Awwwgust

So many moments have been left unblogged in July. The month was nothing short of indulgent. Antonia (aka Oma) treated me to a two day R&R at Kripalu Yoga Center. Peter and David (aka PopPop) watched the kids in South Hadley while I had three outstanding meals, three yoga classes, and five soaks in the jacuzzi each day. Most importantly, I may have learned how to meditate. I returned balanced, rested and ready to transition back into my role of teacher and working mother. Unfortunately, any ounce of perspective and serenity was desimated by a two day car purchasing marathon which resulted in a brand new baby Toyota Matrix and a car payment for the next three years. It is indeed spiffy and for the first time in my life I have had young boys point at my car and yell, "Cool car!" Then we were visted by two rounds of friends. First three days with Ben Seigel and his impressive female co-hero Bekah, which included a perfect hike up the Welsh-Dickey Trail, and then four days with Danielle. Danielle's visit was punctuated by amazing meals of fresh vegetables which made Kripalu seem like a public school cafeteria, gifts for everyone all the time (Jasper is officially spoiled, and both kids are covered in fake tattoos), and a perfect day at the beach with the Hipples.

Now it is August, and we begin to upshift. I took Josie to visit her new school for the first time today. Luckily she can already say it's name: "Why!" The YMCA daycare is two blocks from my school, affordable, and just fine. The room smells a bit, the playground is sandwiched between the building and a huge parking garage, and things are a bit run down and dinged up, but I have never been one for perfection. Josie's first interaction with a classmate was when a chubby little boy leaned on the hood of her plastic car and glared at her saying, "Grrrrrr." She didn't flinch. When I asked that same boy what his name was over a snack of canned fruit and waffles with corn syrup, he put his hands on his hips and snarled, "Bat Man." Josie smiled at him and said, "Batty! Josie!" I think they'll get along famously.

August may hold work, hectic schedules and transition jitters, but it also holds more days at the beach, a week at Family Camp, and plenty of blueberry picking. Summer is not over yet.