite bread store which (ingeniously) gives out free samples. I say ingeniously as this is expensive (but really good!) bread and there is no way in the world I'd ever buy any loaf of bread for over five dollars but now, thanks to free samples, I do.

We finish our errands, and get home. Kate starts to pack her clothes. Thomas starts to pack his clothes.

She is headed off to a birthday party sleepover at her friend which includes many things, not one of which is sleep. Movies, cupcakes, tons of whipped cream, more movies, games and if they can, some sleep.

Thomas is off to Lake Sunrise for a week of camping out with his fellow scouts. He'll be gone all week and has been looking forward to this for months. We're excited for him and hope he loves it. I know he will. It's his parents who are really concerned. Okay, I am, Paula knows he'll be fine. I know he'll be fine but I just so want him to have an adventure and trust the weather holds off. They are camping right on a lake and as the temperatures are soaring, I trust they will be spending much of the week in the water.

I realize that this weekend is just the beginning of the kids pulling away from us, slowly but surely. It's a natural process. Maybe I'm just not ready for it. I know it is what's supposed to happen. You raise your kids the best you can, trying to prepare them for when they leave you, hopefully off to college and an extraordinarily high paid job so they can take good care of me when I'm old and drooling in a cup. (I think that happened just last week for a few minutes.)

So, here's to a weekend of being without the kids. I know it's good and what is supposed to happen, I just hope I'm ready for it.

2 comments:

txgordo said...

Mick was at camp last week, and Corinne is away this week, on a hike with Venture Crew 42 in the Tetons. It's nice to get a break from teenage angst, but it also makes you realize what it will be like without them around. Joyous and sad at the same time.

Pat Henry said...

Gordon,

It does amaze me. People have been telling me for years to enjoy it as it goes quickly but Thomas is nearly ten and Kate is 8 1/2. It's half way to college (hopefully) and out of the house. It's very quiet qith just Kate in the house.

Like you said, it's good and it isn't.

I'm also envious of our kids, they get to do some pretty cool stuff.