the august break, twenty eight

the august break, twenty eight, originally uploaded by Jhascrapmom.

i have to aim up to capture her now. that is weird.

her omi made that hat.
which she will likely wear from this point on.

this morning miss h started at a new school and i have fingers crossed for a very exciting day and a very happy girl at the end of it.
yes...the all girls school is now a thing of the past. somehow i think this is not such a big deal. the soul suckingness of her first year of high school is behind her.

no more demerits. or rather, the threat of demerits, since she never really earned any.

what kind of environment is that for kids to learn in? making girls more concerned about the length of their skirts and non-academic minutia as opposed to encouraging them to learn and thrive in a positive environment.

hey, new high school? you have a lot to live up to;) - do not prove us wrong!

(note: my oldest has already been at this school for a year and we are actually going in knowing it is terrific:). i mean, if it can make jake happy? then we are set. in his words? it was "sick" today).

so, my hope of my old all girl high school providing the same kind of fabulous memories for miss h has been shifted. instead, she will be free to engage and perform and embrace school in a whole new way.

and it should be fabulous.

see, while i loved my experience, i had a sister who did not. a creative, funny, outrageous girl who...well...did not necessarily bring out the best in the nuns. and they failed her completely. and my girl? well, she is somewhat like her aunt. perhaps not quite as crazy. so before we went any further with what we knew was not working, we chose to learn from the past and made a change. putting my nostalgia aside for something new.

 and the nun that scowled at holly on the first day, last year? we should have taken it as an omen.

the august break, eight

the august break, eight, originally uploaded by Jhascrapmom.

i was telling a good friend today about how at the end of every august, that i can look back and see clearly where my priorities were for that month, through the photos i have taken.

but that usually how it takes the full month to see what that is.

and that often i am unclear on what i have really been experiencing until i see the 30 days together, as a cohesive interpretation of my month.

this month? it is crystal clear to me now. today.

it is about the children and the relationships i have because of these kids ( including mine).
and how this year, this month, this day, how these connections make me happy and whole.

the august break, nine

a loss was experienced today, within my circle. the kind of loss that shakes you to the core. 

these faces i photograph are precious. and need to be loved and appreciated every single day. because we are blessed to have them.

and sometimes, even in loss, we are blessed to have had them for any time at all.

the yearly tradition

her digs for the next month, originally uploaded by Jhascrapmom.

of the camp drop off happened today.

miss h danced off into the woods with her counselors and friends with barely a thought to the heartbroken man and boy she was leaving behind...

i, of course, was perfectly fine, with my years of camp love, knowing exactly how much fun this kid is going to have. i did not spend a second being sad over how much i will miss her.

not one second.

maybe a thousand seconds;), but do not tell her that.

i am now alone with a house full of men, with no female respite and understanding.
would she have noticed me crawling into her well worn camp trunk, to stay just a little bit longer? to enjoy even a few minutes of the companionship and independence that being away from home offers?

i fear she would have quickly reminded me that did i not just have that? criss crossing france in the merry company of fantastic women? alone and unencumbered with the responsibilities of home.

oh yes, she would have quickly set me straight.

(for as much as i wanted to stay at camp, she wanted to go to france. fair is fair ).

so, off she went, happy and excited and full of anticipation for what this summer will bring.

and off we went, proud of this girl who is fearless and embraces all the experiences that come her way.

and already missing her before we left the camp gates.

of course the boys are there in spirit. and posters. 1D.

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she got her most terrific counselors from last year!!

yes. he was very sad.