Here's an update...

Evan's new business is chugging along successfully.  He is working hard and getting clients and proving to have a service that is really different than anything else offered in this area. yay!

I've been enjoying the summer routine, involving better food, more exercise, time at the pool, and getting to know some new friends in town.  I've discovered a dharma teacher I "click" with very well, and look forward to hearing more of her talks in the coming season. Jamie, Dorothy and I drove last week to Pine Bush, NY, to hear Thich Nhat Hanh teach at his NY monastery, Blue Cliff.  I wrote more about it here.  It was a fun (and perfectly short, for my first overnight separation from Kelly) for all of us - Grammy and Jamie and I had many laughs and interesting converations. Jamie got a lot of drawing and writing in.  I listened to some Pema Chodron on the ipod.  Grammy tolerated a lot of loud music with cheerfulness.

Jamie has about 10 days until starting high school.  He'll be taking the regular academics, including some challenging math and language arts, and also French and Art.  The student culture and behavioral expectations at the high school are known for being more relaxed and fair than in middle school, and I think he's looking forward to what will surely feel like more respect from the adults in his life.  This summer he's been training with real dedication for his first season of high school soccer. Right now the team is practicing twice a day, for 4 hours total, in pretty grueling conditions (90 degree heat!)  His goal is to play varsity this first year, and I think  he finds out on Monday - just a couple days from now.  This summer, Jamie's been reading the Gunslinger series by Stephen King - currently on The Drawing of the Three.

Jeremiah has had, I think, the summer he really wanted.  He had 3 months of unscheduled days, other than one week of soccer camp.   He had many sleepovers with friends, spent many hours at the pool, slept in late in the mornings, played video games, and rode his bike around town.  His soccer season is about to begin, as well. As usual, he'll play for his traveling team and in the local rec league.  It should be a challenging schedule, as he'll also be entering the middle school and working hard to adjust to the new school routine over there.  He's glad to have the later start time now, and for the 3-minute walk (or 30-second bike ride) to school. 

Ryan, our third new-school-starter, is approaching his first day of kindergarten.  I think he's excited and getting a little nervous.  I brought home a blue back pack (his requested color) filled with school supplies and he looked at me as if he wasn't actually truly believing he was going to school until that moment.  I mean, 3 months of waiting is enough to make any 5-year-old question his parents' sincerity.  With each passing day, I'm more sure that school is the right learning environment for Ryan.  It definitely feels surreal to say that, but he does thrive on a planned-out busy day.  He doesn't seem to crave or need much open-ended time at all, and when given it, tends to get himself into a lot of mischief.  This summer, he's been working tirelessly on swimming.  Six weeks ago, he would scarcely put his shoulders under the water, and is now snorkeling around, completely submerged.  It was a very gradual process, with small accomplishments every day of his 4 weeks of daily swim lessons.  He probably kicked with a kickboard 100 miles this summer.