Today is Finn's 16th birthday. Yes. My little tow-headed toddler is sixteen years old. Mothers of little ones, don't blink. Truly.
Finn asked for two things for his birthday: a DNA test (he's very interested in origins!) and opera tickets. He'll be getting both of those. He wanted a British theme (last year was Mexican, the year before was French), so this morning we had a full English breakfast (baked beans, toast, an egg, sausages, bubble and squeak, tea). After piano lesson, we enjoyed fish and chips at a local spot, then spent an hour walking on the path that runs through our city. This evening we plan to have a full tea. It's a pleasure to celebrate him! He finished his schoolyear with straight As, including close to perfect grades in physics, French 3, Spanish 3, and world geography. Algebra was a little lower, but still a solid A. He spent a lot of time traveling in the fall semester, and performed in three different theatrical or ballet productions this spring. And he has scored his first job, which he'll start this summer: working in dining services at a retirement facility nearby, helping the residents who live there get their drinks, silverware, and meal. Finn is an "old soul," so I feel sure he'll fit right in with the residents! I suspect they'll love him.
Finn's birthday also marks the start of summer for me--school has wound down, and we've got a few months stretched out in front of us. This summer we plan to travel (anyone have neat things to do in upstate SC or in Georgia, especially in the Macon or Columbus areas? Likewise, recommendations for things to do along the I-81 corridor through Pennsylvania and New York?), but I'm trying to keep summer as calm and free as possible. We need to breathe. Last weekend we had a ballet recital, threw a big party for my husband's colleagues, and went to the Big City 3 hours away to have Annie's very first pointe shoe fitting! This week I'm trying to take a more relaxed pace. :)
One thing I am working on this summer is developing some good habits that we can implement for our children. Last year was intense. My father's illness, the extensive travel, the first year of high school for Finn, multiple performances....we got through it, but as we were navigating the waters, I realized we needed some stronger habits. So I'm taking some time over the next couple of weeks to chart out some new ways of making sure we are all engaging in the healthiest habits we can, in terms of our daily routine, exercise, study and reading habits, domestic life, and so on. Maybe I'll be able to share some tidbits of that soon.
What else is happening here?
*Our farm just acquired nearly 5 dozen sheep! Ewes and lambs (the resident ram will be staying at another premises until his services are required). They're darling!!!! These are the first sheep for the farm. So pastoral.
*After a spring of not reading much, I'm ambitious to hit the books again. I'm gathering up some lists and recommendations. If you have any good ones to share, please do. I love audiobooks as well as paper books!
*I will share a photo of my new kitchen backsplash soon. I love it--it's just right for our space. Very simple and pretty.....
*My brother-in-law and I pulled weeds and mulched the flower beds here, and it looks so great. Six tons of mulch later, we've got things under control. I had two roses die back to the root stock (Dr Huey, for those of you who know these things), and he dug those out for me, as well as a few small trees who had decided to start growing in our flower beds. I think they look a little "too" tidy now, but I'm not complaining. It's good to have things back under control, since I didn't get to work in the yard last summer, with my travels to Charleston.
Time to assemble the cucumber sandwiches and hang the Union Jack bunting.....I love Finn and his birthday themes!
