"Kid" update

Can I still call them kids when their shoes are all bigger than mine are?

Anyway, we'll start with the youngest this time. . .
Miriam brought home another Honor Roll report card. Great job, Miri!
She's been having some trouble with her TMJ issues, and had to drop Honors Chorus because some days singing is painful. The worst of that discomfort was handled by having her bite guard (that she wears at night) adjusted slightly, but we won't be able to do anything significant to "fix" the issue until she stops growing.
The good news, and compliment to who she is in the world, came Monday during one of our frequent trips to the library. The library has an paid opening for a page, to shelve the books and otherwise assist the librarians. Because of the excellent work she did last summer as a teen volunteer in the summer reading program, one of the librarians actually came up to her and asked her to apply! (They tried to get her on staff last fall, but she wasn't old enough at that point. They've been waiting until an opening came up after her birthday!)

Samuel has interviews scheduled for this weekend to finish up the last of the merit badges he needs to complete his Eagle Scout award. All that he'll have left after this is his project and the paperwork.
He continues to enjoy his kung fu workouts three nights each week, and has some wonderful friends in that community. But that's not enough of a physical outlet, so he's taking up tennis as well. Samuel hopes to make it onto the high school tennis team in the spring, in the midst of testing for his black sash in kung fu (a 6-12 month process!).
And all this, while bringing home his third straight-A report card in a row! You go, Son! Samuel is determined to earn his own computer, and if four straight straight-A report cards is what it takes, then that's what he's going to do.

Kyle is keeping busy with Scouts, band, and other high school activities. Last month he took a trip to Ohio, I think it was, to participate in Bible Bowl with the team from his church. As he finishes up his sophomore year, Kyle's starting to look toward college, and right now plans to attend Ohio Valley University and become a school music teacher. That's a compliment to his current teacher and mentor. Thank you, Mr. L!

Liza is really getting the Hungarian language down. I really enjoyed traveling with her, especially in Hungary where she made a wonderful tour guide and translator. She has really connected with the people and the culture, and isn't ready to come back to the States. I hope another 2 1/2 months will be enough for this trip, Liza. We love you and miss you, and do want you back-at least for a little while!
Since so many people have asked what Liza's planning to do when she returns. . . It looks at this point like she'll be heading out to Washington to help her aunt with her cousins while Uncle Reuben is in Kuwait. Since she's also looking forward to a degree in International Relations in route to a career in the Foreign Service, Liza'll be knocking out general education requirements through independent study and coursework at the local community college-including a course in color photography. (She has really missed her "real" camera this year, but didn't have access to a darkroom in Hungary, so she didn't have me take it to her.)

Tori has quite the summer of travel planned-Hungary to visit Liza (with a detour through London on the way! Did I mention my girls like cities???), Florida in June for a family reunion, New England somewhere in July for a dance weekend, and then another one in August if I've got that straight. And somewhere in there, she and Liza are planning a bit of visiting as a sisters only trip. And she's paying for all of this herself! She's not working much at the restaurant, at least until the semester finishes, but that doesn't mean she has much spare time. She has two other jobs at a home improvement company. Did I tell you they gave her a raise??? They recognize what a hard worker she is, and not only accommodate all this travel she wants to do, they give her money to do it so she'll come back and work some more for them!

One of the great things about my children growing up is my changing role in their lives. I am no longer responsible for the decisions they make as young adults. I get to be a counselor-if (and only if!) asked. And most of the time I get to stand back and admire their creativity and determination as they resolve the situations that arise. I really am blessed with a fine bunch of people to share my family!!!

Where have I been???

Actually, I have been traveling-to Hungary to visit Liza, and then to Vienna, Prague, Kalocsa, and Budapest with her. I'll tuck in pictures and thoughts from my travel experiences through the next few days. I've been back a week (last night) and finally feel like I'm catching up with projects that got set aside while I was preparing for the trip, and then gone.

I've learned some interesting things about myself through this, to include:
1) I am NOT a city girl! I don't know how I ended up with two daughters who love the hustle and bustle so much, but I'm going to leave cities to them! I need my regular fix of trees and bird song and space.
2) I am fine for about a week of traveling, and after that I've got to get home. Part of that is the "nothing meaningful to show for all this time" aspect of sightseeing day after day. Part of it is missing my partner in life, my own bed, and my own dirt in the garden.
3) I care much more about making connections with people than I do about admiring architecture. And it's definitely easier to make connections when we have a shared language, even if it's a second language for one or both.
4) I'm outgrowing collecting "things" as mementos of my trip. I was even challenged finding meaningful gifts to being home for my people who didn't go with me.
5) I can eat dairy and still function (walk, especially), but I feel much better on our plant-based diet we eat here!

It's great to be home!!!!!!!
I really appreciated James staying home and tending to everything here, so I didn't have any of those worries/concerns weighing on me. And you should see all the projects he got finished without me to distract him or change things mid-stream! (I'll do a garden report in a bit.) But best of all is just being home to share ideas and connections.

The time with the twins, without me, did bring them closer together, and made a shift in their relationship that has continued even after my return.
At the same time, the time with just Liza was a special treat. Even if we were both satisfied with our time together by the time it was drawing to a close, and ready to get back to our lives (me-family & gardening, Liza-speaking Hungarian), the experience of extended time together and sharing experiences just the two of us was priceless! James, thank you from both of us for making that possible!!!